Latvia is a Baltic state in northeastern Europe with a coastline on the Baltic Sea, bordering Estonia, Russia, Belarus, and Lithuania. Its capital is Riga, and it is a parliamentary republic with a Latvian-speaking population. Historically, the country was influenced by various powers including Germany and the Soviet Union before regaining independence in 1991 and joining the EU and NATO in 2004. Latvia has a temperate climate, a landscape of forests, rivers, and lakes, and a diverse culture with a vibrant startup scene.