Latvia has finalized all requirements for joining the U.S. Visa Waiver Program, meaning Latvian citizens may be just a few months away from being able to enter the United States with little more than a passport. The Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced Sept. 18 that Latvian and U.S. officials have finalized language in an agreement on combatting serious crime. The agreement is the last step in the consultative process that should lead to Latvia being admitted into the visa waiver program.

Emigration from Latvia to other countries appears to be on the upswing this year after slowing in 2007, according to data provided by the Central Statistical Bureau in Riga. At the same time, immigration continues to increase, although the net result is still a loss in population. In the first six months of this year, 2,752 persons emigrated from Latvia compared to 2,110 during the same period in 2007, an increase of 30.4 percent.

President Valdis Zatlers has discussed the situation in Georgia and the international implications of the military conflict there with other heads of state. Latvia's President has been in contact with the presidents of Estonia, Ukraine, Georgia, and the United States by telephone to consider steps that could be taken to bring an end to the Russian-Georgian war and the normalization of the situation. The President underscored his positive assessment of the ceasefire but emphasized the need to adhere to its terms, in particular to the stipulation that Russian forces be withdrawn, which is currently not being implemented.

Latvia (/ˈlætviə/) (historically Lettonia, or Lettland), officially the Republic of Latvia (Latvian: Latvija or Latvijas Republika), is a country in Northern Europe. Latvia shares land borders with Estonia to the north, Lithuania to the south — and both Russia and Belarus to the east. It is separated from Sweden in the west by the Baltic Sea. The capital of Latvia is Riga (Latvian: Rīga). Latvia has been a member state of the European Union since May 1, 2004 and a member of NATO since March 29, 2004.

History

The territory of Latvia has been populated since 9000 BC with the proto-Baltic ancestors of the Latvian people settling on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea around the third millennium BC (3000 BC). By 900 AD, four Baltic tribal cultures had developed: Couronians, Latgallians, Selonians, Semigallians (in Latvian: kurši, latgaļi, sēļi and zemgaļi), as well as the Livonians (līvi) speaking a Finno-Ugric language.

Whereas you can't fly to Riga from anywhere in the world, the Latvian capital is widely accessible by air from most major European cities. AirBaltic alone travels to over thirty destinations, from Barcelona and Paris, to Moscow and Vienna. Those looking for cheap flights will be pleased to know that Ryanair have good coverage of the UK and Ireland, flying to London Stansted, Liverpool, Glasgow (Prestwick) and Dublin, whilst Easyjet fly to Berlin Schoenfeld. For those that like a little more leg room British Airways run a service to London Gatwick. Once you've arrived in Riga, no real dramas should present themselves.

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Since 1993 the Latvian national currencey has been the aptly-named Lat. The Lat has the enormous advantage for British tourists of not only being an easy name to remember and pronounce, but for also being almost exactly equal to one pound sterling, thus vastly reducing the time spent calculating how much the last round cost you. Of course the downside ergo is that the Lat is not monopoly money to be thrown around like the Vietnamese Dong. Spend wisely or incur the wrath of your bank manager! There are 100 Santimes to every Lat.

Latvia (/ˈlætviə/) (historically Lettonia, or Lettland), officially the Republic of Latvia (Latvian: Latvija or Latvijas Republika), is a country in Northern Europe. Latvia shares land borders with Estonia to the north, Lithuania to the south — and both Russia and Belarus to the east. It is separated from Sweden in the west by the Baltic Sea. The capital of Latvia is Riga (Latvian: Rīga). Latvia has been a member state of the European Union since May 1, 2004 and a member of NATO since March 29, 2004.

Ireland's President Mary McAleese is on a four-day tour of Latvia and Lithuania, two of the Baltic States where tens of thousands of immigrants to Ireland have originated from in recent years. According to a press release from McAleese's office, the tour is "expected to strengthen political, economic, cultural and educational links between Ireland and the two [Baltic] countries."

Tír i dtuaisceart na hEorpa is ea Poblacht na Laitvia,