Editing History of Latvia (section)

==Modern history==
[[File:GW Bush in Riga 2005.jpg|thumb|[[George W. Bush]], [[Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga]], [[Arnold Rüütel]], and [[Valdas Adamkus]] in [[Riga]], May 7, 2005.]]
Soon after reinstating independence, Latvia, which had been a member of the [[League of Nations]] prior to World War II, became a member of the [[United Nations]]. In 1992, Latvia became eligible for the [[International Monetary Fund]] and in 1994 took part in the [[NATO]] ''[[Partnership for Peace]]'' program in addition to signing the free trade agreement with the [[European Union]]. Latvia became a member of the [[European Council]] as well as a candidate for the membership in the European Union and NATO. Latvia was the first of the three [[Baltic states|Baltic nations]] to be accepted into the [[World Trade Organization]].

At the end of 1999 in [[Helsinki]], the heads of the European Union governments invited Latvia to begin negotiations regarding accession to the European Union. In 2004, Latvia's most important foreign policy goals, membership of the European Union and NATO, were fulfilled. On April 2, Latvia became a member of NATO <ref>{{cite web |title=Latvia and NATO {{!}} Aizsardzības ministrija |url=https://www.mod.gov.lv/en/nato/latvia-and-nato |website=www.mod.gov.lv |language=en |access-date=June 3, 2023 |archive-date=June 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230603122614/https://www.mod.gov.lv/en/nato/latvia-and-nato |url-status=live }}</ref> and on May 1, Latvia, along with the other two Baltic States, became a member of the European Union.<ref>{{cite web |title=EU 2004 enlargement: a miracle of freedom |url=https://www.eppgroup.eu/newsroom/news/eu-2004-enlargement-a-miracle-of-freedom |website=www.eppgroup.eu |language=en |access-date=June 3, 2023 |archive-date=June 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230603122612/https://www.eppgroup.eu/newsroom/news/eu-2004-enlargement-a-miracle-of-freedom |url-status=live }}</ref> Around 67% had voted in favor of EU membership in a September 2003 [[2003 Latvian European Union membership referendum|referendum]] with turnout at 72.5%.<ref>{{cite news |title=Latvians celebrate Yes to EU |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2003/9/21/latvians-celebrate-yes-to-eu |work=www.aljazeera.com |language=en |access-date=June 3, 2023 |archive-date=June 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230603122612/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2003/9/21/latvians-celebrate-yes-to-eu |url-status=live }}</ref> Latvia signed the [[Schengen Agreement|Schengen agreement]] on 16 April 2003 and started its implementation on 21 December 2007.<ref>{{cite web |title=Schengen Area - The 27 Member Countries of the Schengen Zone |url=https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/schengen-visa-countries-list/ |website=SchengenVisaInfo.com |language=en |access-date=June 3, 2023 |archive-date=March 20, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210320045320/https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/schengen-visa-countries-list/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In November 2013, [[Zolitūde shopping centre roof collapse|roof collapsed]] at a shopping center in Riga, causing Latvia's worst post-independence disaster with the deaths of 54 rush hour shoppers and rescue personnel.<ref>{{cite news |title=Riga mourns Maxima roof collapse victims |url=https://www.baltictimes.com/news/articles/33833/ |work=www.baltictimes.com |access-date=September 1, 2023 |archive-date=September 1, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230901100416/https://www.baltictimes.com/news/articles/33833/ |url-status=live }}</ref> On 1 January 2014,  Latvia joined the [[eurozone]], becoming a member of the group of EU states which uses the [[euro]] as its currency.<ref>{{cite news |title=Latvia becomes 18th state to join the eurozone |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-25567096 |work=BBC News |date=1 January 2014 |access-date=June 3, 2023 |archive-date=April 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220415232035/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-25567096 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In May 2023, the parliament elected  [[Edgars Rinkēvičs|Edgars Rinkevics]] as new [[President of Latvia]], making him the Baltic States’ first openly gay head of state.<ref>{{cite news |title=Latvian parliament elects foreign minister as new president |url=https://www.impartialreporter.com/news/national/23559193.latvian-parliament-elects-foreign-minister-new-president/ |work=Impartial Reporter |date=31 May 2023 |language=en |access-date=June 3, 2023 |archive-date=June 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230603121301/https://www.impartialreporter.com/news/national/23559193.latvian-parliament-elects-foreign-minister-new-president/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Regional timeline ===
{{Unreferenced section|date=April 2021}}
Affiliations of the areas that comprise modern Latvia in historical and regional context:

