Key factors
Official name- Republic of Latvia
Capital- Riga
Population- 1.97 Million
Area- 64,589 sq.km or 24,937 sq. Miles
Language- Latvian (Official) Russian, English & German (Widely spoken)
Highest point- Gaizina kalns 312m
Currency- 1 Euro = 100 cents
Maritime climate- warm in summer (30 c), cold in winter (-20 c)
Geography
Latvia is located at the crossroads of northern and eastern Europe, on the cast coast of the Baltic sea. Latvia is bordered by Estonia to the north, Russia and Belarus to the east and Lithuania to the south, and has a maritime border with Sweden to the west. Other neighboring countries include Finland, Poland and Germany. Latvia is famous for its beautiful coastline and pine forest. You can see the well-known white sand beaches and extravagant rocky beach near Tuja. Visitors to Latvia may generally experience a safe and secure country and many crimes could have easily been avoided using common sense practices.
Weather
Latvia is located in such a geographical zone, which allows one to enjoy the magic and the differences of the four seasons, which is mostly not possible elsewhere in Europe. Thereafter the climate in Latvia is mild and humid, without extreme fluctuations in temperature. Nevertheless, that the weather conditions are changeable, Latvia has four pronounced season – winder, spring, summer and autumn. The summer climate in Latvia is warm with an average temperature of 17-degree Celsius, the peak occasionally going as high as 30- degree Celsius. During spring and autumn weather is relatively mild but variable, generally humid with the average temperature around 10-degree Celsius. Fall is popular with nature lovers due to colorfulness. Winters in Latvia usually starts in mid- December and last till mid-march.
the average temperature in winter is -6-degree Celsius, the cold can sometimes reach vent -25-degree Celsius. Latvia is a very lush green country for a good reason- it rains quite a lot. Be sure to bring a sturdy umbrella for a year around use, warm clothes and sturdy waterproof boots from September to March/ April.
Riga, the cultural capital of Latvia, is a vibrant and colorful city with many great venues for art, live music and celebration. A place that is breathtakingly beautiful. Riga has the largest collection of Art Nouveau buildings in Europe.
A walk through the Art Nouveau district will give you some of the best examples of architectural style in the whole continent. An impressive architecture work done by Latvian architects in the late 19th early 20th centuries on over 800 buildings. If you happen to be around on a sunny day, the soaring grandeur of the freedom monument will blow you away.
Located along the eastern coast of the Baltic seas, Latvian is considered geographic hotspot for its role as a crossroad between the east, west, north and south. It shares borders alongside fellow Baltic states, Estonia and Lithuania, and other countries such as Belarus, Russia and Sweden. Due to its unique location, it has been influenced by the varied traditions for its neighboring countries, thus offering a multi- cultural experience for students taking up and education in Latvia. Those pursuing an education in Latvia will also notice that the nation’s openness to outside influence is evident in its education systems as Latvian higher education institutions are active members of international organization in various fields of study. Foreigners taking up an education in Latvia are not an uncommon sight either, as the Latvian education system had more than 5,400 international enrollees in 2017, with the number growing steadily every year.
Universities and academies in Latvia
| UNIVERSITY OF LATVIA | REZEKNE ACADEMY OF TECHNOLOGIES |
|---|---|
| RIGA TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY | THE ART ACADEMY OF LATVIA |
| TURIBA UNIVERSITY | VENTSPILS UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES |
| RIGA STRADINA UNIVERSITY | VIDZME UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES |
| BA SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND FINANCE | LATVIAN ACADEMY OF CULTURE |
| LATVIA UNIVERSITY OF LIFE SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGIES | LATVIAN ACADEMY OF SPORT EDUCATION |
| DAUGAVPILS UNIVERISTY | RIGA GRADUATE UNIVERISTY OF LAW |
| JAZEPS VITOLA LATVIAN ACADEMY OF MUSIC | RIGA AERONAUTICAL INSTITUTE |
| THE UNIVERSITY OF ECONOMICS & CULTURE | STOCKHOLD UNIVERSITY OF ECONOMICS IN RIGA |
| LIEPAJA UNIVERSITY | ISMA UNIVERSITY |
| LATVIAN MARITIME ACADEMY | RISEBA UNIVERSITY COLLEGE |
| MANAGEMENT COLLEGE | NATIONAL DEFENSE ACADEMY OF LATVIA |
| THE BALTIC INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY |
Basic Admission Process of Latvia
- Application
- Conditional offer letter
- AIC approval
- Acceptance letter & contract
- Visa
- Fly to Latvia
- Resident permit
Living cost
Average monthly living expenses in Latvia are estimated to be between 300 and 450 euros depending on the type of accommodation (student dorm or private housing/ flat). These amounts should be enough to cover food, accommodation, utilities, transportation and other expenses.