Latvia’s population plunged 13 percent during the first decade of this century and stood at less than 2.068 million last March, according to provisional results of the census announced Jan. 18. The census counted how many people were living in Latvia on March 1, 2011.

Meanwhile, the proportion of ethnic Latvians in the population rose to 62.1 percent, according to data released by the Central Statistical Bureau in Rīga. In the 1935 census, ethnic Latvians accounted for 75 percent of the population.

The loss of population is attributed to a low birth rate, meaning that not enough children are being born to replace persons who die, as well as to emigration. According to the census, 119,000 of the lost population is due to the birth rate, while emigration is responsible for 190,000.

The province of Latgale, in eastern Latvia, saw the greatest population decline—21.1 percent—followed by Vidzeme with a loss of 17.5 percent. However, the region around the capital city of Rīga saw a population increase of 3.2 percent.

All of Latvia’s major cities lost population, the census reveals. Daugavpils lost the most: 19.3 percent, or almost a fifth of its residents.

The greatest decrease in ethnic population has been among Russians. Almost 147,000 fewer ethnic Russians lived in Latvia in 2011 than in 2000, a decline of 20.8 percent. Ethnic Latvians decreased by about 86,500, or 6.3 percent.

However, some smaller ethnic groups have seen even more significant declines relative to their numbers. Belarussians, for example, saw their population decline by nearly 29,000 from 2000-2011, representing an almost 30 percent drop. The Ukrainian population dipped more than 28 percent to a total of 45,699.

The population of ethnic Jews, which now is just 6,416, dropped by more than 38 percent.

More than 170 different ethnic groups live in Latvia, according to the Central Statistical Bureau.

Other census findings highlighted by the statistical bureau include:

• The proportion of men to women has decreased. Women now make up 54.2 percent of the population, while men make up 45.8 percent. The least amount of men are found in the Cēsis district, where they account for 44.9 percent of the population.
• Latvia is trending older. The proportion of people age 62 or older is 21.8 percent, 3.5 points higher than in the 2000 census. Children to age 14 make up 14.1 percent, or 4 points lower.
• Citizens now make up 83.8 percent of the population, up from 74.5 percent in 2000. Noncitizens number 290,660, accounting for 14.1 percent of the population. Foreigners living in Latvia account for 2.1 percent of the population.
• Persons with higher education now make up 23 percent of those age 15 and older, compared to 13.9 percent in 2000.
• A total of 57.5 percent of people age 15 or older are economically active, meaning they are part of the labor pool.
• Latvia has 1.023 million housing units. Of those, 68.8 percent are apartment buildings, 28.9 are individual houses, 1 percent are semi-detached houses and 0.6 percent are row houses.

Census data were gathered from March 1 through June 10. Information about 30 percent of the population was gathered during the first 12 days of the census, when for the first time people could complete questionnaires online.

The Feb. 18 referendum on granting official status to the Russian language will be a test of Latvian unity, leaders of Latvian central organizations abroad say in a Jan. 16 open letter.

The referendum, which if approved would amend five paragraphs of the constitution, is a conscious attempt to knock out the main cornerstone on which the Latvian state was founded, according to the letter signed by Jānis Kukainis, head of the World Federation of Free Latvians (Pasaules brīvo latviešu apvienība, or PBLA), and five other diaspora leaders.

The letter invites Latvians around the world to vote against the proposed constitutional amendments.

“Among those who asked for the referendum are ordinary people who are searching for a more comfortable life,” the text of the Latvian-language letter reads. “However, among them are a group of people who are disloyal to the Latvian state, including more than one who have supported renewing Russia’s power in its former imperial borders. This referendum is nothing more than a frightful step toward such a goal.”

The constitutional amendments have been pushed by the ethnic Russian organization Dzimtā valoda (Native Language), led by the controversial Vladimirs Lindermans. Under current wording, Latvian is the only official language of the country.

The letter from diaspora leaders also criticizes Latvia’s leaders for failing to stop the referendum in time.

Thirty members of the Latvian parliament, led by the right-wing National Alliance (Nacionālā apvienība “Visu Latvijai!” – “Tēvzemei un Brīvībai/LNNK”), on Jan. 12 asked the Constitutional Court to look into the legality of the referendum. Media reports suggest the court might suspend the referendum while it considers the case.

Lindermanis, according to a LETA news report, has said that to stop the referendum would be a crime against the constitution.

Regardless, the letter from the diaspora leaders continues, Latvians must participate in the referendum to the maximum, voting against the proposed amendments to show that they want to live in an independent, Latvian Latvia.

“Here alone, by the Baltic Sea, is the only place where we are enough so that our nation and our language can exist,” according to the letter. “We have to show that we are the majority and determiners in our land!”

Others who signed the letter are Juris Mežinskis, chair of the American Latvian Association (Amerikas latviešu apvienība); Daina Gūtmane, chair of the Latvian Association of South America and the Caribbean (Dienvidamerikas un Karību latviešu apvienība); Lauma Vlasova, chair of the Latvian Congress of Russia (Krievijas latviešu kongress); Pēteris Strazds, chair of the Latvian Association of Australia and New Zealand (Latviešu apvienība Austrālijā un Jaunzēlandē); and
Andris Ķesteris, chair of the Latvian National Federation in Canada (Latviešu nacionālās apvienība Kanadā).

Reacting to concerns that the upcoming referendum on Russian as a second official language was worded unclearly, Latvia’s Central Election Commission has approved a new version that offers greater explanation.

Citizens on Feb. 18 will now be asked to vote par (for) or pret (against) a referendum question that reads, “Vai jūs esat par likumprojekta ‘Grozījumi Latvijas Republikas Satversmē’ pieņemšanu, kas paredz krievu valodai noteikt otras valsts valodas statusu?” (“Are you for adopting the proposed legislation ‘Amendments to the Constitution of the Republic of Latvia’ that would grant Russian the status of the second state language?”).

Previously, the question merely asked if voters were for or against amending the constitution, with no mention of the underlying issue.

The Central Election Commission, meeting in Rīga, voted unanimously Jan. 10 to make the change, according to spokeswoman Kristīna Bērziņa.

The commission’s decision came after the six independent MPs in the Latvian parliament asked for the referendum question to be clearer. They said that as originally worded, the referendum question could lead to citizens becoming confused and voting differently than they intended.

The hot-button language issue has come before voters as a result of an initiative that gathered more than 183,000 signatures from citizens seeking to make Russian a second state language.

Under current wording of the constitution, Latvian is the only official language. The proposed amendments would change five paragraphs, allowing for Russian to also be used. Paragraph 4, which establishes the official language, may only be changed by national referendum.

The election commission also approved creation of two informative posters that will be displayed in voting booths, as well as two television public service announcements, one about the referendum question and one about voting at home for those citizens who for health reasons are unable to make it a polling station.

At least half of all eligible voters, or about 772,000 citizens, would need to vote in favor of the referendum for the amendments to be approved. Political observers have said the referendum most likely will fail. However, a growing number of commentators are arguing that citizens should still participate in the referendum, voting pret to show support for a basic value of the Latvian state.

Voting abroad

Voters abroad who want to participate in the referendum through absentee ballots will have until Feb. 4 to submit applications, the election commission announced Jan. 10.

A total of 21 embassies and honorary consulates around the world will accept the applications, including offices in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Ireland, Sweden, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States. A complete list is available for download from the Central Election Commission’s website web.cvk.lv.

An application form and the voter’s current Latvian passport must be submitted to receive an absentee ballot.

On Feb. 18, voters also will be able to vote at a number of polling stations abroad. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time. The full list of polling stations will become available Jan. 20, according to the election commission.