As of 1 May 2024, Latvia had a total population of 1,862,700. Demographic features of the population of the historical territory of Latvia include population density, ethnic background, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.
Currently Latvia's population is in significant decline, a trend that has persisted since 1990 due to low birth rates, high death rates, and significant emigration, leading to an aging population and one of the fastest depopulation rates globally.
History
Latvia was settled by Baltic tribes some three millennia ago. The territories along the eastern Baltic first came under foreign domination at the beginning of the 13th century, with the formal establishment of Riga in 1201 under the German Teutonic Knights.
Latvia, in whole or in part, remained under foreign rule for the next eight centuries, finding itself at the crossroads of all the regional superpowers of their day, including Denmark (the Danes held on lands around the Gulf of Riga), Sweden, and Russia, with southern (Courland) Latvia being at one time a vassal to Poland-Lithuania as well as Latgale falling directly under Poland-Lithuania rule. Through all this time, Latvia remained largely under Baltic German hegemony, with Baltic Germans comprising the largest land-owners, a situation which did not change until Latvia's independence.
Historically, Latvia has had significant German, Russian, Jewish, Polish, Belarusian and Lithuanian minorities. The majority (roughly two thirds) of Latvians, under Swedish influences, adopted Lutheranism, while the minority (the remaining third) of Latvians under Poland-Lithuania, Latgale in particular, retained Catholicism. Aglona, in Latgale, has been the site of annual Catholic pilgrimage for centuries, even through to today. During the Second World War the Jewish population was largely decimated by Nazi Germany as part of the holocaust.
Recently introduced immigration law in Latvia provides framework for immigration through investment in various financial areas or real estate. In 2012, solely 2,435 applications for residence permit by investment in real estate were received by Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs. The main immigrant countries are Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and Lithuania (Lithuania is in the European Union, thus no investment is needed). Moreover, Latvia receives residence permit applications from people of nationalities such as Afghans, Chinese, Libyans and people from various other distant countries.
Over 130,000 persons have been naturalized as Latvian citizens since 1995 and 182,375 persons, as of 2022, live in Latvia with non-citizen's passports. Large numbers of Russians, as well as some Ukrainians and Belarusians remained in Latvia after the fall of the Soviet Union.
According to the provisional results of the Population and Housing Census 2011, the total population of Latvia on 1 March 2011 was 2,067,887. Since the previous census in 2000 the country's population decreased by 309,000 or 13%. Based on the Population and Housing Census 2021, the total population of Latvia on 1 January 2021 was 1,893,223. Since the previous census in 2011 the country's population decreased by 174,664 or 8.5%. The proportion of ethnic Latvians increased to 62.7% of the population. Livonians are the other indigenous ethnic group, with about 250 of them remaining. Latgalians are a distinctive subgroup of Latvians inhabiting or coming from Eastern Latvia.
According to rankings provided by the United States Census Bureau—International Data Base (IDB)—Country Rankings, Latvia is estimated to have a population of 1,249,812 in the year 2050.
Population
Age structure
Census yearChildrenWorking agePensioners 1897 41.0 52.8 6.2 1920 38.3 52.9 8.6 1935 30.4 60.3 9.2 1943 29.1 60.6 10.3 1959 30.0 63.2 6.8 1970 23.1 56.2 20.7 1979 21.8 58.3 19.9 1989 22.7 56.6 20.7 2000 18.0 58.9 23.1 2011 14.1 64.1 21.8 2021 16.1 61.9 22.1
