pendence: 6 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday: Independence Day, 18 November (1918)

Constitution: newly elected Parliament in 1993 restored the 1933
constitution

Legal system: based on civil law system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Guntis ULMANIS (since 7 July 1993);
Parliament (Saeima) elected President ULMANIS in the third round of
balloting on 7 July 1993
head of government: Prime Minister Maris GAILIS (since September 1994)

cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the Supreme Council

Legislative branch: unicameral
Parliament (Saeima): elections last held 5-6 June 1993 (next to be
held NA October 1995); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats -
(100 total) LC 36, LNNK 15, Concord for Latvia 13, LZS 12, Equal
Rights 7, LKDS 6, TUB 6, DCP 5

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: Latvian Way Union (LC), Valdis BIRKAVS;
Latvian Farmers Union (LZS), Alvars BERKIS; Latvian National
Independence Movement (LNNK), Andrejs KRASTINS, Aristids LAMBERGS,
cochairmen; Concord for Latvia, Janis JURKANS; Equal Rights, Sergejs
DIMANIS; Christian Democrat Union (LKDS), Peteris CIMDINS, Andris
SAULITIS, Janis RUSKO; Fatherland and Freedom (TUB), Maris GRINBLATS,
Roberts MILBERGS, Oigerts DZENTIS; Democratic Center (DCP), Ints
CALITIS; Popular Front of Latvia (LTF), Uldis AUGSTKALNS

Member of: BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL,
IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NACC, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UPU, WEU (associate partner), WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ojars Eriks KALNINS
chancery: 4325 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
telephone: [1] (202) 726-8213, 8214
FAX: [1] (202) 726-6785

US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ints M, SILINS
embassy: Raina Boulevard 7, Riga 226050
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [371] (2) 213-962
FAX: [371] 882-0047 (cellular)

Flag: two horizontal bands of maroon (top and bottom), white (middle,
narrower than other two bands)

@Latvia:Economy

Overview: Latvia is rapidly becoming a dynamic market economy, rivaled
only by Estonia among the former Soviet states in the speed of its
transformation. However, the transition has been painful; in 1994 the
IM