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An Eastern European state, Latvia is one of the three Baltic States, the others being Estonia (to the north) and Lithuania (to the south). Latvia also borders Russia and Belarus to the east, and has a sandy 531 km coastline with the Baltic Sea and a total land area of 64,589 sq km.
The Republic of Latvia can boast of a culture and traditions that are centuries old, but records of inhabitants in the area are a millennium old. The territory that is now Latvia was first inhabited soon after the Ice Age, in approximately 9000 BC. Ancestors of Baltic Finn peoples lived in the area since approximately 3000 BC, but during the first half of the second millennium BC the first proto-Baltic tribes entered the area and the culture of the Baltic (Selonians, Semgallians, Couronians, Latgallians) and Finno-Ugric (Livian) tribes was formed.
A Hierarchical Society
Latvia is a hierarchical society. People are respected because of their age and position. Older people are viewed as wise and are granted respect. Latvians expect the most senior person, by age or position to make decisions that are in the best interest of the group.
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