Military service age and obligation: 19 years of age for compulsory military service, conscript service obligation - 12 months; 18 years of age for volunteers; Latvia plans to phase out conscription, tentatively moving to an all-professional force by 2007 (August 2004)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 19-49: 517,713 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 19-49: 361,098 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males: 19,137 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$87 million (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.2% (FY01)
Transnational Issues Latvia
Disputes - international:
the Latvian-Russian boundary treaty of 1997 remains unsigned and
unratified with Russia linking it to better Latvian treatment of
ethnic Russians and Latvian politicians demanding Russian agreement
to a declaration that admits Soviet aggression during the Second
World War and other issues; the Latvian parliament has not ratified
its 1998 maritime boundary treaty with Lithuania, primarily due to
concerns over oil exploration rights; as a member state that forms
part of the EU's external border, Latvia must implement the strict
Schengen border rules
Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for opiates and cannabis from Central and
Southwest Asia to Western Europe and Scandinavia and Latin American
cocaine and some synthetics from Western Europe to CIS; vulnerable
to money laundering despite improved legislation due to nascent
enforcement capabilities and comparatively weak regulation of
offshore companies and the gaming industry; organized crime
(including counterfeiting, corruption, extortion, stolen cars, and
prostitution) accounts for most laundered proceeds
This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005