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Cars 4 Rental Information on Latvia

General

Area: 64,589 sq km (24,938 sq miles).

Population: 2,311,480 (official estimate 2003).

Population Density: 35.8 per sq km.

Capital: Riga. Population: 739,232 (2003).

GEOGRAPHY: Latvia is situated on the Baltic coast and borders Estonia in the north, Lithuania in the south, the Russian Federation in the east and Belarus in the southeast. The coastal plain is mostly flat but, inland to the east, the land is hilly with forests and lakes. There are about 12,000 rivers in Latvia, the biggest being the River Daugava. The ports of Riga, Liepaja and Ventspils often freeze over during the winter.

Government: Republic. Gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Head of State: President Vaira Vike-Freiberga since 1999. Head of Government: Prime Minister Indulis Emsis since 2004.

Language: Latvian is the official language. It is an Indo-European, non-Slavic and non-Germanic language and is similar only to Lithuanian. Russian is the mother tongue of over 30 per cent of the population and is understood by most people. English and German may also be understood.

Religion: Predominantly Protestant (Lutheran) with 19 per cent of the population being Roman Catholic. There is also a Russian Orthodox minority.

Time: GMT + 2. (GMT + 3 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in October.)

Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz. European-style two-pin plugs are in use.

Telephone

IDD is available. Country code: 371. Outgoing international code: 00. Directory enquiries: 09. International calls can be made from telephone booths. Payphones are operated by phonecards which can be purchased at kiosks, post offices and in some shops.

Mobile telephone

GSM 900 and 1800 networks operated by LMT GSM (website: www.lmt.lv) and Tele2 (website: www.tele2.lv). Roaming agreements exist. It is illegal to use a mobile telephone while driving.

Fax

Facilities are available in the main post office in Riga (for address, see below).

Internet

Main ISPs include Apollo. There are many Internet cafes in Riga and some in other towns.

Telegram

Services are available from all post offices and the hotel service bureau. For services from public phones, dial 06.

Post

The main post office is at Brivibas bulvaris 19 (open 24 hours). Postboxes are yellow. Airmail to Western Europe takes five to seven days. Post office hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1800 and Sat 0900-1300.

Press

There are Latvian and Russian newspapers – Diena, Neatkariga Rita Avize and Vakara Zinas being the most popular Latvian titles. The Baltic Times is an English-language paper published weekly. Rigas Balss is a popular daily, available in both Latvian and Russian.

Radio: BBC World Service (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice) and Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov) can be received. From time to time the frequencies change and the most up-to-date can be found online.

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Money

Currency: Latvian Lat (Ls) = 100 santims. Notes are in denominations of Ls500, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5. Coins are in denominations of Ls2 and 1, and 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 santims.

Currency exchange: Bureaux de change are found all over main towns, including inside shops, hotels, post offices and train stations. These tend to close at 1900. Currency may also be obtained at ATMs in towns and cities. The most convenient currencies to exchange are German DM and the US Dollar.

Credit & debit cards: American Express, Diners Club, Eurocard, JCB, MasterCard and Visa are accepted by most hotels and petrol stations. Some shops in Riga also accept credit cards. Check with your credit or debit card company for details of merchant acceptability and other services which may be available.

Travellers cheques: To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take travellers cheques in US Dollars or Pounds Sterling.

Currency restrictions: There are no restrictions on the import and export of either local or foreign currency.

Exchange rate indicators
The following figures are included as a guide to the movements of the Lat against Sterling and the US Dollar:

Date Nov ’03 Feb ’04 May ’04 Aug ’03
£1.00= 0.94 0.97 0.98 0.98
$1.00= 0.55 0.53 0.55 0.53

Banking hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1700. Some banks are open Sat 0900-1300.

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Health

Special Precautions Certificate Required
Yellow Fever No No
Cholera No No
Typhoid and Polio No N/A
Malaria No N/A

Food & drink: Water used for drinking, brushing teeth or making ice should have first been boiled or otherwise sterilised.

