Latvia population pyramid 2026
1,835,935 people in 2026 (projected). Latvia has about 87 men per 100 women, one of the lowest ratios anywhere, and its pyramid bears the scar of a 1990s birth collapse that halved its base.
- 2026 population
- 1.8Mrank 151 of 237
- Median age
- 43.8 yearsoldest rank 34
- Fertility rate
- 1.35births per woman · below replacement
- Structure
- Older22.7% age 65+
Latvia population pyramid
2026 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex
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The UN series provides historical estimates through 2023. Figures from 2024 onward—including 2026—are medium-scenario projections, not counts or predictions guaranteed to occur.
Latvia age distribution in 2026
Children under 15 account for 15.0% of the population, while 22.7% are aged 65 or older. The remaining 62.4% are in the conventional working-age range of 15–64. On these shares, the site classifies Latvia’s age structure as older; the guide to constrictive population pyramids explains what that shape implies.
The total age dependency ratio is 60.4: about 60 people under 15 or 65+ for every 100 people aged 15–64 (24.0 children and 36.3 older people). This is an age-balance indicator, not a literal count of economic dependants per worker.
What shapes Latvia’s population pyramid
A population thinned by two wars
Latvia’s 1950 pyramid is strikingly unbalanced. Women outnumber men in every adult band, with about 63 men per 100 women at 25–29 and about 55 at 50–54. The Second World War cost Latvia heavily through fighting, the Holocaust, Soviet deportations in 1941 and 1949, and flight to the West in 1944, and these losses fell disproportionately on men. A separate notch at 30–34, born about 1916–20, coincides with the First World War, much of which was fought on Latvian territory, and the independence war that followed.
During the Soviet period Latvia received large numbers of workers from elsewhere in the Soviet Union, and the UN series records net immigration of about 267,000 between 1950 and 1999. The population peaked at about 2.66 million in 1989.
Collapse after 1991
After independence was restored in 1991, fertility fell from about 2.0 children per woman in 1990 to 1.24 in 2000, and by 2000 the 0–4 band was only half the size of the 10–14 band. Deaths have exceeded births since 1992. Between 2000 and 2023 there were about 490,000 births and 733,000 deaths, and net emigration of about 260,000, much of it after Latvia joined the European Union in 2004.
In the 2026 pyramid the last large cohorts, born 1987–91, form a bulge at 35–39, while the 25–29 band, born 1997–2001, is about 14% smaller than its neighbours, thinned both by low births and by emigration. A second contraction is now visible at the base: the 0–4 band is about 30% smaller than the 10–14 band, as the small 1990s generation reaches parenthood and fertility stays near 1.35. Estonia and Lithuania show closely related profiles.
Women at the top
Latvia’s overall ratio of about 87 men per 100 women places it near the bottom of the sex ratio ranking. The main cause is a gap in life expectancy of almost nine years, about 81 for women against 72 for men. Men outnumber women up to the early forties, but there are 80 men per 100 women at 60–64, 60 at 70–74 and only 39 at 80–84. Life expectancy barely changed between 1970 and 1990 and has risen since, to about 76 in 2023.
Under the medium scenario the population falls to about 1.5 million in 2050 and 925,000 in 2100, roughly a third of the 1989 peak. Bulgaria follows a similar path of decline from a late-1980s peak.
What to notice across the years
Distinctive cohorts and turning points
Comparing each five-year band with its neighbours picks out the cohorts that break a smooth slope. These irregularities usually record past surges or deficits in births, or migration concentrated at particular ages; the pattern alone does not identify which. The guide to baby booms and echo cohorts explains how to date and interpret them.
| Age band in 2026 | Born about | Feature | Versus neighbouring bands |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35–39 | 1987–1991 | Bulge (larger cohort) | +14% |
| 25–29 | 1997–2001 | Notch (smaller cohort) | −14% |
Deaths have exceeded births every year since 1992. People aged 65 and older came to outnumber children under 15 between 2000 and 2005.
