Between East and West, North and South
But Latvia remains where it is – on the east coast of Central Europe, in a transitional climatic zone. The coastal climate of Western Latvia is transformed to a continental climate just 300 to 400 km inland. It is a natural crossroads for people, flora and fauna. Latvia's geographic position alongside the Baltic Sea has fostered unique conditions where northern-southern and western-eastern vegetation can be found flourishing side by side. Of the 1,226 indigenous flowering plant and fern species that can be found in Latvia, 397 grow on or near Latvia's borders. Similar patterns can be found in the animal population. As a result, almost anywhere you look, you will find plant and animal species characteristic of various geographic regions growing in one place. In Latvian forests you can find the typically "western" cross-leaved heath, as well as the "eastern" broad-leaved cinna, the "northern" flying squirrel and the "southern" fat (edible) dormouse.
Text: Valdis Pilats, The Gauja National Park
Photographers: A.Eglitis, J.Pigoznis, V.Pilats, J.Zalans
© The Latvian Institute, 1999-2000
This fact sheet can be freely printed from homepage of the Latvian Institute, distributed and cited, on condition that the Latvian Institute is acknowledged as the source. The Latvian Institute is a non-profit organisation (a State Corporation with limited liability) established to promote knowledge about Latvia abroad. It produces publications, in several languages, on many aspects of Latvia.