{|class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|-
!rowspan="2"|Century
|-
|style="background-color: #DEDEFF;"|<span style="color: black;">North Estonia</span>
|style="background-color: #DEDEFF;"|<span style="color: black;">South Estonia</span>
|style="background-color: #FFBBCC;"|<span style="color: black;">North Latvia</span>
|style="background-color: #FFBBCC;"|<span style="color: black;">South Latvia</span>
|colspan="2" rowspan="1" style="background-color: #D8FFF1;"|<span style="color: black;">Lithuania</span>
|-
|style="text-align: right;"|10th
|colspan="2" rowspan="1" style="background-color: #B3DFFF;"|[[Baltic Finnic peoples|Finnic tribes]]
|colspan="2" rowspan="1" style="background-color: #FFFBD0;"|[[Balts|Baltic tribes]]
|colspan="2" rowspan="1" style="background-color: #FFFBD0;"|[[Balts|Baltic tribes]]
|-
|style="text-align: right;"|11th 12th
|colspan="2" rowspan="1" style="background-color: #B3DFFF;"|<span style="color: black;">[[Ancient Estonia]]</span>
|colspan="2" rowspan="1" style="background-color: #FFBBC8;"|<span style="color: black;">[[Ancient Latvia]]</span>
|colspan="2" rowspan="1" style="background-color: #D8FFF1;"|<span style="color: black;">[[Ancient Lithuania]]</span>
|-
|style="text-align: right;"|13th
|colspan="1" rowspan="2" style="background-color: #DDE6FF;"|<span style="color: white;">[[Danish Estonia]]</span>
|colspan="3" rowspan="3" style="background-color: #FFFEF8;"|<span style="color: white;">[[Livonian Order]]</span>
|colspan="2" rowspan="1" style="background-color: #FDB913;"|<span style="color: black;">[[Duchy of Lithuania]]</span>
|-
|style="text-align: right;"|14th
|colspan="2" rowspan="5" style="background-color: #FDB913;"|<span style="color: black;">[[Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth]] ([[Grand Duchy of Lithuania]])</span>
|-
|style="text-align: right;"|15th
|colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="background-color: #FFFEF8;"|
|-
|style="text-align: right;"|16th
|colspan="1" rowspan="2" style="background-color: #DDE6FF;"|<span style="color: white;">[[Swedish Estonia]]</span>
|colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="background-color: #FDB913;"|<span style="color: black;">[[Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth]] ([[Duchy of Livonia]])</span>
|-
|style="text-align: right;"|17th
|colspan="2" rowspan="1" style="background-color: #DDE6FF;"|<span style="color: white;">[[Swedish Livonia]]</span>
|colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="background-color: #FDB913;"|<span style="color: black;"></span>
|-
|style="text-align: right;"|18th
|colspan="1" rowspan="2" style="background-color: #D6D6D6;"|<span style="color: black;">[[Russian Empire]] ([[Governorate of Estonia]])</span>
|colspan="2" rowspan="2" style="background-color: #D6D6D6;"|<span style="color: black;">[[Russian Empire]] ([[Governorate of Livonia]])</span>
|colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="background-color: #FDB913;"|<span style="color: black;">[[Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth]] ([[Duchy of Courland and Semigallia]])</span>
|-
|style="text-align: right;"|19th
|colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="background-color: #D6D6D6;"|<span style="color: black;">[[Russian Empire]] ([[Courland Governorate]])</span>
|colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="background-color: #D6D6D6;"|<span style="color: black;">[[Russian Empire]] ([[Kovno Governorate|Government of Kaunas]])</span>
|colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="background-color: #D6D6D6;"|<span style="color: black;">[[Russian Empire]] ([[Vilna Governorate]])</span>
|-
|style="text-align: right;"|20th
|colspan="2" rowspan="1" style="background-color: #DEDEFF;"|<span style="color: white;">[[History of Estonia (1920–39)|Republic of Estonia]]</span>
|colspan="2" rowspan="1" style="background-color: #FFBBC8;"|<span style="color: white;">[[#Declaration_of_independence|Republic of Latvia]]</span>
|colspan="2" rowspan="1" style="background-color: #D8FFF1;"|<span style="color: white;">[[Lithuania#20th and 21st centuries|Republic of Lithuania]]</span>
|-
|style="text-align: right;"|21st
|colspan="2" rowspan="1" style="background-color: #DEDEFF;"|<span style="color: white;">[[Estonia|Republic of Estonia (EU)]]</span>
|colspan="2" rowspan="1" style="background-color: #FFBBC8;"|<span style="color: white;">'''Republic of Latvia (EU)'''</span>
|colspan="2" rowspan="1" style="background-color: #D8FFF1;"|<span style="color: white;">[[Lithuania|Republic of Lithuania (EU)]]</span>
|-
|}