Country explorer: Latvia

Latvia has demonstrated significant economic resilience and growth, evidenced by a marked increase in GDP per capita, improvements in poverty distribution, reduction in unemployment rates, and controlled inflation, aligning with trends observed in similar high-income and Baltic region countries.

Latvia has experienced significant demographic shifts characterized by a decreasing population, a low fertility rate, and a notable increase in life expectancy, reflecting broader trends observed in several high-income and post-Soviet countries.

Latvia has ensured nearly universal access to clean fuels, electricity, and safely managed drinking water, mirroring the high standards observed in other high-income countries, although its progress in safely managed sanitation facilities reflects a more gradual improvement comparable to its Baltic neighbors.

Latvia has shown consistent progress in human development indicators such as improved health outcomes, educational attainment, and living standards, closely mirroring the positive trends seen in its Baltic neighbors and aligning with the broader advancements of high-income countries.

Latvia has demonstrated an environmental commitment characterized by a significant increase in renewable energy production, especially in bioenergy and wind, while maintaining and slightly enhancing its vast forest areas, situating itself as a country focused on sustainable environmental management, paralleled by a stable yet gradually declining freshwater resource per capita, a trend consistent with regional patterns.

Latvia has demonstrated robust growth in internet usage and mobile subscriptions, a moderate but fluctuating investment in research and development, and a significant increase in scientific publications, mirroring trends observed in other high-income countries but with distinctive spikes in scientific output and technological adaptation.

Latvia has faced a steady societal transformation marked by a reduction in gender inequality and improvements in overall life satisfaction, against a backdrop of demographic shifts demonstrated by an increasing age dependency ratio, somewhat reflecting broader trends observed in high-income countries.

Latvia has shown significant improvements in governance, closely aligning with high-income countries in terms of rule of law, corruption perception, and political civil liberties, yet facing challenges in press freedom, mirroring wider regional trends amidst its Baltic peers.