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Latvia
Forest Information and Data
According to the U.N. FAO,
53.8% or about 3,354,000 ha of Latvia is forested, according to FAO. Of this 0.4% ( 15,000 ) is classified as primary forest, the most biodiverse and carbon-dense form of forest. Latvia had 628,000 ha of planted forest.
Change in Forest Cover: Between 1990 and 2010, Latvia lost an average of 9,050 ha or 0.29% per year. In total, between 1990 and 2010, Latvia gained 5.7% of its forest cover, or around 181,000 ha.
Latvia's forests contain 272 million metric tons of carbon in living forest biomass.
Biodiversity and Protected Areas: Latvia has some 413 known species of amphibians, birds, mammals and reptiles according to figures from the World Conservation Monitoring Centre. Of these, 0.2% are endemic, meaning they exist in no other country, and 2.9% are threatened. Latvia is home to at least 1153 species of vascular plants. 12.7% of Latvia is protected under IUCN categories I-V.
The following contains data relating to forest cover in Latvia
Previous version of this profile (2009)
SECTIONS:
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Latvia: Forest Cover, 2010
| Total Land Area (1000 ha) | 6229 |
| Total Forest Area (1000 ha) | 3354 |
| Percent Forest Cover | 54 |
| Primary Forest Cover (1000 ha) | 15 |
| Primary Forest, % total forest | n.s. |
| Other wooded land (1000 ha) | 113 |
| Percent other wooded land | 2 |
Latvia: Breakdown of forest types, 2010
| Primary forest (1000 ha | % of forest area) | 15 | n.s. |
| Other naturally regenerated forest (1000 ha | % of forest area) | 2711 | 81 |
| Planted Forest (1000 ha | % of forest area) | 628 | 19 |
Latvia: Trends in Total (Net) Forest Cover, 1990-2010
| TOTAL FOREST COVER (1000 ha) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| 3173 | 3241 | 3297 | 3354 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (1000 ha)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| 7 | 11 | 11 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (percent)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| 0.21 | 0.34 | 0.34 | |
Latvia: Trends in Natural Forest Cover (Deforestation), 1990-2010
| FOREST COVER (excluding planted forests) (1000 ha) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| 2449 | 2532 | 2606 | 2726 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (1000 ha)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| 8 | 8 | 19 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (percent)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| 0.3 | 0.34 | 0.77
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Latvia: Trends in Primary or Old Growth Forest Cover, 1990-2010
| PRIMARY FOREST COVER (1000 ha) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| 17 | 17 | 16 | 15 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (1000 ha)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| 0 | n.s. | n.s. | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (percent)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| 0 | -1.21 | -1.28 | |
Latvia: Trends in Planted Forest Cover, 1990-2010
| PLANTED FOREST COVER (1000 ha) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| 724 | 709 | 691 | 628 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (1000 ha)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| -2 | -4 | -13 | |
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (percent)
Negative number represents deforestation |
| 1990-2000 | 2000-2005 | 2005-2010 |
| -0.21 | -0.51 | -1.89 | |
Latvia: Primary designated function (percent)
| Production | Protection of soil and water | Conservation of biodiversity | Social services | Multiple use | Other | None or unknown |
| 79 | 4 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Latvia: Forest ownership and management rights 2005 (percent)
| OWNERSHIP PATTERN |
| Public ownership | Private ownership | Other |
| 54 | 46 | n.s. |
| PRIVATE OWNERSHIP |
| Individuals | Business entities and institutions | Local, indigenous and tribal communities |
| 90 | 10 | 0 |
| HOLDER OF MANAGEMENT RIGHTS OF PUBLIC FORESTS |
| Public administration | Individuals | Business
