What is the population of Latvia?
Population | 1,881,232 |
Population Growth Rate | -0.61% |
Urban Population | 67.700000 |
Population in Major Urban Areas | RIGA (capital) 701,000 |
Nationality Noun | Latvian(s) |
Ethnic Groups | Latvian 57.7%, Russian 29.6%, Belarusian 4.1%, Ukrainian 2.7%, Polish 2.5%, Lithuanian 1.4%, other 2% (2002) |
Language Note | Latvian (official) 56.3%, Russian 33.8%, other 0.6% (includes Polish, Ukrainian, and Belarusian), unspecified 9.4%; note - data represent language usually spoken at home. |
What is school like in Latvia?
A typical classroom of a primary school has fifteen desks (each desk for two pupils). There is a big blackboard on the wall, a teacher’s table with a chair, several green flowers and a cupboard where some books are located. On a wall, generally near the entrance, there is an announcement board, where some of children’s drawings, announcements and Birthday congratulations may be placed. Generally, there are no toys, puzzles and TVs in a classroom. Every school has one specific classroom with computers, which, however, is available starting with secondary school for IT lessons.
Classrooms are spacious and light. Even in old schools parents are often happy to volunteer for repainting floors and walls during summer holidays, in order to improve their children’s school experience. Not all the schools have enough study books and manuals to distribute to pupils. Therefore, they are forced to share one book for every two students or they are asked to acquire it by themselves. Books are comparatively expensive and not all the parents can afford buying them. Schools in Riga and other major cities usually have a well-equipped computer class, while schools in rural areas might not have computers at all or have very old computers. Gyms for physical education classes are well-equipped. Schools have enough staff to ensure children’s education. Quality of food in school canteens (cafeterias) is usually poor. While some children have lunch in a school canteen, many parents prefer to prepare a lunch box at home, as a sandwich prepared by parents is much tastier and healthier than a school canteen soup. However, generally a school is a well-equipped and secure place for children.
Music, art and hand craft are obligatory subjects in a Latvian school. Drama and dancing are often offered as after-school disciplines for a separate fee.
Almost all the children who complete the first 4 grades of school move on to secondary education; an obligatory school education consists of 9 grades in Latvia.
Discipline management in schools depends on a teacher’s personality and character. Children do not respect all the teachers, but only those who manage to establish the right contact with them or who are so strict that children are afraid to be noisy. However, there are also those teachers where the class discipline is unacceptable. A headmaster is generally respected by pupils. He/she is a person who is able to solve difficult situations, but who children are slightly afraid of: in case a child does not behave in the appropriate manner during a lesson, the worst “punishment” a pupil may have from a teacher’s side is visiting a headmaster’s study.
Uniforms are not obligatory in Latvia. Some schools, such as Pushkin Lyceum in Riga, create internal rules and expect boys and girls to arrive in black and white outfit on a daily basis. However, this is not a common practice.
Children greet teachers and other adults by saying “Labrit” (Good morning) or “Labdien” (Good day), or their equivalent in Russian, depending whether it is a Russian or a Latvian school. The government has introduced a number of laws which no longer permit children from Russian families to get education in the Russian language. The majority of subjects must be taught in Latvian even in Russian schools. This creates a number of problems, as there are not enough Latvian teachers, but those teachers who have always taught their subjects in Russian often have a poor knowledge of the Latvian language. However, they are still forced to teach in Latvian, and it is clear that the quality of education suffers significantly.
A typical lunch in a school canteen consists of soup, meat and vegetables, juice and a small dessert. Canteens of Latvian schools are known for poor quality food.
What are the health conditions in Latvia?
Life Expectancy at Birth | 73.190000 |
Death Rate - deaths/1,000 population | 13.6 |
Infant Mortality Rate - total deaths/1,000 live births | 8.080000 |
Health Expenditures - percent of GDP | 6.7% |
Physicians Density - physicians/1,000 population | 2.9 |
Hospital Bed Density - beds/1,000 population | 5.3 |
Major Infectious Diseases - degree of risk | intermediate |
Drinking Water Source - percent of urban population improved | 99.600000 |
Maternal Mortality Rate - deaths/100,000 live births | 34 |
Mean Age for Mother's First Birth (age 25-49) | 26.4 |
Contraceptive Prevalence Rate - female 12-49 | 67.8% |
Total Fertility Rate - children born/woman | 1.34 |
Obesity - adult prevalence rate | 24.9% |
Sanitation Facility Access - percent of urban population improved | 82.100000 |
How long do people live in Latvia?
Life Expectancy at Birth | 73.190000 |
Median Age | 41.200000 |
Contraceptive Prevalance Rate - female 12-49 | 67.8% |
Infant Mortality Rate | 8.080000 |
Maternal Mortality Rate - deaths/100,000 live births | 34 |
Total Fertility Rate - children born/woman | 1.34 |
Birth Rate - births/1,000 population | 10 |
Median Age | 41.200000 |
Net Migration Rate - migrant(s)/1,000 population | -2.36 |
Population Growth Rate | -0.61% |
Sex Ratio at Birth - male/female | 1.050000 |
Age Structure | 15.010000 |
Contraceptive Prevalance Rate - female 12-49 | 67.8% |
Infant Mortality Rate | 8.080000 |
Maternal Mortality Rate - deaths/100,000 live births | 34 |
Mother's mean age at first birth | 26.4 |
Total Fertility Rate - children born/woman | 1.34 |
What are the health conditions in Latvia?
What is school like in Latvia?
Education Expenditures - percent of GDP | 5% |
Literacy - female | 99.8% |
Literacy - male | 99.8% |
Literacy - total population | 99.7% |
Literacy Definition | age 15 and over can read and write |
Total School Life Expectancy - (primary to tertiary) | 16.000000 |
Can people in Latvia read?
Literacy - female | 99.8% |
Literacy - male | 99.8% |
Literacy - total population | 99.7% |
Literacy Definition | age 15 and over can read and write |
Is Latvia a safe place to visit?