Vital statistics
Source: Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia
Notable events in Latvian demographics:
1940-1945 – World War II 1991 – Dissolution of the Soviet Union
Average populationLive birthsDeathsNatural changeCrude birth rate (per 1000)Crude death rate (per 1000)Natural change (per 1000)Crude migration change (per 1000)Total fertility rateInfant mortality rate (per 1000 births)Life expectancy at birth (males)Life expectancy at birth (females)19201,727,00029,43433,891 −4,45717.019.6 −2.5 73.7128.419211,850,00036,42025,33111,08919.713.75.9 11.993.219221,883,00041,14627,55313,59321.914.67.2 6.690.819231,909,00041,79626,08015,71621.913.7 −41.78.288.419241,845,00041,17228,39912,77322.315.46.9 −0.4100.850.756.919251,857,00041,31427,68313,63122.314.97.3 0.2107.219261,871,00041,07327,55713,51622.014.77.2 −0.887.919271,883,00041,61028,94112,66922.115.46.7 −0.395.719281,895,00039,12627,29911,82720.714.46.2 −3.696.319291,900,00035,67328,5127,16118.815.03.7 1.6106.719301,910,00037,83527,11010,72519.814.25.6 −0.490.019311,920,00036,97226,89110,08119.314.05.2 0.586.319321,931,00037,36626,34211,02419.413.65.7 −1.689.319331,939,00034,57626,3198,25717.813.64.2 −0.176.419341,947,00033,38327,0656,31817.213.93.2 −0.195.155.160.619351,953,00034,41927,6606,75917.614.23.4 0.778.955.061.019361,961,00035,46827,6467,82218.114.13.9 −0.380.119371,968,00034,86328,0836,78017.714.33.4 1.785.019381,978,00036,38626,7039,68318.413.54.9 6.268.119392,000,00036,93227,8279,10518.513.94.6 −34.670.219401,940,00037,49330,3557,13819.315.73.6 −99.073.219411,755,00036,29530,4345,86120.717.33.4 −6.281.719421,750,00036,37029,9406,43020.717.13.6 2.181.119431,760,00035,91529,9046,01120.416.93.593.41944 2.30194526,21732,230−6,013 111.119461,553,57730,54432,266−1,72218.719.7−1.0 106.093.919471,716,77334,83232,4352,39719.518.21.3 80.0108.719481,856,41935,40226,5008,90218.914.24.7 11.779.319491,886,79235,67125,64010,03118.913.65.3 −6.783.319501,884,07733,13724,2508,88717.612.94.7 −1.670.019511,889,97432,76423,8988,86617.312.64.7 −0.169.619521,898,57732,27822,6809,59816.911.95.0 2.552.919531,912,83730,98622,7618,22516.111.84.3 9.446.819541,939,13833,20222,50010,70217.011.55.5 8.645.919551,966,56732,96821,33011,63816.610.85.8 8.842.019561,995,35432,59020,33912,25116.110.16.0 16.933.919572,040,97833,71421,08712,62716.410.36.1 6.332.319582,066,36835,06820,91014,15816.910.16.8 −0.229.565.272.419592,079,94835,02822,60112,42716.710.85.9 5.730.819602,104,12835,46821,31414,15416.710.06.7 9.31.9927.019612,137,83035,99321,75914,23416.710.16.6 7.32.0124.166.173.519622,167,53135,06123,59211,46916.110.85.3 7.71.9124.219632,195,64033,84322,70311,14015.310.35.0 8.91.8525.967.074.019642,226,19833,05321,16511,88814.89.45.4 7.61.7922.019652,255,04831,21222,7808,43213.810.13.7 5.91.7418.966.674.419662,276,78931,97423,3508,62414.010.23.8 1.81.7617.019672,289,64532,23224,3627,87014.010.63.4 6.71.8017.319682,312,79532,69325,1047,58914.110.83.3 6.11.8318.919692,334,44332,91526,2296,68614.011.22.8 4.71.8817.765.574.219702,351,90334,33326,5467,78714.611.33.3 2.92.0117.766.074.419712,366,42435,23926,2758,96414.811.13.7 4.72.0515.965.474.619722,386,35335,00727,2967,71114.611.43.2 4.62.0316.065.075.019732,404,99534,00828,1395,86914.111.62.5 6.51.9615.865.274.719742,426,64234,92028,1436,77714.311.52.8 5.91.9918.419752,447,73034,81030,0424,76814.212.22.0 4.91.9620.364.274.319762,464,52934,64430,3734,27114.012.31.7 3.51.9320.164.474.319772,477,44934,24030,8693,37113.812.41.4 4.81.8818.364.574.219782,492,69734,25831,2612,99713.712.51.2 3.01.8618.163.773.919792,503,14534,68332,1622,52113.812.81.0 1.21.8618.363.673.919802,508,76135,53432,1003,43414.112.81.3 1.01.8815.363.674.219812,514,64035,73232,0903,64214.212.71.5 2.31.8816.063.974.419822,524,20237,47731,2346,24314.812.32.5 2.91.9713.964.074.519832,537,95840,57232,3308,24215.912.73.2 3.12.1215.963.974.519842,554,06340,84733,4067,44115.913.02.9 3.42.1412.964.474.219852,570,03039,75134,1665,58515.413.22.2 