Latvians Explained

Group:Latvians
Native Name:latvieši
Population: 1.7 million[1]
Popplace: Latvia 1,187,891 (2021)[2] [3]
Region1: United Kingdom
Pop1:124,000 (2020)[4] [5] [6]
Region2: United States
Pop2:85,723 (2019)[7]
Region3: Germany
Pop3:53,000 (2021)[8]
Region4: Canada
Pop4:30,725 (2016)[9]
Region5: Brazil
Pop5:25,000 (2002)[10] [11] [12]
Region6: Australia
Pop6:23,233 (2021)[13]
Pop7:19,933 (2016)[14]
Pop8:18,979 (2010)
Region10: Norway
Pop10:11,723 (2019)[15]
Region11: Sweden
Pop11:10,323 (2022)[16]
Region12: Ukraine
Pop12:5,079 (2001)[17]
Region13: Luxembourg
Pop13:4,000
Region14: Denmark
Pop14:3,799 (2012)[18]
Region15: Spain
Pop15:3,711 (2011)[19]
Region16: Estonia
Pop16:3,329 (2020)[20]
Region17: Finland
Pop17:3,232 (2020)[21]
Region18: Italy
Pop18:2,689 (2014)[22]
Region19: France
Pop19:2,602 (2016)[23] [24]
Region20: Lithuania
Pop20:2,300 (2012)[25]
Region21: Belarus
Pop21:1,549 (2009)
Region36: Uzbekistan
Pop36:1,800[26]
Region22: Portugal
Pop22:1,502 [27]
Region23: Netherlands
Pop23:1,400 (2002)[28]
Region24: Kazakhstan
Pop24:1,123 (2009)[29]
Region25: Switzerland
Pop25:736 (2006)[30]
Region26: Belgium
Pop26:679 (2008)[31]
Region29: Iceland
Pop29:654 (2013)[32]
Pop30:300[33]
Region31: Poland
Pop31:293 (2011)[34]
Region34: Czech Republic
Pop34:193 (2011)[35]
Region35: Austria
Pop35:152 (2002)[36]
Region38: Greece
Pop38:69 (2006)[37]
Region39: Kyrgyzstan
Pop39:82 (2009)
Region40: Croatia
Pop40:14 (2011)[38]
Region41: Israel
Pop41:4,000[39]
Region42: Chile
Pop42:3,000
Langs:Latvian and its dialects
Related:Other Balts
Rels:Predominantly Lutheran,[40]
Roman Catholic and Latvian Orthodox minorities

Latvians (Latvian: latvieši) are a Baltic ethnic group and nation native to Latvia and the immediate geographical region, the Baltics. They are occasionally also referred to as Letts,[41] [42] especially in older bibliography. Latvians share a common Latvian language, culture, history and ancestry.

History

A Balto-Finnic-speaking tribe known as the Livs settled among the northern coast of modern day Latvia. The Germanic settlers derived their name for the natives from the term Liv. They referred to all the natives as "Letts" and the nation as "Lettland", naming their colony Livonia or Livland.

The Latin form, Livonia, gradually referred to the whole territory of modern-day Latvia as well as southern Estonia, which had fallen under a minimal Germanic influence. Latvians and Lithuanians are the only surviving members of the Baltic branch of the Indo-European family.

Genetics

Paternal haplogroups R1a and N1a1-Tat are the two most frequent, reaching 39.9% each among ethnic Latvians.[43] R1a has originated in Eastern Europe and is associated with spread of Indo-European languages. R1a of Latvians is predominantly M558 and compared to other populations also has the highest concentration of M558 among R1a. N1a1-Tat mutation originated in East Asia and had spread through the Urals into Europe where it is currently most common among Finno-Ugric, Baltic and Eastern-Slavic peoples. Latvians and Lithuanians have a predominance of the L550 branch of N1a1-Tat.

N1c1a was present in 41.5%, R1a1a-M558 in 35.2% and I1 (M253) in 6.3% of the samples analyzed.[44] In lower levels, 2.5% of I2b (M223) and 0.6% I2a (P37.2) was found as well.

Culture

Influences

Latvians share a common language and have a unique culture with traditions, holidays, customs and arts. The culture and religious traditions have been somewhat influenced by Germanic, Scandinavian, and Russian traditions. Latvians have an ancient culture that has been archaeologically dated back to 3000 BC. Latvians maintained a considerable connection and trade with their neighbors. The first indications of human inhabitants on the lands of modern Latvia date archaeologically to 9000 BC, suggesting that the first settlers were hunters that stayed almost immediately following the end of the last ice age. Colonizers from the south arrived quickly, driving many of the hunters northward as polar ice caps melted further, or east, into modern-day Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine. The Roman author Tacitus remarked upon the "Aestii" peoples, thought to be inhabitants of the modern Baltic lands, suggesting that they were abound with formidable, yet peaceful and hospitable people. The Latvian peoples remained relatively undisturbed until Papal intervention via the Germanic, Teutonic Order colonized Kurzeme (Courland in English, Kurland in German), beginning in the first half of the 13th century. Papal decrees ordered the Teutonic Order to spread the "Word of the Lord" and the Gospel of Christianity throughout "uncivilized", "Pagan lands". Though these attempts to Christianize the population failed, and the Teutonic Order eventually redeployed southward, to the region of what was once known as East Prussia.

