Latvia, a member of the European Union since 2004, is a Baltic state with a population of approximately 1.9 million people as of 2023. Its capital, Riga, serves as a significant economic and cultural center. Latvia adopted the euro in 2014, integrating further into the EU's economic framework. The country's economy is diverse, with key sectors including services, manufacturing, and information technology. Latvia participates actively in the EU's policy-making processes and benefits from EU structural funds, which support various developmental projects, particularly in infrastructure and innovation.