On 17 August 2010, the monetary supervisory authorities, central banks, finance ministries and other related ministries of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden signed a cross-border agreement on financial stability. The Nordic-Baltic Cooperation Agreement on Cross-border Financial Stability enhanced cooperation by establishing routines and procedures for information sharing and coordination.

In the ninth century the Balts came beneath the overlordship of the Varangians, or Vikings, however a extra lasting dominance was established over them by their German-speaking neighbours to the west, who Christianized Latvia within the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. From the mid-sixteenth to the early 18th century, Latvia was partitioned between Poland and Sweden, but by the tip of the 18th century the whole of Latvia had been annexed by expansionist Russia. German landowners managed to retain their influence in Latvia, but indigenous Latvian nationalism grew rapidly in the early 20th century.

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Despite foreign rule from the 13th to twentieth centuries, the Latvian nation maintained its identity throughout the generations via the language and musical traditions. Until World War II, Latvia additionally had vital minorities of ethnic Germans and Jews.

Latvian armed forces have contributed to NATO and EU military operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina (1996–2009), Albania , Kosovo (2000–2009), Macedonia , Iraq (2005–2006), Afghanistan (since 2003), Somalia (since 2011) and Mali (since 2013). Latvia additionally took part within the US-led Multi-National Force operation in Iraq (2003–2008) and OSCE missions in Georgia, Kosovo and Macedonia. Latvian armed forces contributed to a UK-led Battlegroup in 2013 and the Nordic Battlegroup in 2015 beneath the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) of the European Union.

Bogs are one of Latvia’s most significant natural sources, and lots of are protected areas of EU significance. One of Europe’s greenest nations, round 50% of Latvia is wilderness.

Post-struggle confusion enabled professional-independence forces to consolidate their efforts and pursue their dream. Latvia’s independence was proclaimed shortly after the end of the First World War – on November 18, 1918. The first to recognise Latvia’s independence was Soviet Russia, which relinquished authority and pretences to Latvian territory for ever.

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The Nordic Council of Ministers’ co-operation with Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania is directed by pointers agreed by the Nordic Ministers for Co-operation in July 2013 and adopted by the Nordic Council in October 2013. These categorical a need to develop Nordic-Baltic co-operation in areas of widespread curiosity and thus strengthen work in direction of political stability and a robust economic system within the Baltic Sea Region. The Nordic Council of Ministers offices opened within the three Baltic capitals (Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius) in 1991 play a key role in the dynamic Nordic–Baltic co-operation. The Nordic nations were amongst the strongest supporters of the Baltic international locations’ independence and later they have been the primary to open their borders, introducing visa-free regimes with the Baltic nations.

Coming from a Latvian (who’s admittedly fairly annoyed each time Latvians as an ethnic group are considered Slavic, as a result of we’re not – we’re Baltic and see ourselves as such), speaking of the country as an entire I’d say – not really. The younger Slavophile and landowning nobleman Yury Samarin, a junior official in Riga, was severely reprimanded by the emperor for his anti-German activities. I imagine Latvia like the opposite Baltic States, Estonia and Lithuania, is famous for its tradition and traditions. Latvia and the other Baltic States have a tradition that is distinctive however that culture also has been influenced by its neighboring international locations and specifically Russia.

Dinamo Riga is the country’s strongest hockey membership, playing in the Kontinental Hockey League. The nationwide match is the Latvian Hockey Higher League, held since 1931. Latvian cuisine latvian girls typically consists of agricultural merchandise, with meat featuring in most main meal dishes.

The Latvian economy grew by 5.5% in 2011 and by 5.6% in 2012 reaching the very best fee of growth in Europe. Unemployment, however, stays excessive, and GDP stays below the pre-disaster degree. The Latvian economy entered a phase of fiscal contraction during the second half of 2008 after an extended period of credit-based hypothesis and unrealistic inflation of actual property values. The national account deficit for 2007, for example, represented more than 22% of the GDP for the 12 months while inflation was running at 10%.By 2009 unemployment rose to 23% and was the very best in the EU.

The tradition and religious traditions have been considerably influenced by Germanic, Scandinavian, and Russian traditions. Latvians have an ancient culture that has been archaeologically dated again to 3000 BC. Latvians maintained a considerable connection and trade with their neighbors.

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Municipal roads in Latvia totals km of roads and 8039 km of streets. The best known roads are A1 (European route E67), connecting Warsaw and Tallinn, in addition to European route E22, connecting Ventspils and Terehova. In 2017 there were a total of 803,546 licensed autos in Latvia. Future co-operation will embody sharing of national infrastructures for coaching purposes and specialisation of coaching areas (BALTTRAIN) and collective formation of battalion-sized contingents for use in the NATO rapid-response force. In January 2011, the Baltic states were invited to join NORDEFCO, the defence framework of the Nordic countries.

At the start of this period the territory known right now as Latvia turned famous as a trading crossroads. The well-known ‘route from the Vikings to the Greeks’ mentioned in historic chronicles stretched from Scandinavia via Latvian territory along the river Daugava to the Ancient Russia and Byzantine Empire.

Nordic-Baltic Six (NB-6), comprising Nordic-Baltic international locations which might be European Union member states, is a framework for meetings on EU-related points. Interparliamentary co-operation between the Baltic Assembly and Nordic Council was signed in 1992 and since 2006 annual conferences are held as well as common conferences on different ranges. Joint Nordic-Baltic co-operation initiatives embrace the training programme NordPlus and mobility programmes for public administration, business and business and tradition. It has 44 diplomatic and consular missions and maintains 34 embassies and 9 permanent representations abroad.

In 1282, Riga, and later the cities of Cēsis, Limbaži, Koknese and Valmiera, became a part of the Hanseatic League. Riga turned an important level of east–west buying and selling and formed shut cultural links with Western Europe. A Latvian constituent meeting, elected in April 1920, met in Riga on May 1; and on August 11 a Latvian-Soviet peace treaty was signed in Riga, the Soviet authorities renouncing all claims to Latvia.