Latvia is the third and final member of the Baltic States. It is the most sparsely populated of the Baltic states, containing only two million people. The nation is bordered by Estonia, Lithuania, and Russia. The population of Latvia is composed of native Latvians, which compose over half of the nation's population, Lithuanians, Russians, Ukrainians, and Poles. There is also a small contingent of Belarusians who call the country home as well.

Despite this ethnic diversity, the native language of the country is Latvian, which is close related to Finnish. This country has a shared history with its Baltic neighbors, and experienced various episodes of Swedish, Russian, German, as well as Soviet and Nazi domination. Furthermore, the populace of Latvia was Christianized by Roman Catholic and Orthodox missionaries beginning in the thirteenth century. However, like many of its neighbors the onset of the Protestant Reformation, beginning in 1516, with Martin Luther's publication of his Ninety-five Theses, spread Protestantism, particularly Lutheranism, throughout the Baltic States, including Latvia, as well as throughout the Scandinavian regions.

Latvia's weather conditions and overall climate can be described as Continental and temperate in nature. Owing to the fact that Latvia is near the Baltic Sea, its climate creates mild fall conditions, followed by extremely cold and snowy winters, with extremely rainy springs, and the equally mild summers.