Other risks: Tick-borne encephalitis is present, particularly in forested areas. Campers and trekkers should wear protective clothing; immunisation is strongly advisable as reported cases have increased in recent years. Diphtheria and hepatitis A have been reported in the area. Diphyllobothriasis (fish tapeworm) can be ingested from freshwater fish caught around the Baltic Sea area. Tuberculosis has been reported and precautions are necessary.
Rabies is present. For those at high risk, vaccination before arrival should be considered. If you are bitten, seek medical advice without delay. For more information, consult the Health appendix.

Health care: The dental surgery at Stabu iela 9 has an emergency service from 2000-0800 and the reception of the City Clinical Hospital No 1 at Bruninieku iela 8 is open 24 hours. Health insurance is advised. A full range of medicines are available at pharmacies; however, it is advisable to bring any medicines necessary, as instructions on the packet are in Latvian, and familiar brands may not be available.

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Climate

Temperate climate, but with considerable temperature variations. Summer is warm with relatively mild weather in spring and autumn. Winter, which lasts from November to mid-March, can be very cold. Rainfall is distributed throughout the year with the heaviest rainfall in August. Snowfall is common in the winter months.

Required clothing: Light- to mediumweights are worn during summer months. Medium- to heavyweights are needed during winter. Rainwear is advisable all year.

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Passport

Passport Required Visa Required Return Ticket Required
British Yes No No
Australian Yes No No
Canadian Yes No No
USA Yes No No
OtherEU 1 No No
Japanese Yes No No

PASSPORTS: Passport valid for three months after expiry date of visa or date of intended departure required by all except:
1. EU nationals, and nationals of Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway with valid national ID cards.

VISAS: Required by all except the following for a stay of up to 90 days within any 6-month period:
(a) nationals of countries mentioned in the table and under passport exemptions above;
(b) nationals of Andorra, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong (SAR), Israel, Korea (Rep), Macau (SAR), Malaysia, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Romania, San Marino, Singapore, Switzerland, Uruguay, Vatican City and Venezuela;
(c) transit passengers continuing their journey by the same or first connecting aircraft, provided holding onward or return documentation and not leaving the airport, except citizens of: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Congo (Dem Rep), Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia and Sri Lanka who must obtain an airport transit visa issued prior to arrival.

Note: Nationals of countries who require an airport transit visa can cross the transit zone without one provided that they: (a) hold a valid residence permit, entry visa or transit visa for Latvia; (b) hold a valid entry visa or residence permit issued by a member of the EU or Schengen Agreement; (c) hold a valid residence permit issued by Andorra, Canada, Japan, Liechtenstein, Monaco, San Marino, Switzerland, USA and the Vatican City, guaranteeing the right to return; (d) the national is a crew member of an aeroplane or citizen of a country which is a member of the December 7th 1944 International Civil Aviation Convention.

Types of visa and cost: Tourist: £23 (single- and double-entry); £40 (multiple-entry).

Note: There is no separate category for a ‘Business’ visa. If travelling to Lativa for business purposes, please consult the requirements and cost of a tourist visa.

Validity: Tourist: from one day to 12 months. Transit: Three days.

Application to: Consulate (or Consular section at Embassy); see Contact Addresses section.

Application requirements: (a) Passport valid for at least three months beyond expiry of visa, with at least two blank pages. (b) One completed application form. (c) One passport-size photo. (d) An invitation number which has to be registered by an officer of the Deptarment of Citizenship and Migration Affairs in Riga (see below for address). (e) Valid travel health insurance policy guaranteeing coverage of costs associated with health care (except for nationals of Estonia, Finland, Sweden and Ukraine). (f) Fee.

Note: (a) Additional documents, such as return or onward tickets, confirmed hotel reservation and proof of sufficient funds, may also be requested. (b) All invitations must be registered by the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs, Alunna Str. 1, Riga LV-1050 (tel: 721 9656; fax: 721 9655; e-mail: aad@pmlp.gov.lv or pmlp@pmlp.gov.lv; website: www.pid.gov.lv).

Working days required: Seven, but in some cases may take up to 30.

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