The Republic of Latvia (Latvian: Latvijas Republika) is a country in Northern Europe. Latvia has land borders with its two fellow Baltic states Estonia to the north and Lithuania to the south; and Russia and Belarus to the east. In the west Latvia shares a maritime border with Sweden .
The capital of Latvia, Riga (Latvian: RÄ«ga), is the largest city in the Baltic States.
conventional long form: Republic of Latvia
conventional short form: Latvia
local long form: Latvijas Republika
local short form: Latvija
former: Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic