Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) in Latvia
Latvia: Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) was -0.8% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Population growth in Latvia, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in annual %.
Analysis
In 2024, population growth in Latvia stood at -0.8%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 677.7% on the previous year and up 14.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population growth in Latvia peaked at 1.0% in 1987 and was at its lowest, -2.1%, in 2010.
That places Latvia 205th out of 215 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) in Latvia, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 0.7% | — |
| 1971 | 0.7% | +7.0% |
| 1972 | 0.8% | +11.1% |
| 1973 | 0.8% | +3.6% |
| 1974 | 0.9% | +5.2% |
| 1975 | 0.8% | -12.1% |
| 1976 | 0.6% | -22.1% |
| 1977 | 0.6% | -5.8% |
| 1978 | 0.5% | -9.3% |
| 1979 | 0.3% | -37.7% |
| 1980 | 0.2% | -28.6% |
| 1981 | 0.3% | +33.9% |
| 1982 | 0.5% | +50.4% |
| 1983 | 0.6% | +27.4% |
| 1984 | 0.6% | +6.7% |
| 1985 | 0.7% | +4.3% |
| 1986 | 0.8% | +24.0% |
| 1987 | 1.0% | +25.8% |
| 1988 | 1.0% | -0.4% |
| 1989 | 0.5% | -50.0% |
| 1990 | -0.1% | -128.1% |
| 1991 | -0.5% | +231.4% |
| 1992 | -1.4% | +191.0% |
| 1993 | -2.0% | +43.2% |
| 1994 | -1.7% | -15.1% |
| 1995 | -1.4% | -14.8% |
| 1996 | -1.1% | -21.0% |
| 1997 | -1.0% | -11.5% |
| 1998 | -0.9% | -5.4% |
| 1999 | -0.8% | -13.7% |
| 2000 | -1.0% | +18.4% |
| 2001 | -1.3% | +34.0% |
| 2002 | -1.2% | -10.0% |
| 2003 | -1.0% | -16.8% |
| 2004 | -1.1% | +12.9% |
| 2005 | -1.1% | -1.0% |
| 2006 | -0.9% | -15.1% |
| 2007 | -0.8% | -11.0% |
| 2008 | -1.1% | +28.8% |
| 2009 | -1.7% | +57.1% |
| 2010 | -2.1% | +26.1% |
| 2011 | -1.8% | -12.5% |
| 2012 | -1.2% | -31.9% |
| 2013 | -1.1% | -13.7% |
| 2014 | -0.9% | -12.1% |
| 2015 | -0.8% | -13.1% |
| 2016 | -0.9% | +11.6% |
| 2017 | -0.9% | -3.0% |
| 2018 | -0.8% | -12.1% |
| 2019 | -0.7% | -10.8% |
| 2020 | -0.7% | +0.9% |
| 2021 | -0.8% | +20.3% |
| 2022 | -0.3% | -67.8% |
| 2023 | -0.1% | -62.0% |
| 2024 | -0.8% | +677.7% |
Latvia compared with similar countries
- Latvia's -0.8% is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.5%. (85 countries reporting)
- Latvia's -0.8% is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.3%. (56 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) in Latvia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | -677.7% | -0.1% | -0.8% |
| 1991 | -231.4% | -0.1% | -0.5% |
| 1992 | -191.0% | -0.5% | -1.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.7% | 0.3% | 0.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.6% | 0.2% | 1.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | -1.1% | -2.0% | -0.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | -1.1% | -1.7% | -0.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | -1.1% | -2.1% | -0.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.5% | -0.8% | -0.1% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Latvia
More population data for Latvia
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -1.02 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -3.55 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -1.02 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.8064 % change on previous year (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.481 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate -1.03 (2100)
- Population density 14.87 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 31,860 (2100)
- Population growth rate by level of development -1.03 (2100)
- Urbanization vs gdp, annual growth rate 0.2171 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population growth in Latvia?
- Population growth in Latvia was -0.8% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest population growth recorded in Latvia?
- The highest recorded value was 1.0% in 1987.
- What is the lowest population growth recorded in Latvia?
- The lowest recorded value was -2.1% in 2010.
- How does Latvia rank for population growth?
- Latvia ranks 205th out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is population growth rising or falling in Latvia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Latvia data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Population growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release