The Beautiful Country with a Capital Known as the “Paris of the North”.
Latvia, officially known as the Republic of Latvia, is a country located on the Baltic Sea, nestled between Lithuania and Estonia, often collectively referred to as the three Baltic states. Latvia has a long history in Europe, yet its area is quite modest, covering approximately 64,000 km2, with a population of 1.8 million in 2021.
In 2004, this country joined the European Union and achieved the highest economic growth rate in Europe just two years later. Latvia adopted the euro as its currency in early 2014 after efforts to curb inflation and reduce debt. By 2021, its GDP reached 38.87 billion USD.
All three small Baltic nations are classified by the World Bank as high-income economies and frequently rank in the top 40 globally in terms of Human Development Index (HDI).
Latvia can be best described as: a vast land featuring pristine natural greenery, with only one real city in the center: the capital, Rīga. Riga is also the largest city in the Baltic region, an important economic and financial center with a population of 600,000. With its impressive architectural style and rich cultural heritage, this city is dubbed the “Paris of the North”, awarded the title of European Capital of Culture in 2014 and recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997.
Impressive architecture of the capital Riga. (Photo: ST).
Panoramic view of the famous capital of the Republic of Latvia. (Photo: ST).
The iconic Freedom Monument in the heart of Riga. (Photo: ST).
A Place Where Beautiful, Educated Women Still Find It Hard to Marry
One of the most notable aspects of this country is its high male-to-female ratio imbalance, one of the highest in the world. According to Statistics Times, the gender ratio in Latvia in 2021 was 85.60 males for every 100 females. Currently, Latvia has over 140,000 more women than men and ranks sixth among 201 countries/territories in terms of the female-to-male ratio.
Latvia has one of the highest gender imbalance ratios in the world. (Photo: ST).
The Central Statistical Bureau of Riga suggests that this situation stems from the large number of men who lost their lives in World War II, leading to a significant decline in the male population in Latvia, which has been slow to recover. Additionally, there is a life expectancy gap with Latvian women living an average of 10 years longer than men, while the average gap in Europe is only 5 years. Walking the streets of Latvia, you may encounter many female taxi drivers, which is uncommon in other European countries.
Latvian women are often regarded as attractive, with an average height of 1.7 meters, delicate features, and fair skin. Due to this advantage, Latvian beauties are frequently highly valued in international beauty contests and easily pursue careers as models and actresses.
The captivating beauty of Latvian women. (Photo: ST).
Kate Alexeeva, Miss Universe Latvia 2022. (Photo: ST).
This reality leads to the consequence that it is very difficult for women to marry, especially since educated Latvian women are keen on selecting suitable partners, which are usually outstanding men. However, even when some lower their standards, the journey to find a suitable partner remains quite challenging. Many choose to study abroad or work overseas to marry foreign partners, while others are content to live happily single.
Despite the difficulty in marrying, the divorce rate in this country is also at 48.6 per 100 couples, ranking 13th among European countries in 2020, according to Statista.
