Latvian SSR

Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic
Латвийская Советская Социалистическая Республика Latvijas Padomju Sociālistiskā Republika
Soviet Socialist Republic (status disputed) (1940-41/1944-90)
1940–1941 1944–1990
Flag State emblem
Anthem Anthem of the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic
Location of the Latvian SSR (red) within the Soviet Union.
Capital		Riga
Languages		Latvian Russian
Government		Soviet Socialist Republic
First Secretary
•	1940–1959	Jānis Kalnbērziņš
•	1990	Alfrēds Rubiks
Historical era		World War II · Cold War
•	Soviet occupation	17 June 1940
•	SSR established	21 July 1940
•	Illegally annexed by USSR, Latvia continued de jure	5 August 1940
•	Nazi occupation	1941–1945
•	Soviet re-occupation SSR re-established	1944/1945
•	Renamed Republic of Latvia	1990
•	Independence restored	4 May 1990
•	Recognized by Soviet Union	6 September 1991
Area
•	1989	64,589 km² (24,938 sq mi)
Population
•	1989 est.	2,666,567
Density		41.3 /km²  (106.9 /sq mi)
Calling code		+7 013
Today part of		Latvia

The Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic (Latvian SSR; Latvian: Latvijas Padomju Sociālistiskā Republika; Russian: Латвийская Советская Социалистическая Республика, Latviyskaya Sovetskaya Sotsialisticheskaya Respublika), also known as Soviet Latvia or Latvia, was a republic of the Soviet Union.

It was established on 21 July 1940, during World War II, as a Soviet puppet state in the territory of the previously independent Republic of Latvia after it had been occupied on June 17, 1940 by the Soviet Army, in conformity with the terms of the 23 August 1939 Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact.

Following the Welles Declaration of July 23, 1940, the annexation of Latvia into the Soviet Union (USSR) on 5 August 1940 was not recognized as legitimate by the United States, the European Community, and recognition of it as the nominal fifteenth constituent republic of the USSR was withheld for five decades. Its territory was subsequently conquered by Nazi Germany in June–July 1941, before being retaken by the Soviets in 1944–1945. Nevertheless, Latvia continued to exist as an de jure independent country with a number of countries continued to recognize Latvian diplomats and consuls who still functioned in the name of their former governments.

Soviet rule came to the end during the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The first freely elected parliament of the Latvian SSR passed a declaration "On the Renewal of the Independence of the Republic of Latvia" on May 4, 1990, restoring the official name of the State of Latvia as the Republic of Latvia. and restoring its former state symbols - flag and anthem. The full independence of the Republic of Latvia was restored on 21 August 1991, during the 1991 Soviet coup d'état attempt and fully recognized by the Soviet Union on 6 September 1991.