# Latvia

> Citation bundle for Latvia on The Treatment Registry.
> URL: https://thetreatmentregistry.com/countries/latvia
> Bundle URL: https://thetreatmentregistry.com/api/citations/countries/latvia

- ISO code: LV
- Currency: Euro
- Language: Latvian
- Timezone: EET/EEST (UTC+2 / UTC+3)

## Overview

Latvia, officially the Republic of Latvia, is a country in the Baltic region of northern Europe. It is one of the three Baltic states, along with Estonia to the north and Lithuania to the south. It borders Russia to the east and Belarus to the southeast and shares a maritime border with Sweden to the west. Latvia covers an area of 64,573 km2 (24,932 sq mi), with a population of 1.83 million. The country has a temperate seasonal climate. Its capital and largest city is Riga. Latvians, who are the titular nation and comprise 65.5% of the country's population, belong to the ethnolinguistic group of the Balts and speak Latvian. Russians are the most prominent minority in the country, at almost a quarter of the population; 37.7% of the population speak Russian as their native tongue.

*Reference text adapted from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.*

## Healthcare system

A new measure of expected human capital calculated for 195 countries from 1990 to 2016 and defined for each birth cohort as the expected years lived from age 20 to 64 years and adjusted for educational attainment, learning or education quality, and functional health status was published by The Lancet in September 2018. Latvia had the twenty-first highest level of expected human capital with 23 health, education, and learning-adjusted expected years lived between age 20 and 64 years.

*Reference text adapted from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.*

## Practical info

Latvia uses the euro. The UK Foreign Office's entry-requirements guidance for Latvia includes information on the European Entry-Exit System (EES), so travellers should check the current entry requirements for their nationality before booking treatment. Healthcare is overseen by the Veselības ministrija, Latvia's Ministry of Health, which publishes patient-rights information on its website. Medical care is delivered in Latvian, with English and Russian also used in medical settings. Police, ambulance and fire services share the single emergency number 112. The UK Foreign Office advises that no travel can be guaranteed safe and recommends travel insurance that covers your full itinerary, planned activities and expenses in an emergency.

## Emergency numbers

- **Police / Ambulance / Fire (unified):** 112

## Medical malpractice framework

Reference page scaffold; editorial sourcing pending.

- Patient rights reference: https://www.vm.gov.lv/lv/pacientu-tiesibas

## FAQs

### Who regulates healthcare in Latvia?

The health regulator recorded for Latvia is the Veselības ministrija, Latvia's Ministry of Health. The ministry also publishes patient-rights information on its website, which visiting patients can consult before arranging treatment. Complaints or concerns about care can be directed to the ministry as the named regulatory body for the country.

### What emergency number should I use in Latvia?

Latvia uses the single unified number 112 for police, ambulance and fire services. Keep the contact details of your treating facility to hand as well, and note that Latvia is on Eastern European Time (EET), moving to Eastern European Summer Time (EEST) in summer, when co-ordinating with family or clinicians at home.

### What languages is medical care delivered in?

Latvian is the national language, and the registry records Latvian, English and Russian as languages used in medical settings. If you need care in a specific language, confirm directly with the treating facility before booking, as the sources for this entry do not state which languages individual hospitals or clinics offer.

### Do I need travel insurance for a medical trip to Latvia?

The UK Foreign Office advises that no travel can be guaranteed safe and recommends appropriate travel insurance covering your itinerary, planned activities and expenses in an emergency. For a medical trip, check with your insurer how planned treatment abroad affects your cover, since the sources for this entry do not describe how Latvian providers handle payment or billing for foreign patients.

### What should I know about entering Latvia?

The UK Foreign Office's Latvia guidance flags the European Entry-Exit System (EES) on its entry-requirements page. The sources for this entry do not state visa categories or permitted lengths of stay, so check the current entry requirements for your nationality with official sources before booking travel and treatment dates.

## Sources

- [CIA World Factbook — Latvia](https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/latvia/) — US Central Intelligence Agency (accessed 2026-07-05)