Changes in sediment formation can tell us a lot about the palaeogeographical conditions in a given place. In order to contribute information about the conditions of sediment accumulation in the area of Lake Lubāns, studies have been carried out in different places. This study was done in the Aiviekste oxbow, located in the Stone Age settlement area of Abora I. A core U17 was taken and analyses such as Loss on Ignition (LOI), plant macro-remain analysis and sediment dating using AMS 14C technique were carried out. The results show the process by which this part of the River Aiviekste became an oxbow, quickly becoming overgrown with vegetation. The dates obtained indicate that the process of sediment accumulation was for a time quite rapid, before slowing down. As far as the settlement is concerned, the only evidence of human activity are some fragments of amber in the oxbow. This suggests that the settlement didn't extend to this part of the oxbow.

This study examines the experiences of Erasmus+ students at the University of Latvia. It analyses trends in student mobility, the factors influencing their choices, and perceptions of the university’s academic environment. The study found that the number of Erasmus+ students at the University of Latvia has fluctuated, with a significant increase in recent years. Most exchange students come from Central and Southern European countries, with Business Administration, English Studies, and Political Science being the most popular study programmes. An analysis of student surveys reveals that while students appreciate the university’s academic choices and support services, they often struggle with language barriers and networking with locals. The study highlights the importance of creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for international students to enhance their overall experience and academic performance.

Vilku Bog is a small (about 95 ha) area of peatland formed in a glacial meltwater lake depression in the north-western part of the Lubāns Plain. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of paleoenvironmental changes on the sedimentation of Vilku Bog. To achieve this aim, fieldwork was carried out – eight soundings were taken and three boreholes were drilled diagonally across the Vilku Bog. Multidisciplinary studies were carried out on deposit samples collected during fieldwork. The deposits were subjected to analyses of Loss on Ignition, plant macroremains, analyses of peat botanical composition and peat decomposition degree, spore-pollen analyses, and radiocarbon AMS 14C dating. The area where Vilku Bog is located was originally filled with lake clay and silt, but during the Middle Holocene, at the climatic optimum of 6160 cal BP, the lake began to accumulate gyttja and peaty gyttja as the number of aquatic plants increased. This contributed to the lake becoming completely overgrown and the start of peatland formation before 5810 cal BP in the second part of the Middle Holocene. The development of Vilku Bog started with the accumulation of peat deposits over the lake gyttja (fen-type Hypnum, grass and sedge peat, transition-bog-type grass peat and Sphagnum- cotton grass peat), followed by raised-bog-type peat (Sphagnum peat). The conditions (peat decomposition) of deposit accumulation were variable during the development of the bog. Peat botanical composition, which is affected by water-level fluctuations, indicate that Vilku Bog underwent the complete cycle of bog development, from fen to transitional bog and finally to raised bog. It has only been developing as a raised bog for the past 380 years.

International students in Europe contribute to the local economy through fees, living costs, and taxes. Moreover, they also significantly impact the economy, society and culture of the countries they study. The research concerning the employability of international students in their host countries suggests that international students represents a vital source of income for higher education institutions and local economies. The aim of the study is to comparatively describe the numbers of international students in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania specifically looking at the employed proportion of international students. Analysis is performed in a comparative manner by analysing the available statistical data for three different academic years. The analysis reveals that international students in these countries have experienced varying levels of success in finding employment. While Estonia consistently demonstrates the highest employment rates for international students among the three countries, Latvia and Lithuania show promising trends. The study highlights the factors influencing employment outcomes, such as students’ country of origin, field of study, and language proficiency.

Raksta mērķis ir novērtēt, kāda reģionālā kontekstā ir kapitāla tirgus attīstība Latvijā kopš neatkarības atjaunošanas. Rakstā aplūkots gan akciju, gan obligāciju tirgus, akcentējot visu akciju emitentu ģeogrāfisko novietojumu, to sadalījumu statistiskajos reģionos un emitentu ģeogrāfiskā īpatsvara korelāciju ar atbilstošo reģionu īpatsvaru kopējā tautsaimniecībā. Ar nelieliem izņēmumiem biržā kotēto uzņēmumu īpatsvars labi korelē ar atbilstošā reģiona īpatsvaru no kopējā Latvijas iekšzemes kopprodukta (IKP). Atsevišķi apskatīta korporatīvo obligāciju tirgus attīstība, īpaši pēdējos gados, īpašu uzmanību pievēršot reģionālo spēlētāju klātesamībai. Ieskicēta arī akciju un obligāciju tirgus jaunāko emisiju investoru ģeogrāfiskā bāze, kas parāda, ka vairumā gadījumu vēlme ieguldīt Latvijas tirgū ir tikai Baltijas valstu investoriem. Aplūkojot pēdējās Latvijas kapitāla tirgus attīstības tendences, var secināt, ka vairāk ir aktivizējies korporatīvo obligāciju tirgus, savukārt uzņēmumu novietojums neietekmē vai maz ietekmē kapitāla tirgus pieejamību.

