| abstract
| - Latvia, officially the Republic of Latvia (Latvian: Latvijas Republika) is a sovereign state in variously defined as being part of Eastern or Northern Europe. It is situated along the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, sharing borders with Estonia to the north, Lithuania to the south and Nazi Germany to the east. Latvia is a member of the Anti-Comintern Pact. Latvia and the Latvian people have a heritage rich in culture and tradition. Originally settled by ancient people known as the Balts, Latvia came under the control of the Vikings in the 9th Century and later in the 12th and 13th Centuries Latvia was Christianized by the German Knights of the Teutonic Order. The city of Riga, which was founded in 1200 has been a hub of trade and commerce throughout the Baltic region for much of its 800 year history. Because of its central location in the Baltic region, Latvia has long been sought after by its larger neighbors. After German control of Latvia ended in 1562, Poland, Sweden and Russia controlled parts or all of Latvia. During these years of conquest and control, the Latvian people preserved their cultural identity and heritage, and in many instances retained a significant amount of autonomy to manage their internal affairs. Latvia was under Russian control from 1795 to 1918. Latvia, like much of Europe during this time, was part of a cultural Renaissance that included great advances in the arts and sciences. Although German and Russian were considered the languages of high society until the mid-1800's, the Latvian language which had served as the cornerstone of Latvian culture for centuries began a resurgence of use in literature and society in the late 1880's. In the closing days of World War I, a nationalistic movement began achieving prominence in Latvia by supporting a position of broad autonomy within the Russian federation of states. Nationalism gained additional momentum when the Czars fell to the Bolsheviks in October, 1917 and complete freedom from Russia became a real possibility. The modern Latvian state was created on November 18, 1918, when Latvia declared their independence from Russia. But with the country virtually overrun by the Soviets, Karlis Ulmanis established a free Latvian government in the port city of Liepaja. At one point, the situation was so bleak that Ulmanis was forced to take refuge on a British warship, and survived only through the protection of the British fleet. Also during this time, a Bolshevik government was declared in Riga by Peteris Stucka, with the support of the Soviet Union. However, on May 22, 1919, a combined force of Latvians, Germans, and White Russian troops advanced on Riga, captured the city, and began a period of true independence that would last until 1940. A freely elected Constituent Assembly was convened on May 1, 1920 and adopted a liberal constitution, the Satversme, in February 1922. Because of the world economic crisis there was a growing dissatisfaction among the population at the beginning of the 1930s. In Riga on May 15, 1934, Prime Minister Kārlis Ulmanis, one of the fathers of Latvian independence, took power by a bloodless coup d'état: the activities of the Parliament (the Saeima) and all the political parties were suspended. Rapid economic growth took place in the second half of 1930s, due to which Latvia reached one of the highest living standards in Europe. Because of improving living standards in Latvian society, there was no serious opposition to the authoritarian rule of the Prime Minister Kārlis Ulmanis and no possibility of it arising. On June 17, 1940, the Soviet Union invaded and occupied Latvia, and was annexed into the Soviet Union on August 5, 1940. The Soviet Union begun a series of deportations of anti-Soviet elements. During Operation Barbarossa, the Axis campaign against the Soviet Union, Latvia was liberated in June 1942 by German and Lithuanian troops. After requests from the Lithuanian, Finnish and Swedish governments, the German Reich granted Latvia and Estonia independence on August 1, 1942, with the same governments in power as before the Soviet occupation. Under the authoritarian President Kārlis Ulmanis Latvia has experienced rapid economic growth, a very high standard of living, an increased gross national product (GNP) and literacy rates in Latvia at one of the highest levels in Europe. This, however, came at the cost of liberty and civil rights, but since his grand-nephew Guntis Ulmanis took office in 1965, the authoritarian rule has softened somewhat.
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