4.72.0813.065.574.519862,587,71641,96031,32810,63216.112.04.1 5.32.2112.866.375.019872,612,06842,13532,1509,98516.012.23.8 7.32.2111.319882,641,09741,27532,4218,85415.612.23.4 5.92.1611.066.375.119892,665,77038,92232,5846,33814.612.22.4 −1.52.0411.365.375.219902,668,14037,91834,8123,10614.213.11.1 −4.82.0013.764.274.619912,658,16134,63334,749 −11613.113.10.0 −5.71.8615.763.874.819922,643,00031,56935,420 −3,85112.113.5 −1.4 −20.31.7417.663.374.819932,585,67526,75939,197 −12,43810.415.3 −4.9 −12.41.5216.261.673.819942,540,90424,25641,757 −17,5019.616.6 −7.0 −8.91.4115.760.772.919952,500,58021,59538,931 −17,3368.715.7 −7.0 −5.41.2718.860.873.119962,469,53119,78234,320 −14,5388.114.0 −5.9 −4.11.1815.963.975.619972,444,91218,83033,533 −14,7037.713.8 −6.1 −3.81.1315.364.275.919982,420,78918,41034,200 −15,7907.614.2 −6.6 −2.31.1215.064.175.519992,399,24819,39632,844 −13,4488.113.7 −5.6 −1.71.1811.364.976.220002,381,71520,30232,205 −11,9038.613.6 −5.0 −6.91.2510.364.675.820012,353,38419,72632,991 −13,2658.414.1 −5.7 −8.11.2211.064.275.520022,320,95620,12732,498 −12,3718.714.1 −5.4 −3.91.259.864.475.920032,299,39021,15132,437 −11,2869.214.2 −5.0 −4.91.329.465.475.720042,276,52020,55132,024 −11,4739.114.2 −5.1 −6.71.299.365.576.120052,249,72421,87932,777 −10,8989.814.6 −4.8 −4.91.397.764.976.320062,227,87422,87133,098 −10,22710.314.9 −4.6 −3.91.467.465.076.120072,208,84023,95833,042 −9,08410.915.0 −4.1 −3.61.548.565.376.220082,191,81024,39731,006 −6,60911.214.2 −3.0 −10.21.586.666.577.420092,162,83422,04429,897−7,85310.314.0−3.7 −15.91.467.667.577.620102,120,50419,78130,040−10,2599.414.3−4.9 −16.71.365.667.977.920112,074,60518,82528,540−9,7159.113.9−4.8 −9.6 1.336.668.678.520122,044,81319,89729,025−9,1289.814.3−4.5 −5.8 1.446.365.978.720132,023,82520,59628,691−8,09510.214.3−4.1 −6.9 1.524.469.378.820142,001,46821,74628,466−6,72010.914.3−3.4 −4.3 1.653.869.179.320151,986,09621,97928,478−6,49911.114.4−3.3 −5.3 1.704.169.779.320161,968,95721,96828,580−6,61211.214.6−3.4 −6.2 1.743.769.879.420171,950,11620,82828,757−7,92910.714.8−4.1 −4.0 1.694.169.879.620181,934,37919,31428,820−9,50610.015.0−5.0 −2.41.603.270.079.620191,919,96818,78627,719−8,9339.814.5−4.7 −1.71.613.470.879.920201,907,67517,55228,854−11,3029.215.2−5.9 −1.71.553.570.479.520211,893,22317,42034,600−17,1809.218.4 −9.1 −0.11.572.768.277.920221,875,757 15,95430,731 −14,7778.516.4 −7.9 11.81.4769.479.3 2023 1,895,239 14,490 28,031 −13,541 7.7 14.9 −7.2 2.31.3470.480.4 20241,878,575 12,887 26,661 –13,774 6.9 14.3 –7.4 –3.01.23 71.3 81.1 20251,860,565 11,931 26,109 –14,178 6.4 14.1 –7.7 –0.71.16 20261,845,096
Current vital statistics + Period Live births Deaths Natural increase January–June 2025 5,739 13,159 −7,420 January–June 2026 5,547 13,382 −7,835 Difference –192 (–3.3%) +223 (+1.7%) –415 Source:
Total fertility rates by planning regions and the capital city + 2025RegionsTFR Kurzeme Planning Region1.28 Vidzeme Planning Region1.27 Zemgale Planning Region1.241.16 Latgale Planning Region1.13 Riga Planning Region1.090.95
Structure of the population
Age groupMaleFemaleTotal% Total 875 225 1 017 998 1 893 223 100 0–4 50 997 47 398 98 395 5.20 5–9 53 160 49 792 102 952 5.44 10–14 52 031 49 600 101 631 5.37 15–19 46 483 44 082 90 565 4.78 20–24 43 111 39 983 83 094 4.39 25–29 55 036 51 096 106 132 5.61 30–34 70 356 66 019 136 375 7.20 35–39 67 792 64 584 132 376 6.99 40–44 60 966 61 455 122 421 6.47 45–49 63 622 66 825 130 447 6.89 50–54 60 765 67 333 128 098 6.77 55–59 61 409 72 108 133 517 7.05 60–64 58 392 75 130 133 522 7.05 65–69 44 750 66 714 111 464 5.89 70–74 34 143 59 652 93 795 4.95 75–79 23 578 51 380 74 958 3.96 80–84 18 166 47 524 65 690 3.47 85–89 7 544 24 706 32 250 1.70 90–94 2 572 10 412 12 984 0.69 95–99 317 2 050 2 367 0.13 100+ 35 155 190 0.01Age groupMaleFemaleTotalPercent 0–14 156 188 146 790 302 978 16.00 15–64 587 932 608 615 1 196 547 63.20 65+ 131 105 262 593 393 698 20.80
Immigration