Latvia
Latvia travel advice
Most visits to Latvia are trouble-free.
There have been reports of increased petty theft and robbery, including pickpocketing. There have also been reports of drinks being spiked in establishments and tourists being charged extortionate prices for drinks or having fraudulent transactions debited against credit/debit cards.
Climate of Latvia
In the summer, daylight hours are long and in the winter short. In December it is still pitch dark at 9:00 A.M., and daylight disappears before 4:00 P.M. This light deprivation may be an important ingredient in deciphering certain aspects of Latvian collective behavior. It may account for the general exuberance and joie de vivre in spring and summer, and the relative taciturnity and melancholy the rest of the year.
Latvian Political System
According to the Constitution (Satversme), Latvia is a parliamentary republic in which the sovereign power belongs to the people, who are represented by a unicameral parliament (Saeima), with 100 members elected in general, equal, direct, secret and proportional elections for a four-year period.