How common is Russian in Latvia?
The Russian language is spoken natively by some 37\% of Latvia’s population, most of them in the cities and Latgale. This includes not only ethnic Russians (26,9\%) but also many other minorities (Ukrainians, Belarusians, Jews). The importance of Russian dates to Soviet occupation, when many settlers were moved in.
Why do they speak Russian in Latvia?
The number of native Russian speakers increased sharply after the Soviet re-occupation in 1944 to fill the gaps in the workforce created by World War II, mass deportations, execution and emigration. New, previously virtually unknown groups such as Russian speaking Ukrainians were also introduced.
Is Russian widely spoken in Latvia?
Latvian is spoken by the ethnic population, known as Letts, who make up 58.6\% of the population. Russian is spoken by over 28.9\% of the population, mainly Russian immigrants who live in the urban areas of the country.
Are Latvia and Russia friends?
Latvia has an embassy in Moscow and two consulates general: in Pskov and Saint Petersburg. Russia has an embassy in Riga and two consulates general: in Daugavpils and Liepāja. Both Russia and Latvia are members of UN, OSCE and Council of Europe. They have recognized each other since 1991.
What do Latvians think about Russia?
Russia has been perceived in Latvia as both a significant trading partner and regionally ambitious successor of the Soviet Union. The annexation of Crimea and war in the Eastern Ukraine have strengthened the concerns in Latvia over Russia’s intentions and its scope of presence and influence in the neighbouring countries.
What happened to Latvians in the 1950s?
In just over 40 years the proportion of Latvians in the population dropped from roughly three-fourths to little more than one-half, and the Russian language dominated both public and private life. The ruling Communist Party of Latvia in the 1950s was disproportionately composed of immigrants.
What percentage of Latvians speak other languages?
Merely 0,7\% of Latvia‘s population speak some other language than Latvian or Russian at home, even though 11\% of its population are neither Latvians nor Russians. The largest among these smaller primarily Russophone ethnic minorities are Belarusians (3,3\%) and Ukrainians (2,3\%), both descending from the Soviet settlers.
Why did Russia ally with the Germans against the Latvians?
The Russian government, in re-allying itself with the ruling elite, sought to cement that relationship by encouraging Russian political leaders to ally themselves with the Germans against the Latvians. The sentiment of the Latvian Russian community, however, remained ambivalent.