Analytics, Demography, Education and Science, Latvia, Society

Looking at different scenarios, even without taking into account projected migration figures, Latvia's population in 2040 would be 1.78 million, but in 2080 – 1.46 million.

Krumins pointed out that Latvia's population is expected to decrease in any scenario, and this is due to an aging population, as well as other factors.

According to provisional data from the Central Statistical Bureau (CSB), Latvia's population as of August 1 was 1.978 million, and this was by 88,500 persons less than in 2011, the head of the CSB Aija Zigure said during a press conference.

Out of these persons, 54,800 left the country to live and work abroad, while 33,700 residents died during this time.

''During this time, 97,000 Latvian residents left the county, while 42,200 persons arrived to Latvia, of which 65% were Latvian residents who returned back to their homeland after residing abroad for a time,'' Zigure added.

President Raimonds Vejonis is convinced that part of Latvians who have emigrated from the country will return to live in Latvia sooner or later.

Commenting on the demographic trends in Latvia, Vejonis told LETA one of the actual advantages of Latvia's accession to the European Union was freedom of movement in the EU, including in the Schengen area. After the soviet period in Latvia, when everything was off-limits, people wanted to see the world, the president said. For Latvian emigrants – or at least part of them – to return to Latvia, the government should return to the question of economic security, he believes.

"As long as we do not have competitive salaries, well-paid jobs, it will be hard to bring these people back. That is why we have to remove as many obstacles to business as we can, thereby creating new opportunities to attract European funds and private investors," said Vejonis. During the crisis in 2008 to 2010, when the state budget went through a series of spending cuts and employment increased, people were leaving not for ideological reasons, but because of economic considerations. Now conditions have to be created in Latvia so these people could return. "It is impossible to guarantee that all of them will come back, but we have to work on it," said the president.

When asked whether well-educated Latvians who work in executive jobs at foreign companies could be prepared to return to Latvia, Vejonis said that part of them would. "If we look back in history, at a time the State of Latvia was being established Barons and Veidenbaums were studying at Tartu University, but they returned because they loved Latvia. Most of these people love Latvia and will return, but those people who did not feel that they belonged here, maybe they will not come back," said the president. He urged residents to be proud and patriotic, as "everyone of us is Latvia".

LETA also reported, the Central Statistical Bureau will be carrying out a population microcensus until December 15 in Riga and elsewhere, the aim of which is to determine how precisely the official statistics reflect the population of Latvia, cities, and regions.

Zigure said that the microcensus would concern 15,000 pre-selected apartments and homes in 41 regions and nine cities of Latvia, including 4,380 in Riga.

The microcensus will proceed in two stages. During the stage one, residents will be able to fill out their census questionnaires at the "eintervija.csb.gov.lv" website until September 15. Those who do not do it will be interviewed either on the telephone or visited by census takers by December 15.