Births, deaths, and migration
A pyramid changes in only three ways: births add to the base, deaths remove people at every age, and migration adds or removes people mainly in young adulthood. In 2026, Latvia is projected to record 13,328 births (about 36 births a day) and 27,245 deaths, a natural decrease of 13,917. Net migration adds −360 people, ranking #113 in the net migration rate ranking.
Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates 489,974 births, 732,616 deaths, and cumulative net migration of −259,926. Over that period migration moved the total more than the balance of births and deaths did. See how migration shapes a pyramid and birth rate versus fertility rate. The medium scenario assumes net migration of −10,082 between 2026 and 2050.
Annual values 1950–2100; dashed lines after 2023 are the UN medium projection. The trend table below lists the values by decade.
Life expectancy and mortality
- Life expectancy, women
- 80.9 years68.0 in 1950
- Life expectancy, men
- 72.1 years60.5 in 1950
- Further years at 65
- 17.9 yearsboth sexes
- Infant mortality
- 2.6per 1,000 births · 57 in 1950
- Under-five mortality
- 3.2per 1,000 births
- Mother’s mean age at birth
- 30.6 yearssex ratio at birth 106.1
Women in Latvia are projected to live 8.8 years longer than men, which is why the female side of the pyramid widens relative to the other at older ages (see the life expectancy gap ranking). Infant mortality has fallen from 57 to 2.6 deaths per 1,000 live births since 1950, ranking #211 of 237 in the infant mortality ranking (highest first). A mean age at childbearing of 30.6 years sets the spacing between generations, and so how far apart echo cohorts sit in the pyramid.
Median age, fertility rate, and global ranks for Latvia
The median age of 43.8 years splits the population into two equal halves. A total fertility rate of 1.35 births per woman is below the replacement level of roughly 2.1, and life expectancy at birth is 76.6 years.
These ranks compare all 237 countries and areas in this dataset using the same 2026 UN medium projection. Ranks use the stored source precision, so displayed rounding can make adjacent values look identical; small differences should not be overinterpreted.
| Indicator | 2026 value | Global rank | Ranking direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,835,935 | #151 | Largest first |
| Median age | 43.8 years | #34 | Oldest first |
| Fertility rate | 1.35 | #203 | Highest first |
| Annual growth | -0.8% | #223 | Fastest first |
| Life expectancy | 76.6 years | #109 | Highest first |
| Population aged 65+ | 22.7% | #22 | Highest share first |
Largest age groups in Latvia
The five largest cohorts identify where the 2026 population is concentrated. They can reflect past birth patterns, survival, and migration; the chart alone does not establish which cause dominates.
| Rank | Age group | Population | Share of total | Male / female |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 35–39 | 134,960 | 7.4% | 69.4K / 65.6K |
| 2 | 40–44 | 133,430 | 7.3% | 67.9K / 65.6K |
| 3 | 50–54 | 127,351 | 6.9% | 61.3K / 66K |
| 4 | 60–64 | 124,946 | 6.8% | 55.5K / 69.4K |
| 5 | 55–59 | 124,568 | 6.8% | 57.8K / 66.7K |
Sex ratio and the balance by age
In the 2026 projection, Latvia has 852,852 males and 983,083 females. That is 86.8 males per 100 females, ranking #229 when the dataset is ordered from the highest male-to-female ratio to the lowest.
Males account for 46.5% of the population and females for 53.5%. There are 130,231 more females than males overall. Among people aged 65 and older, the ratio is 52.9 males per 100 females.
The overall balance can conceal large differences by age; how sex ratios change with age explains the usual pattern. The ratio reflects the male/female categories in the UN source and is not a measure of gender identity. Compare all profiles in the sex-ratio ranking.
At birth, 106.1 boys are projected to be born for every 100 girls in 2026, close to the biological norm of about 105 (compare the sex ratio at birth ranking). The ratio at birth sets the balance at the base of the pyramid; how it changes with age then depends on survival and migration.
How Latvia has changed since 1950
The population has decreased from 1,918,720 in 1950 to 1,835,935 in 2026, a change of 4%. Over the same span, median age moved from 29.2 to 43.8 years.