South-Eastern Latvia (Latgale), due to having a relatively large ethnic Russian population, has maintained a large Russian influence.

Religion

Baltic ethnic religion was followed in Latvia before it was invaded by the Christian Teutonic Order (see: Latvian mythology).[45] [46] [47] Latvians still celebrate traditional feasts (Jāņi).[48] Dievturība is a modern revival of the ethnic religion of the Latvians before Christianization in the 13th century CE.[49]

Most of the Christian Latvians claim to belong to the Evangelical Lutheran Church, but in Latgale and Alsunga Municipality the Roman Catholic Church is predominant, a small minority of Latvians belong to the Latvian Orthodox Church and other religious congregations. In the late 18th century, a small but vibrant Herrnhutist movement played a significant part in the development of Latvian literary culture before it was absorbed into the mainstream Lutheran denomination.

Language

Latvians' ancestral language, Latvian, has been recorded since at least the 16th century.[50] It developed into a distinct language by the 9th century. It is part of a distinct linguistic branch of Indo-European languages: the Baltic languages.

Another notable language of Latvia is the nearly extinct Livonian language, a member of the Baltic-Finnic sub-branch of the Uralic language family, which enjoys protection by law. The Latgalian language (a dialect of Latvian) is also protected by Latvian law as a historical variation of the Latvian language.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: latviai . latviai . lt . 2023-03-21.
  2. Web site: Population by ethnicity in regions, cities, 21 development centres and municipalities at the beginning of the year by Ethnicity, Territorial unit, Indicator and Time period. 2021-04-23. Oficiālās statistikas portāls.
  3. Web site: ISG08. Latviešu skaits Latvijā un Rīgā gada sākumā. Data.csb.gov.lv. 2017-08-02.
  4. Web site: Population of the UK by country of birth and nationality - Office for National Statistics. 2021-04-23. www.ons.gov.uk.
  5. http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Product.asp?vlnk=15147 Population by country of birth and nationality
  6. Web site: BNS . TVNET :: Ārvalstīs - Lielbritānijā pašlaik dzīvo 39 tūkstoši viesstrādnieku no Latvijas . 13 June 2011 . Tvnet.lv . 2011-12-03.
  7. Web site: https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=PEOPLE%20REPORTING%20ANCESTRY&t=Ancestry&d=ACS%201-. 2023-11-15 .
  8. Web site: Bevölkerung in Privathaushalten nach Migrationshintergrund im weiteren Sinn nach ausgewählten Geburtsstaaten.
  9. Web site: Government of Canada. Statistics Canada. 2017-10-25. Ethnic Origin (279), Single and Multiple Ethnic Origin Responses (3), Generation Status (4), Age (12) and Sex (3) for the Population in Private Households of Canada, Provinces and Territories, Census Metropolitan Areas and Census Agglomerations, 2016 Census - 25% Sample Data. 2021-06-25. www12.statcan.gc.ca.
  10. Web site: Um atalho para a Europa . Epoca . Editora Globo S.A . 24 June 2002 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120821072841/http://epoca.globo.com/edic/214/soci1a.htm . 21 August 2012 .
  11. Web site: Brazilian Embassy in Stockholm. Brazilianembassy.se. 2 August 2017. dead. https://archive.today/20070104041645/http://www.brazilianembassy.se/english/latviaV2eng.asp. 4 January 2007.
  12. Web site: A Millenarian Migration: Varpa. Lituanus.org. 2 August 2017.
  13. Web site: ABS Statistics. ABS. Stat.data.abs.gov.au. 28 April 2023.
  14. Web site: All non-Irish nationals in Ireland - CSO - Central Statistics Office. 2021-06-25. www.cso.ie. en.
  15. Web site: Immigrants and Norwegian-born to immigrant parents, by country background. 1 January 2019. Statistics Norway. no.
  16. Web site: Population statistics - Foreign-born by Country of birth, sex and year of immigration 31 December 2022. 2023-11-15. Statistiska Centralbyrån. en.
  17. Web site: State statistics committee of Ukraine - National composition of population, 2001 census. 3. 2001.ukrcensus.gov.ua. 2017-08-02. uk.
  18. Web site: StatBank Denmark. Statbank.dk. 2 August 2017.
  19. Web site: Población extranjera por sexo, edad (grupos quinquenales) y país de nacionalidad. Ine.es. 2 August 2017.
  20. Web site: Population by ethnic nationality. Statistics Estonia. 30 March 2016.
  21. Web site: Befolkning 31.12. Efter Område, Bakgrundsland, Kön, År och Uppgifter.
  22. Web site: Statistiche demografiche ISTAT . Demo.istat.it . 2015-06-28.
