Latvia
Latvia
Latvia is on the eastern Baltic coast and is also known as the
Republic of Latvia. Latvia means "metal clothes." Covering an area
of 64,600 square kilometers, it has a population of 2.33 million
people, mainly ethnic Latvians and Russians. Residents are
Protestant Christian. The official language is Latvian, and 95% of
the people know Russian. LVL is the currency. The capital is Riga
(Riga). 
National Flag
The Latvian flag consists of three parallel rectangles, from the top
down colored dark red, white, and dark red. The Latvian flag is a
symbol of national unity.
History
In the 10 century AD, a number of early feudal principalities were
establsiehd. From 1583 to 1710, Latvia was under the rule of Sweden,
Poland, Lithuania, and Duchy divide. From 1710 to 1795, it was
occupied by Tsarist Russia. On November 18, 1918, Latvia declared
independence and established the Republic. On August 5, 1940, it was
incorporated into the Soviet Union. From 1941-1945, Latvia was
occupied by the Germans. After "World War II" it was re-incorporated
into the Soviet Union. On May 4, 1990, the restoration of Latvian
Supreme Soviet adopted the Declaration of Independence, and changed
the country's name to the Republic of Latvia. On August 22, 1991,
Latvia restored the Supreme Soviet of the Republic of Latvia and
declared independence.
Economic and Cultural Customs
The country has well-developed animal husbandry, mainly dual-purpose
dairy and meat and pig husbandry. Main crops are potatoes, sugar
beet, and flax. Riga is the capital and is one of the ancient cities
of Europe. It is the political, economic, cultural, and
transportation center, and it is an important port city. In the Old
City there are castles illustrating the history and style of art,
with many churches and other places of interest as well. The town
has wide, clean streets and magnificent architecture. There are
fountains everywhere, as well as monuments and sculpture. Latvia's
traditional industry is machinery. In addition, metal processing,
the chemical industry, papermaking, textiles, and the food industry
are all well-developed.
St. Peter's Cathedral
Located in Riga City, the ancient church was built in the 13th to
14th century AD. From 1689 to 1694 the Church decorated both sides
in the popular Baroque style. Its smooth lines have prominent
graphics and are decorated with beautiful portraits, known for their
luxury. Its spire reaches up to 123.2 meters. Its tower is topped
with a golden weathercock.
Dome Cathedral
In Latvia's capital Riga, the Dome Cathedral is located in the "June
17" square. As the construction process took more than five
centuries, so its style reflects many periods of time. The
architecture is of ornate, elaborate style. Finally, the cathedral
is not only in Roman Gothic style, but also has characteristics of
the Renaissance. In 1884, the church had a large organ installed.
This pipe organ is formed from 6,768 wooden pipes, of varying
lengths from 8 mm to 10 meters. With its precious combination of
wood, tin, and lead alloys, the organ's sound is reputed to be the
best in the world, soft and beautiful.
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