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Latvia Practical information Latvia

 
 
Area : 24938  sq.mi - Population 2306400 hab.
Latvia

Our expert Latvia

map

map Latvia

Weather

  • Ventspils  17°C 20°C 18°C 14°C
  • Liepaja  17°C 19°C 17°C 13°C
  • Riga  18°C 19°C 21°C 13°C

Practical information Latvia

superficie

Area

24938  sq.mi
vol

Flights

A London-Riga flight is approximately 5 hours long, with one connection.
decallage horaire

Jet Lag

population

Population

2306400 hab.
aeroports proche

Airports

Riga airport is 5 miles from the town centre. From the airport you can get to the capital by bus n° 22 (0.20 lat) and by taxis (roughly 10 lats + 0.40 lat per item of luggage). It is recommended that you take a taxi with a meter.
securite

Security

There are no major security problems, but avoid the parks at night, poorly lit streets and suburbs (especially in Riga).
langue

Languages

The official language is Latvian. Lithuanian is also spoken and 40% of the population understands or speaks Russian. English and German are also spoken.
formalites

Requirements

Following its entry into the European Union on 1st May 2004, European citizens only need a valid passport.
religion

Religion

Lutheran protestantism is dominant, but there are also Catholic and Russian Orthodox minorities.
monnaie

Currency

Although the country joined the European Union on 1st May 2004, the Euro will not be introduced here until 2012. The national currency until then is the Lat, pegged at par with the Euro since 1st January 2005. 1 Lat = £1.27 Sterling; £1 Sterling = 0.79 Lat. Bring one or more international credit card(s) with you for paying hotel and restaurant bills and for buying things in larger stores. Cash can be withdrawn from the cash machines located in the cities and tourist resorts, and travellers cheques (drawn up in Pounds) are less widely accepted. Bank opening hours: from 9:00am to 4:00pm, Monday to Friday.
transports

Local transportation

The major roads are well maintained, but fuel is hard to obtain in the countryside. Preferably park in a car park under surveillance, as cars are frequently stolen and make sure that when driving your headlights are always dipped (day and night). A national driving license is enough for at least a six-month stay. The main car rental companies are in Riga, the capital, and at the airport. As for other forms of transport; travelling by plane is unnecessary given the size of the country. Travelling by train is very slow, but relatively inexpensive; thus, travelling by coach is the best way of getting around.
sante

Health

No particular vaccinations are required, but the jab against tick-borne encephalitis is recommended if you go to the forest for any length of time. Vaccinations against typhoid and hepatitis A and B are also recommended and make sure that your DTP vaccination is up to date. You are strongly advised against drinking tap water. Lastly, it is preferable to subscribe to repatriation insurance in case of an accident.
electricite

Electricity

220 V. An adapter not needed.
frequentation

Flood of tourists

taxe

Taxes and tips

telephone

Telephone

To call Latvia from the UK, dial: 00 + 371 (country code) + town code (Riga 7, Cesis 41, Jurmala 2) + number you are calling.
To call the UK from Latvia, dial: 00 + 44+ number you are calling without the initial 0.