'''Latvia''' (Latvian: Latvija), officially known as the Republic of Latvia (Latvian: Latvijas Republika), is a country in the Baltic region of Northern [[Europe]]. Since its independence, Latvia has been referred to as one of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltic_states Baltic states]. It is bordered by [[Country:Estonia|Estonia]] to the north, [[Country:Lithuania|Lithuania]] to the south, [[Country:Russia|Russia]] to the east, [[Country:Belarus|Belarus]] to the southeast, and shares a maritime border with [[Country:Sweden|Sweden]] to the west. Latvia has 1,957,200 inhabitants and a territory of 64,589 km2 (24,938 sq mi). The country has a temperate seasonal climate. The Baltic Sea moderates climate, although it has four distinct seasons and snowy winters.