entities and Institutions | Communities | Other |
| 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Latvia: Growing stock in forest
| GROWING STOCK IN FOREST |
Total
(million m3) | Per hectare
(m3) | Coniferous
(million m3) | Broadleaved
(million m3) | % commercial species |
| 633 | 189 | 335 | 298 | 100 |
| GROWING STOCK IN FOREST |
| Total (million m3) | Per hectare (m3) | Coniferous (million m3) | Broadleaved (million m3) | % commercial species |
| 2 | 17 | | | |
Latvia: Trends in carbon stock in living forest biomass 1990-2010
CARBON STOCK IN LIVING FOREST BIOMASS
(million metric tons) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| 193 | 234 | 244 | 272 |
CARBON STOCK IN LIVING FOREST BIOMASS
(per hectare in tons) |
| | | 2000 |
| | | 81 |
ANNUAL CHANGE
(1 000 t/yr) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| 4 | 2 | 5 |
ANNUAL CHANGE PER HECTARE
(t/ha/yr) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 |
| 1.1 | n.s. | 1.4 |
Latvia: Area of forest affected by fire and other disturbances 2005
| FOREST FIRE |
| 1000 ha | % wild fire (not managed burn) |
| 1 | 100 |
| EXCLUDING FOREST FIRE |
| Insects | Diseases | Other biotic agents | Abiotic factors | Total (excluding fire) | % of 2005 forest area |
| n.s. | n.s. | n.s. | 5 | 5 | n.s. |
Latvia: Trends in removals of wood products 1990-2005
INDUSTRIAL ROUNDWOOD
Total volume (1 000 m3 over bark) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | percent of which from forest 2005 |
| 2781 | 12288 | 13129 | 100 |
WOODFUEL
Total volume (1 000 m3 over bark) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 | percent of which from forest 2005 |
| 2165 | 2194 | 3230 | 78 |
Latvia: Value of wood and NWFP removals 2005
Value of removals
(million US$) | Value per ha forest
(US$) |
| Industrial roundwood | Woodfuel | NWFP | Total | |
| - | - | - | - | - |
Latvia: Employment in forestry 1990-2005
TOTAL
(1000 full-time employees) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 |
| - | - | 35 |
IN PRIMARY PRODUCTION OF GOODS-FORESTRY
(1000 full-time employees) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 |
| 15 | 19 | 35 |
IN MANAGEMENT OF PROTECTED AREAS-CONSERVATION
(1000 full-time employees) |
| 1990 | 2000 | 2005 |
| - | - | n.s. |
Latvia: Forest policy and legal framework 2008
National forest policy (year): Yes (1998)
Sub-national forest policy: No
National forest program (year) - status: Yes (2006) In formulation
National forest law (year): Specific forest law (2000)
Sub-national forest law: No
Latvia: Human resources within public forest institutions 2000-2008
| 2000 | 2005 | 2008 |
| # | % female | # | % female | # | % female |
| 1688 | 27 | 1705 | 37 | 1598 | 37 |
Latvia: Forest revenue and public expenditure on forestry 2005
| Forest revenue | Public expenditure (1000 US$) |
| Domestic funding | External funding | Total |
| (1000 US$) | Operational expenditure | Transfer payments | Operational expenditure | Transfer payments | Operational expenditure | Transfer payments |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | -
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Latvia: Status of ratification of international conventions and agreements as of 1 January 2010
CbD:
UNFCCC:
Kyoto Protocol:
UNCCD:
ITTA:
CITeS:
Ramsar:
World Heritage Convention:
NlbI:
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Latvia: Environment
| Environment - current issues | Latvia's environment has benefited from a shift to service industries after the country regained independence; the main environmental priorities are improvement of drinking water quality and sewage system, household, and hazardous waste management, as well as reduction of air pollution; in 2001, Latvia closed the EU accession negotiation chapter on environment committing to full enforcement of EU environmental directives by 2010 | | Environment - international agreements | party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements | | Natural hazards | NA |
Latvia: Land use / Resources
| Land use (%) | arable land: 29.67%
permanent crops: 0.47%
other: 69.86% (2001) | | Natural resources | peat, limestone, dolomite, amber, hydropower, wood, arable land |
Latvia: Economy
| Economy - overview: | Latvia's transitional economy recovered from the 1998 Russian financial crisis, largely due to the government's budget stringency and a gradual reorientation of exports toward EU countries, lessening Latvia's trade dependency on Russia. The majority of companies, banks, and real estate have been privatized, although the state still holds sizable stakes in a few large enterprises. Latvia officially joined the World Trade Organization in February 1999. EU membership, a top foreign policy goal, came in May 2004. The current account and internal government deficits remain major concerns, but the government's efforts to increase efficiency in revenue collection may lessen the budget deficit. A growing perception that many of Latvia's banks facilitate illicit activity could damage the country's vibrant financial sector. | | GDP - per capita | $12,800 (2005 est.) | | GDP - real growth rate (%) | 7.8% (2005 est.) | | Agriculture - products | grain, sugar beets, potatoes, vegetables; beef, pork, milk, eggs; fish | | GDP - composition by sector (%) | agriculture: 4.1%, industry: 26%, services: 69.9% (2005 est.) | | Industries | buses, vans, street and railroad cars, synthetic fibers, agricultural machinery, fertilizers, washing machines, radios, electronics, pharmaceuticals, processed foods, textiles; note - dependent on imports for energy and raw materials | | Economic aid - recipient | $96.2 million (1995) | | Debt - external | $13.2 billion (30 June 2005 est.) | | Population below poverty line (%) | NA | | Labor force - by occupation (%) | agriculture 15%, industry 25%, services 60% (2000 est.) |
Latvia: Population / Demographics
| Population (July 2005) | 2,290,237 | | Population growth rate (%) (2005) | -0.69% | | Population density (people/sq km) (2005) | 36.0 | | Percent rural (2003) | 33.8% | | Median age (years) | total: 39.12 years | | Total fertility rate (children born/woman) | 1.26 (2005 est.) | | Ethnic groups (%) | Latvian 57.7%, Russian 29.6%, Belarusian 4.1%, Ukrainian 2.7%, Polish 2.5%, Lithuanian 1.4%, other 2% (2002) |
Largest Cities in Latvia
Cities and urban areas in Latvia with population over 100,000 All figures are estimates for 2002.
| City | Country | City Population | Urban Area Population |
| Riga | Latvia | 725200 | 878400 |
| Daugavpils | Latvia | 112600 | 112600 |
Latvia: Infrastructure
| Telephones - main lines in use | 653,900 (2003) | | Telephones - mobile cellular | 1,219,600 (2003) | | Roadways (km) | total: 69,919 km
paved: 69,919 km (2003) |
Latvia: Health
| Life expectancy at birth (years) | total population: 71.05 years
male: 65.78 years
female: 76.6 years (2005 est.) | | Infant mortality rate | 9.55 deaths/1,000 live births | | HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate (%) | 0.6% (2001 est.) |
Latvia
: References & Data Sources
 Environment, Land use / Resources, Economy, Population / Demographics, Infrastructure, Health -- CIA World Factbook, 2005
Forest Cover, Forest types, Breakdown of forest types, Change in Forest Cover, Primary forests, Forest designation, Disturbances affecting forest land, Value of forests, Production, trade and consumption of forest products -- The FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS's Global Forest Resources Assessment (2005 & 2010) and the State of the World's Forests (2009, 2007, 2005, 2003, 2001)
Protected Areas, Plant and animal biodiversity -- United Nations Environment Programme - World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC). 2004. World Database on Protected Areas.
Biosphere reservers -- United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) - Man and Biosphere Program. 2004. UNESCO - MAB Biosphere Reserves Directory.
RAMSAR sites -- The Bureau of the Convention on Wetlands . 2005. The Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance.
World Resources Institute's EarthTrends web site
The 2004 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Population Data -- United Nations Population Fund
With additional analysis by Rhett Butler of mongabay.com
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