Official Name: Republic of Latvia.
Form of Government: Parliamentary democracy.
Head of State: Raimonds Vējonis (President).
Head of Government: Arturs Krišjānis Kariņš (Prime Minister).
National Day: November 18, Independence Day.
Post Name Took Office President Raimonds Vējonis July 8, 2015 Prime Minister Arturs Krišjānis Kariņš January 23, 2019 Defence Minister Artis Pabriks January 23, 2019 Minister for Foreign Affairs Edgars Rinkēvičs October 25, 2011 Minister for Science and Education Ilga Šuplinska January 23, 2019 Minister for Justice Jānis Bordāns January 23, 2019 Minister for Environmental Protection and Regional Development Juris Pūce January 23, 2019 Minister for the Interior Sandis Ģirģens January 23, 2019 Minister for Transportation Tālis Linkaits January 23, 2019 Minister for Economy Ralfs Nemiro January 23, 2019 Minister for Welfare Ramona Petraviča January 23, 2019 Minister for Finance Jānis Reirs January 23, 2019 Minister for Culture Dace Melbārde January 22, 2014 Minister for Agriculture Kaspars Gerhards January 23, 2019 Minister for Health Ilze Viņķele January 23, 2019
The Latvian Government, through the State Agency Latvia State Development (VIAA) offers scholarships to students, teachers and researchers to study or carry out research at one of the various Latvian Universities. For more information, visit: www.viaa.gov.lv
Population: 2,191,580 inhabitants. (est. July 2012) Ethnic breakdown: 62.1% Latvian, 27.4% Russian, 3.5% Belarusian, 2.4% Ukrainian, 2.3% Polish, 1.3% Lithuanian. Capital: Riga, the political, economic, and cultural centre of Latvia; one third of the population works here (approx. 700,000 people). The elegant city of Riga and its distinctive Art Nouveau architecture make for an exhilarating backdrop to a modern and dynamic cultural and business life. Largest cities and their population: Riga - 706,413 people (2010); Daugavpils - 102,870 people; Liepāja - 83,061 people;Jelgava - 64,279 people; Jūrmala - 55,767 people; Ventspils - 42,378 people; Rēzekne - 34,522 people. Official language: Latvian (Russian and Lithuanian is also spoken). Religion: Evangelical Lutheran, Roman Catholic and Russian Orthodox. Since the 16th century, with the Reformation, the Lutheran Church has held a central role in Latvia. GDP per capita: 18,100 dollars. Currency: The Latvian national currency is the Euro. Total area: 64,589 km2, with over 44 percent of its surface covered by forests, a wide web of free-flowing rivers and a large quantity of lakes. Location: Latvia borders Estonia to the north, Russia to the east, Lithuania to the south, and the Baltic sea to the west. Its strategic location has made it an important place for international commerce and cultural exchange since ancient times. Climate: Marine; humid; high levels of humidity and precipitation.
Latvia declared its independence in 1918. Mexico recognized it officially in 1927. Later on, our country condemned the occupation of Latvia by the Soviet Union and its subsequent annexation. Mexico and Latvia reestablished diplomatic relations on November 27, 1991, just months after the Baltic country regained its independence. On September 1993, Latvia opened an Honorary Consulate in Mexico and our country corresponded the action in 2000. In the same year, the Memorandum of Understanding for the Establishment of Bilateral Political Consultations in Matters of Common Interest was signed, under whose auspices three meetings were held, in 2002, 2006, and 2007. In recent years, presidential and foreign ministers’ meetings by both countries have occurred in several different international forums, including the meeting between Mexican Foreign Secretary Patricia Espinosa and her then counterpart, Ģirts Valdis Kristovskis, which was held in the framework of the 66th General Assembly of the UN on September, 2011. The ministers discussed the presence of the Mexican company CEMEX in Latvia, climate change, and the prospects for cooperation within the United Nations, agreed to strengthen bilateral relations and signed the Convention for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and Prevention of Fiscal Evasion. Throughout the 20 years of diplomatic relations a legal framework has been built up, upon which the bilateral relations between the two countries have rested. These have included the Agreement for the Suppression of Non-ordinary Visas (2002), the Agreement between Mexico and Latvia for Visa Suppression for Mexican Diplomats and Officials and for Latvian Diplomats and Public Servants (2004), and the Agreement between the Government of the United Mexican States and the Government of the Republic of Latvia for Cooperation in the Areas of Education, Culture and Sports (2006). The establishment of the Mexican cement company CEMEX in Latvia is certainly a major milestone in the economic relationship between the two nations. With the acquisition of the British company RMC Group, valued at 5,800 million dollars, CEMEX became the sole producer of cement in the country. As part of CEMEX’s investment plan, a highlight is the decision to build a new plant in Broceni in order to increase its production capacity, with which Mexico will be placed prominently as a foreign investor in Latvia. In the educational field there has been a constant exchange of scholarship holders and students. Annually, the Mexican Ministry for Foreign Affairs (Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores, S.R.E.) offers two scholarships to students from Latvia and invites them to apply to the Courses for Foreign Diplomats offered by the SRE. In the legal field, several agreements have been negotiated and signed between the two countries, including the following: - Agreement between Mexico and Latvia for Visa Suppression for Mexican Diplomats and Officials and for Latvian Diplomats and Public Servants. Effective since Sept. 11, 2002. - Unilateral Declaration of the Suppression of Requirement for Visas to enter Mexico for Latvian Nationals who Carry Ordinary Passports. Effective since September 1, 2004. - Agreement between the Government of the United Mexican States and the Government of the Republic of Latvia for Cooperation in the Areas of Education, Culture and Sports, signed in Mexico on April 14, 2005, became effective on January 26, 2006. - Memorandum of Understanding on Draft Air Services Agreement to be negotiated between Mexico and Latvia, signed in Riga as part of a first round of negotiations, held on August 25 and 26, 2011. - Convention for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect to Taxes on Income. Signed on April 20, 2012, in Washington, D.C.
Mr.. Carlos Arredondo Martínez Address: Pulkveža Briēza iela Nr. 8-1, Riga, LV-1010, Latvia. Telephone: + 371 29509122
Mr. Andris Razāns
Ms. Beatrise Āboltina Trueblood Address: Paseo del Rio 120, c.p. 01070, Chimalistac, Mexico City. Telephone: + 52 55 5662-7698
The Agreement between the Government of the United Mexican States and the Government of the Republic of Latvia for Cooperation in the Areas of Education, Culture, and Sports was signed in Mexico City on April 14th, 2005. Students and scholarship holders are exchanged on this basis.
The Latvian Government, through the State Agency Latvia State Development (VIAA), provides scholarships to students, teachers and researchers to study or research in various universities of Latvia. For more information, visit: www.viaa.gov.lv
Government Insitutions for the Republic of Latvia
Economic Institutions
Culture and Tourism Institutions
