Timeline of Latvian history

This is a timeline of Latvian history, comprising important legal and territorial changes and political events in Latvia and its predecessor states. To read about the background to these events, see History of Latvia. See also the list of presidents of Latvia.

2004 March - Latvia joins Nato.

2004 May - Latvia is one of 10 new states joining the European Union.

2006 August - New citizenship law requires applicants to pass Latvian language test.

Financial crisis 2008 December - International Monetary Fund (IMF) approves 1.68bn euro rescue package to help Latvia ride out severe economic slump.

2009 January - Hundreds of demonstrators clash with police in Riga as anti-government protests over the terms of the IMF rescue package turn violent.

2010 January - Unemployment soars to 20%, giving Latvia the highest jobless rate in the EU.

2011 September - Pro-Russian Harmony Centre emerges as largest party in snap elections, but coalition government excludes it.

2012 February - Referendum on giving Russian joint official language status rejected by a large margin.

2014 January - Latvia joins the eurozone.2014 September - US President Barack Obama visits Estonia to reassure the Baltic states that they can count on Nato protection, amid tensions following Russia's seizure of Crimea.

2014 October - Centre-right coalition wins a clear majority in parliamentary elections dominated by concern about Russia's intervention in Ukraine and its influence in the Baltic region.

2015 March - Nato reinforces its presence in the Baltic states and its forces conduct major military drills in the region.

2019 January - Arturs Krisjanis Karins becomse prime minister of a centre-right coalition, excluding the pro-Russia Harmony party that had emerged as the largest bloc after October 2018 parliamentary elections.

2022 February - Russia invades Ukraine

2022 August - Latvia declares state of emergency along its border with Belarus over sharp climb in illegal border-crossing attempts.

• List of years in Latvia
• Timeline of Riga

• Plakans, Andrejs (2008). Historical Dictionary of Latvia. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-5515-1.

• "Latvia". Political Chronology of Europe. Europa Publications. 2001. ISBN 978-1-85743-113-1.

• "Latvia Profile: Timeline", BBC News