Economy - overview:
Latvia is a small, open economy with exports contributing nearly a third of GDP. Due to its geographical location, transit services are highly-developed, along with timber and wood-processing, agriculture and food products, and manufacturing of machinery and electronics industries. Corruption continues to be an impediment to attracting foreign direct investment and Latvia's low birth rate and decreasing population are major challenges to its long-term economic vitality. Latvia's economy experienced GDP growth of more than 10% per year during 2006-07, but entered a severe recession in 2008 as a result of an unsustainable current account deficit and large debt exposure amid the softening world economy. Triggered by the collapse of the second largest bank, GDP plunged 18% in 2009. The economy has not returned to pre-crisis levels despite strong growth, especially in the export sector in 2011-14. The IMF, EU, and other international donors provided substantial financial assistance to Latvia as part of an agreement to defend the currency's peg to the euro in exchange for the government's commitment to stringent austerity measures. The IMF/EU program successfully concluded in December 2011. The majority of companies, banks, and real estate have been privatized, although the state still holds sizable stakes in a few large enterprises, including 99.8% ownership of the Latvian national airline. Latvia officially joined the World Trade Organization in February 1999 and the EU in May 2004. Latvia joined the euro zone in 2014.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$49.89 billion (2015 est.) $48.84 billion (2014 est.) $47.71 billion (2013 est.)
note: data are in 2015 US dollars
country comparison to the world: 110
[see also: GDP country ranks ]

GDP (official exchange rate):
$27.82 billion (2015 est.)
[see also: GDP (official exchange rate) country ranks ]

GDP - real growth rate:
2.2% (2015 est.) 2.4% (2014 est.) 4.2% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 140
[see also: GDP - real growth rate country ranks ]

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$24,500 (2015 est.) $24,000 (2014 est.) $23,500 (2013 est.)
note: data are in 2015 US dollars
country comparison to the world: 76
[see also: GDP - per capita country ranks ]

Gross national saving:
21.8% of GDP (2015 est.) 21% of GDP (2014 est.) 21.5% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 69
[see also: Gross national saving country ranks ]

GDP - composition, by end use:
household consumption: 62%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - household consumption country ranks ]
government consumption: 17.4%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - government consumption country ranks ]
investment in fixed capital: 23.3%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in fixed capital country ranks ]
investment in inventories: 0.8%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in inventories country ranks ]
exports of goods and services: 68%
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - exports of goods and services country ranks ]
imports of goods and services: -71.5% (2015 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - imports of goods and services country ranks ]

GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture: 3.4%
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 23.2%
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - industry country ranks ]
services: 73.4% (2015 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - services country ranks ]

Agriculture - products:
grain, rapeseed, potatoes, vegetables; pork, poultry, milk, eggs; fish

Industries:
processed foods, processed wood products, textiles, processed metals, pharmaceuticals, railroad cars, synthetic fibers, electronics

Industrial production growth rate:
3% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 87
[see also: Industrial production growth rate country ranks ]

Labor force:
993,500 (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 145
[see also: Labor force country ranks ]

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 8.8%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 24%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - industry country ranks ]
services: 67.2% (2010 est.)
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - services country ranks ]

Unemployment rate:
8.7% (2015 est.) 8.9% (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 100
[see also: Unemployment rate country ranks ]

Population below poverty line:
NA%
[see also: Population below poverty line country ranks ]

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.7%
[see also: Household income or consumption by percentage share - lowest 10% country ranks ]
highest 10%: 27.6% (2008)
[see also: Household income or consumption by percentage share - highest 10% country ranks ]

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
35.2 (2010) 32 (1999)
country comparison to the world: 91
[see also: Distribution of family income - Gini index country ranks ]

Budget:
revenues: $9.394 billion
[see also: Budget revenues country ranks ]
expenditures: $9.707 billion (2015 est.)
[see also: Budget expenditures country ranks ]

Taxes and other revenues:
33.8% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 70
[see also: Taxes and other revenues country ranks ]

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-1.1% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 54
[see also: Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) country ranks ]

Public debt:
38.5% of GDP (2015 est.) 40% of GDP (2014 est.)
note: data cover general government debt, and includes debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities, including sub-sectors of central government, state government, local government, and social security funds
country comparison to the world: 120
[see also: Public debt country ranks ]

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
0.7% (2015 est.) 0.6% (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 61
[see also: Inflation rate (consumer prices) country ranks ]

Central bank discount rate:
0.05% (31 December 2011) 0.3% (31 December 2010)
country comparison to the world: 141
[see also: Central bank discount rate country ranks ]

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
4.5% (31 December 2015 est.) 4.6% (31 December 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 154
[see also: Commercial bank prime lending rate country ranks ]

Stock of narrow money:
$7.543 billion (31 December 2015 est.) $8.969 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 87
[see also: Stock of narrow money country ranks ]

Stock of broad money:
$12.88 billion (31 December 2014 est.) $13.41 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 99
[see also: Stock of broad money country ranks ]

Stock of domestic credit:
$12.54 billion (31 December 2015 est.) $15.46 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 98
[see also: Stock of domestic credit country ranks ]

Market value of publicly traded shares:
$1.115 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $1.076 billion (31 December 2011) $1.252 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 106
[see also: Market value of publicly traded shares country ranks ]

Current account balance:
-$476 million (2015 est.) -$995 million (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 94
[see also: Current account balance country ranks ]

Exports:
$13.33 billion (2015 est.) $13.41 billion (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 80
[see also: Exports country ranks ]

Exports - commodities:
foodstuffs, wood and wood products, metals, machinery and equipment, textiles

Exports - partners:
Lithuania 17.7%, Russia 14.7%, Estonia 11.2%, Germany 6.6%, Poland 6.2%, Sweden 5.1%, UK 4.7% (2014)

Imports:
$16.4 billion (2015 est.) $16.65 billion (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 79
[see also: Imports country ranks ]

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, consumer goods, chemicals, fuels, vehicles

Imports - partners:
Lithuania 17%, Germany 11.7%, Poland 10.9%, Russia 7.7%, Estonia 7.7%, Finland 5.8%, Italy 4.1% (2014)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$7.507 billion (31 December 2014 est.) $7.893 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 82
[see also: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold country ranks ]

Debt - external:
$40.5 billion (31 December 2014 est.) $42.06 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 69
[see also: Debt - external country ranks ]

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$17.45 billion (31 December 2015 est.) $15.85 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 80
[see also: Stock of direct foreign investment - at home country ranks ]

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$2.714 billion (31 December 2015 est.) $2.454 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 77
[see also: Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad country ranks ]

Exchange rates:
lati (LVL) per US dollar - 0.93 (2015 est.) 0.75 (2014 est.) 0.75 (2013 est.) 0.55 (2012 est.) 0.5 (2011 est.)