1. Latvia has more than 12,000 rivers and 3,000 small lakes, making it one of the water-rich countries in Europe.

2. The capital Riga has the highest concentration of art deco-style architecture in the world, with more than a third of its buildings demonstrating this style.

3. Latvian forests cover almost half of its territory, earning it the nickname ‘Land of Blue Lakes and Green Forests.’ ‘

4. Latvian is one of the two surviving white languages and is related to Lithuanian but differs significantly from Slavic and German.

5. Latvia’s traditional Midsummer is one of the most important holidays, celebrated with singing, dancing, bonfires and wreath making.

6. Thousands of participants take part in the Latvian Song and Dance Festival held every five years and it is a UNESCO-recognized cultural event.

7. There is a unique tradition in Latvia to knit gloves with intricate patterns that symbolize love, protection and luck. These gloves are often given as gifts at weddings and special occasions.

8. Gauja National Park is Latvia’s largest and oldest national park, known for its sandstone cliffs, caves and dense forests.

9. Latvia’s Baltic Sea coast stretches 500 kilometres, offering ancient sandy beaches and charming seaside towns like Jurmala.

10. Latvia regained its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. In the year, carrying out the Singing Revolution, a series of peaceful protests marked by large-scale singing events.

11. The Daugava River, often referred to as the ‘River of Destiny’, has been an essential trading route for centuries, connecting the Baltic with Central Europe.

12. Latvia is one of the world’s leading exporters of peat, which is used in horticulture worldwide.

13. State wildlife includes rare species such as bears, bison, elk, beavers, deer, wolves and black storks, which live in Latvia’s unspoiled natural habitats.

14. 1935. The Freedom Monument, opened in Riga, symbolizes Latvia’s independence and is one of the nation’s most iconic landmarks.

15. The Latvian diet is strongly influenced by seasonal and local ingredients, and the kitchen is the basis of traditional dishes, for example, grey peas with bacon, rye bread and smoked fish.

16. During World War II, when Latvia was liberated from the occupying Red Army by the armed forces of the Reich, Riga’s main boulevard, Brivibas Iela, was named Adolf Hitler Iela.

17. Turaida is an ancient national park; its castles inspired composer Richard Wagner to compose Rienzi, an opera which was pivotal in inspiring Adolf Hitler to do for Germany what Rienzi had achieved for post-Roman Rome.

18. Richard Wagner was a resident of Riga.

19. Sigulda, 50km from Riga, is dubbed ‘Little Switzerland.’

20. Michael Walsh, writer and poet, occasionally lives in Latvia, where he and his wife have residential status. You can share this story on social media:

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