Latvia has experienced significant population decline over the past few decades. Following independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, Latvia’s population has steadily decreased due to a combination of low birth rates, high mortality rates, and substantial emigration, particularly to other European Union countries. According to the Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia, the population dropped from about 2.7 million in 1990 to around 1.88 million in 2023. This demographic trend has resulted in an aging population and labor shortages, prompting concerns about the country’s long-term economic and social sustainability. While recent years have seen a slight slowing in the rate of decline, Latvia continues to face challenges in reversing its population shrinkage.
| Year | Population | Population Density Per Square KM |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 1,936,498 | 31.1 |
| 1955 | 2,002,111 | 32.2 |
| 1960 | 2,115,183 | 34 |
| 1965 | 2,253,604 | 36.2 |
| 1970 | 2,361,159 | 37.9 |
| 1975 | 2,461,606 | 39.5 |
| 1980 | 2,524,543 | 40.6 |
| 1985 | 2,606,405 | 41.9 |
| 1990 | 2,663,390 | 42.8 |
| 1995 | 2,480,257 | 39.8 |
| 2000 | 2,368,427 | 38 |
| 2005 | 2,258,990 | 36.3 |
| 2010 | 2,115,339 | 34 |
| 2015 | 1,986,717 | 31.9 |
| 2020 | 1,883,186 | 30.3 |
| 2022 | 1,842,226 | 29.6 |
| 2023 | 1,821,750 | 29.3 |
| 2024 | 1,801,246 | 28.9 |
| 2025 | 1,780,740 | 28.6 |
| 2030 | 1,679,841 | 27 |
| 2035 | 1,586,003 | 25.5 |
| 2040 | 1,499,908 | 24.1 |
| 2045 | 1,419,172 | 22.8 |
| 2050 | 1,341,195 | 21.5 |
| 2055 | 1,265,659 | 20.3 |
| 2060 | 1,193,651 | 19.2 |
| 2065 | 1,127,212 | 18.1 |
| 2070 | 1,067,075 | 17.1 |
| 2075 | 1,012,508 | 16.3 |
| 2080 | 963,601 | 15.5 |
| 2085 | 921,280 | 14.8 |
| 2090 | 885,606 | 14.2 |
| 2095 | 855,589 | 13.7 |
| 2100 | 829,204 | 13.3 |
Data from US Census International Database