Latvia’s territory is not vast, with a total surface of 64,589 km2, strategically situated between CIS, Scandinavia and Western Europe. Latvia has ice-free ports all year long. Forests cover almost 40% of the land area and represent Latvia’s most important natural resource. The territory is flat, with some areas under the sea-level.
The climate is temperate and more continental moving towards the central parts. After regaining independence from the Soviet Union, environmental activism played a main role. The rivers are considered to be the most damaged areas, polluted by waste materials and sewage waters. In order to preserve the environment and fix the damages done, an ambitious joint program has been approved for the protection of the Baltic Sea. The program was financed by the EU, in order to safeguard not only the sea waters, but also the rivers that flow into the Baltic Sea.
Thanks to the PHARE Program and the World Bank’s actions, some small projects were launched, aiming at reducing damages and recover some areas. Though some results have been achieved, a lot is still to be done.

 

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