Latvia

Latvia is a Baltic country in northeastern Europe, bordered by Estonia, Lithuania, Russia, Belarus, and the Baltic Sea. Its capital and largest city is Riga.

Livonian Confederation: A loose association of ecclesiastical territories and towns in medieval Livonia, in present-day Latvia and Estonia. Its medieval territories formed part of the region later incorporated into Latvia.
Latvian language: An Eastern Baltic language spoken chiefly in Latvia and one of the two surviving Baltic languages. It is the state language and a central marker of national identity.
European Union: A political and economic union of European member states with shared institutions and laws. Latvia joined in 2004, linking its economy and policy to the union.
Estonia: A Baltic country in northeastern Europe, north of Latvia, with a Finnic language and a history intertwined with Latvia’s. The northern neighbor shares regional institutions but has a different language family.
Latvian Song and Dance Festival: A large recurring Latvian festival of choral singing and folk dance, held since 1873. The festival has sustained national culture and collective identity across political upheavals.
Duchy of Courland and Semigallia: A Baltic duchy that existed from 1561 to 1795 under the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and later Russian sovereignty. It governed much of western Latvia before Russian annexation.
Latvians: A Baltic ethnic group whose traditional homeland is Latvia. Their language and historical traditions shaped the country’s national culture.
NATO: A military alliance founded in 1949 whose members pledge collective defense under Article 5. Latvia joined in 2004 and relies on the alliance’s collective-defense commitment.
Lithuania: A Baltic country south of Latvia, with a distinct Lithuanian language and a history shaped by the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The southern neighbor shares Baltic identity but follows a different linguistic and historical path.
Latvian national awakening: A nineteenth-century movement that developed Latvian national consciousness, literature, and political organization. It helped transform cultural identity into a movement for political self-determination.

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