The Republic of Latvia, with a population of 2.35 million people, lies on the eastern shores of the Baltic Sea between Lithuania and Estonia. It also shares borders with Russia and Belarus. Latvia's strategic location between Scandinavia, Russia, and Europe resulted in many territorial wars on its soil, which divided Latvians for many years. Border agreements continue to be a source of debate with Russia and Lithuania. Latvia's population contains a large minority of Russians and other ethnicities. This is one of the issues underlying the border dispute with Russia.

After centuries of German, Lithuanian, Polish, Swedish, and Russian rule, the movement for Latvian independence in Russian territories grew in the mid-1800s. A group called the New Latvians promoted a national identity for Latvians with the same rights afforded other Europeans. On November 18, 1918, disarray in Russia following World War I (1914–1918) finally provided Latvians with their first opportunity to...