Increasing attention in Europe is being paid to the new territorial development approach or planning direction or “bottom up” planning”, which means that increasingly more decisions regarding local development have to be taken at the lowest possible planning level – at the level of the village, including local communities. A significant problem has been identified in Latvia: rapid internal migration from rural territories to capital-city regions and external emigration to other countries. There are also problems of a social nature, as the unbalanced economic development of the regions leads to decreased quality of life and public activity. To solve these problems, new and modern solutions have to be found for the development of local communities and their involvement in regional development. The goal of this research is to develop an integrated, sustainable and participatory planning model as a new development planning tool at the village level. The main objectives resulting from this research goal are: to research the theoretical and regulatory aspects, to research community involvement and local development planning methods and approaches, and to research the potential of local economy and social aspects. The area where research was conducted was the Baltic Sea region (Latvia, Estonia, Finland (the Aland Islands), Sweden). The results of the research will form a proposal for a sustainable development planning model at the community level and proposals for further opportunities to introduce the village planning level in regional development planning.

Urban shrinkage is a complex phenomenon affecting many regions globally, with small towns in old industrial regions often experiencing the most severe impacts. This study aims to examine the patterns of urban shrinkage in the small towns of Latvia, focusing on socioeconomic and demographic dimensions. We drew on data from the 2000 and 2021 censuses. Employing hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), we analysed data from 48 small towns in Latvia. Our research revealed distinct geographical differences in urban shrinkage patterns, highlighting the uneven nature of this process across the country. This study unveils two primary clusters of urban shrinkage. The first is characterised by a combination of geographical location and demographic factors, while the second is mainly determined by the socio-economic indicators considered. Our findings reveal that small towns in non-metropolitan regions, particularly the border regions of the country, exhibit higher levels of population decline and worse demographic indicators. This study contributes to the growing body of literature on urban shrinkage by providing a nuanced understanding of its manifestation in the case of Latvia. Our findings have implications for regional development policies in Latvia and underscore the need for tailored strategies to address the challenges caused by urban shrinkage.

Ethnic residential geographies are spatially complex, and there has been strong academic interest in immigrant residential segregation in urban Europe. In Latvia, the nature of immigration has changed in recent years, and one of the most visible features has been the emergence of previously underrepresented ethnic groups choosing the city of Riga as their place of residence. At the same time, Riga has had a very high proportion of ethnic minorities for more than 60 years, due to the immigration, industrialisation and militarisation policies pursued under the Soviet occupation. The distinctive historical context of the capital of Latvia has resulted in the formation of a multifaceted urban landscape, wherein long-established ethnic minority communities and emergent immigrant groups coexist. Therefore, in this paper we will examine the changes in the share of the largest ethnic groups in Riga over the past decade. Additionally, we will present a somewhat unconventional analysis, going beyond the traditional divides in order to assess the geographical distribution of emergent ethnic minorities. We use customised data from the last two censuses, in 2011 and 2021, to analyse the city-wide distribution of the major ethnic groups and the changing distribution of smaller ethnic groups in urban neighbourhoods. The findings indicate a decline in the overall population of all major ethnic groups in the city, although in certain neighbourhoods – and across the city as a whole – the proportion of Latvians is on the rise. Meanwhile, more significant changes have been observed among the emergent ethnic groups. The evidence from the inner city indicates the presence of fast-growing minority groups, such as Indians.

Since the restoration of the independence of Latvia (and even before that) the demographic situation and the elaboration of demographic policy, despite varying intensity and different focuses on problems, have always been on the political agenda. So far, the focus has been set on promoting the birth rate and improving family wellbeing, with the belief that this support will improve Latvia’s demographic situation. Recently, a common understanding has been reached between the state institutions and researchers on viewing demographic policy as a cross-sectoral policy implemented in multiple policy areas, for example, in education, employment, health, the environment, etc. It is necessary to strengthen both demography as an interdisciplinary science and scientifically based development of policies; therefore the author has set the goal of studying the topicality and importance of demographic issues between 1990 and 2024 in order to identify changes in approaches to demographic policy. The task has been set to analyse government declarations since 1990, as well as supplementary documents related to their implementation, in addition to materials available from the Council of Demographic Affairs. To reach the goal and fulfil the tasks set for this study, the author has analysed various historical documents and theoretical findings from recent decades. The author concludes that policymakers should first identify the most important demographic indicators (for example, predictable mortality reduction, fertility improvement, healthy life expectancy etc.) that would be impacted by purposeful policies. Then demographic projections should be conducted to enhance demographic processes using scientifically based predictions. Equally important is the smart management of population renewal and a shared understanding that the implementation of cross-sectoral demographic policy has long-term significance.