What is this Day in Latvia, May 4, you want to know
May 4.
Every year on May 4, Latvia celebrates. The day when in 1990 the Supreme Council of the Latvian SSR adopted the Declaration “On the Restoration of Independence of the Republic of Latvia”
To see important ads, turn off your ad blocker! Article continued below:This second independence declaration is commemorated in the Restoration of Independence of the Republic of Latvia holiday on 4 May each year.
Latvia became an independent state, free from Soviet rule. On this day, numerous events take place all over the country.
May 4.
On May 4, 1990, the Supreme Council of the Latvian SSR adopted the Declaration “On the Restoration of Independence of the Republic of Latvia” and renewed the 1922 Constitution of Latvia.
The USSR army’s entry into Latvia on June 17, 1940 was declared an international crime against the Latvian state. The Supreme Council declared Latvia an independent and democratic state and set a transition period for restoring de factor Latvian rule.
The Constitution was fully restored by the first assembly of the fifth Saeima, and this fact was subsequently announced to the administrations of the USSR and other countries.
May 4.
In order to mark this important historic event, a special programme is held every year: church services and an official state flag-raising ceremony at Riga Castle. This day also features state awards, various concerts, and other events at the 11th November Embankment.
Latvia (Latvian: Latvija) officially the Republic of Latvia (Latvian: Latvijas Republika), is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe.
It is bordered by Estonia, Lithuania, Russia, Belarus and by a maritime border to the west with Sweden.
May 4, Let’s repeat again.
Latvia, country of northeastern Europe and the middle of the three Baltic states.
Latvia, which was occupied and annexed by the U.S.S.R. in June 1940, declared its independence on August 21, 1991. The U.S.S.R. recognized its sovereignty on September 6, and United Nations membership followed shortly thereafter.
Latvia was admitted to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the European Union (EU) in 2004.
The capital and chief city is Riga.
Latvia lies along the shores of the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Riga, and it is bounded by Estonia to the north, Russia to the east, Belarus to the southeast, and Lithuania to the south.
Relief, drainage, and soils
Latvia is essentially an undulating plain, with fairly flat lowlands alternating with hills. The eastern part of the country is more elevated, its most prominent feature being the Central Vidzeme Upland, which reaches a maximum elevation of 1,020 feet (311 metres).
In the southeast the highest point is Lielais Liepukalns (947 feet [289 metres]), which is part of the Rāzna National Park territory. The Kurzeme (Courland) Upland in the west is divided by the Venta River into western and eastern parts.
Between the Central Vidzeme and Latgale uplands in the southeast lies the East Latvian Lowland, partly crossed by moraine ridges that impede drainage. There are numerous peat bogs in this area.
Ethnic groups, languages, and religion.
Before Soviet occupation in 1940, ethnic Latvians constituted about three-fourths of the country’s population. Today they make up about three-fifths of the population, and Russians account for about one-fourth.
There are small groups of Belarusians, Ukrainians, Poles, Lithuanians, and others. The official language of Latvia is Latvian; however, nearly one-third of the population speaks Russian.
Smaller numbers speak Romany, the Indo-Aryan language of the Roma (Gypsies), and Yiddish, a Germanic language. The majority of Latvians adhere to Christianity—mainly Lutheranism, Roman Catholicism, and Eastern Orthodoxy. About one-fourth of Latvians consider themselves nonreligious.
Constitutional framework.
The Latvian constitution of 1922 provided for a republic with a president and a unicameral parliament, the Saeima. From 1940 to 1991 Latvia was a republic of the Soviet Union.
On Aug. 21, 1991, the Latvian government declared independence, which the Soviet Union recognized shortly thereafter, and the 1922 constitution was restored.
Latvia has a unitary form of government. The head of state is the president, who is elected by the Saiema for a four-year term (with a maximum of two consecutive terms) and who plays a largely ceremonial role.
The government is headed by a prime minister, who appoints officials of the cabinet and is responsible to the Saiema. The Saiema consists of 100 members, who are elected to four-year terms.