  23. Web site: Présentation de la Lettonie.
  24. http://www.ined.fr/en/pop_figures/france/immigrants_foreigners/countries_birth_1999/
  25. Web site: Gyventojų skaičius metų pradžioje. Požymiai: tautybė - Rodiklių duomenų bazėje . Db1.stat.gov.lt . 2011-12-03 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120906042802/http://db1.stat.gov.lt/statbank/selectvarval/saveselections.asp?MainTable=M3010215&PLanguage=0&TableStyle=&Buttons=&PXSId=3236&IQY=&TC=&ST=ST&rvar0=&rvar1=&rvar2=&rvar3=&rvar4=&rvar5=&rvar6=&rvar7=&rvar8=&rvar9=&rvar10=&rvar11=&rvar12=&rvar13=&rvar14= . 2012-09-06 .
  26. Web site: Latvian | Joshua Project.
  27. Web site: OCMA: majority of Latvian immigrants live in Britain, Ireland and Germany. 25 September 2018 .
  28. Web site: Demografie van de allochtonen in Nederland. Cbs.nl. 2017-08-02.
  29. http://www.stat.kz/p_perepis/Documents/%D0%9D%D0%B0%D1%86%20%D1%81%D0%BE%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B0%D0%B2.rar Ethnic composition, religion and language skills in the Republic of Kazakhstan
  30. Web site: Archived copy . 2015-03-18 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160303193114/http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/themen/01/22/publ.Document.88215.pdf . 2016-03-03 .
  31. Web site: Bevolking per nationaliteit, geslacht, leeftijdsgroepen op 1/1/2008 . nl . Statbel.fgov.be . 2011-12-03 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111120220853/http://statbel.fgov.be/nl/modules/publications/statistiques/bevolking/Bevolking_nat_geslacht_leeftijdsgroepen.jsp . 2011-11-20 . dead .
  32. Web site: Frontpage - Hagstofa. Hagstofa. 2 August 2017.
  33. Web site: Latvijas Republikas un Venecuēlas Bolivāra Republikas divpusējās attiecības. Mfa.gov.lv. 2 August 2017.
  34. Web site: Ludnosc Stan i struktura demograficzno-spoteczna. Stat.gov.pl. 2017-08-02.
  35. http://www.czso.cz/csu/cizinci.nsf/t/1000466A60/$File/c01t01.pdf
  36. ftp://www.statistik.at/pub/neuerscheinungen/vzaustriaweb.pdf
  37. Web site: Error . 2014-11-13 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150722121328/http://www.statistics.gr/portal/page/portal/ESYE/BUCKET/A1605/Other/A1605_SPO15_TB_AN_00_2006_07_F_EN.pdf . 2015-07-22 .
  38. Web site: 1. POPULATION BY ETHNICITY – DETAILED CLASSIFICATION, 2011 CENSUS. . 2017-05-12.
  39. Web site: Immigrant and Emigrant Populations by Country of Origin and Destination . 10 February 2014 .
  40. Web site: Tieslietu ministrijā iesniegtie reliģisko organizāciju pārskati par darbību 2011. gadā . lv . 2012-07-25 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20121126013327/http://www.tm.gov.lv/lv/labumi/TM.docx . 2012-11-26 .
  41. Web site: Lett - definition of Lett in English - Oxford Dictionaries. https://web.archive.org/web/20130716184604/http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/Lett. dead. July 16, 2013. Oxford Dictionaries - English. 2 August 2017.
  42. Web site: Definition of LETT. Merriam Webster . 2 August 2017.
  43. Y Chromosome and Mitochondrial DNA Variation in Lithuanians . 2004 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090225205400/http://www.eva.mpg.de/genetics/pdf/Kasperavicuite.2004.pdf . 2009-02-25 . 2010-05-20 . 10.1046/j.1529-8817.2003.00119.x . Kasperavičiūtė . D. . Kučinskas . V. . Stoneking . M. . Annals of Human Genetics . 68 . 5 . 438–452 . 15469421 . 26562505 . Kasperaviciute et al. 2004 (link broken)
  44. Pliss. Liana. Timša. Līga. Rootsi. Siiri. Tambets. Kristiina. Pelnena. Inese. Zole. Egija. Puzuka. Agrita. Sabule. Areta. Rozane. Sandra. Lace. Baiba. Kucinskas. Vaidutis. November 2015. Y-Chromosomal Lineages of Latvians in the Context of the Genetic Variation of the Eastern-Baltic Region. Annals of Human Genetics. 79. 6. 418–430. 10.1111/ahg.12130. 1469-1809. 26411886. 13050610.
  45. Web site: Žemaitis . Augustinas . Dievturība (neo-paganism) . OnLatvia.com . 21 March 2022.
  46. Web site: Latvian mythology . Skyforger.lv . 21 March 2022.
  47. Web site: Smogorzewski . Kazimierz Maciej . Latvia - History . . 21 March 2022 . en.
  48. Web site: Ruduša . Daina . Time to Get in Touch With Our Pagan Roots . Latvia.eu . 21 March 2022.
  49. Stasulane . Anita . A Reconstructed Indigenous Religious Tradition in Latvia . Religions . en . 10.3390/rel10030195 . March 2019. 10 . 3 . 195 . free .
  50. Vīksniņš . Nicholas . 1973 . The Early History of Latvian Books . . 19 . 3 . 3 September 2019.

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