The under-15 share changed from 25.0% to 15.0%, while the share aged 65 and older changed from 10.1% to 22.7%. These shifts show why total population growth and age-structure change need to be read separately.
How the population could change by 2050
Under the UN medium scenario, Latvia’s population is projected to decline by about 18%, reaching 1,513,810 in 2050. The median age changes from 43.8 to 47.9 years.
The 65+ share is projected to rise by 6.2 percentage points to 28.9%. At the same time, the under-15 share is projected at 12.8%. How UN projections work explains the assumptions behind these figures.
The annual UN series reaches its highest estimated population of 2,664,836 in 1989. Historical population totals are estimates rather than exact head counts. Compare timing across countries in the population peak ranking.
Population trend: 1950–2100
Mid-year population for every year. Estimates through 2023; dashed line shows the UN medium projection.
| Year | Population | Median age | Fertility | Life exp. | Births | Deaths | Net migration | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 1,918,720 | 29.2 | 2.08 | 64.6 | 33,020 | 24,043 | +5,937 | +0.8% |
| 1960 | 2,131,172 | 31.2 | 1.94 | 70.3 | 35,368 | 21,305 | +11,420 | +1.2% |
| 1970 | 2,357,559 | 33.2 | 1.96 | 70.2 | 33,749 | 26,500 | +12,494 | +0.8% |
| 1980 | 2,511,759 | 33.9 | 1.88 | 69.1 | 35,289 | 31,986 | +3,099 | +0.3% |
| 1990 | 2,660,132 | 33.5 | 1.99 | 69.5 | 37,629 | 34,875 | −13,196 | -0.4% |
| 2000 | 2,368,312 | 37.0 | 1.24 | 70.2 | 20,319 | 32,541 | −15,679 | -1.2% |
| 2010 | 2,097,831 | 40.1 | 1.37 | 73.0 | 20,254 | 30,213 | −36,128 | -2.2% |
| 2020 | 1,901,123 | 42.8 | 1.55 | 75.5 | 17,629 | 28,450 | −3,147 | -0.7% |
| 2023 | 1,882,396 | 43.1 | 1.34 | 76.2 | 14,250 | 27,614 | +7,966 | -0.3% |
| 2024* | 1,871,871 | 43.3 | 1.34 | 76.3 | 14,017 | 27,434 | −2,225 | -0.8% |
| 2026* | 1,835,935 | 43.8 | 1.35 | 76.6 | 13,328 | 27,245 | −360 | -0.8% |
| 2030* | 1,777,620 | 45.0 | 1.37 | 77.2 | 12,598 | 26,774 | −886 | -0.8% |
| 2040* | 1,640,644 | 48.1 | 1.41 | 78.7 | 13,247 | 25,633 | −362 | -0.8% |
| 2050* | 1,513,810 | 47.9 | 1.44 | 80.2 | 12,206 | 24,741 | −290 | -0.8% |
| 2060* | 1,375,626 | 49.1 | 1.47 | 81.6 | 9,218 | 22,780 | −616 | -1.0% |
| 2070* | 1,241,359 | 51.7 | 1.49 | 83.0 | 8,921 | 21,120 | −367 | -1.0% |
| 2080* | 1,122,748 | 52.4 | 1.50 | 84.3 | 8,425 | 19,184 | −463 | -1.0% |
| 2090* | 1,020,078 | 52.0 | 1.50 | 85.5 | 6,875 | 16,254 | −191 | -0.9% |
| 2100* | 925,371 | 53.2 | 1.52 | 86.6 | 6,321 | 15,763 | −64 | -1.0% |
* 2024 onward is the UN medium projection. Fertility is births per woman; life expectancy is years at birth; births, deaths, and net migration are counts for that calendar year.
Download every year, 1950–2100 (CSV)
2026 population by age and sex
The table provides the counts behind the chart. Age groups are five-year bands, with everyone aged 100 or older combined.
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–4 | 37,477 | 35,169 | 72,646 | 4.0% |
| 5–9 | 50,128 | 46,645 | 96,773 | 5.3% |
| 10–14 | 54,778 | 51,081 | 105,859 | 5.8% |
| 15–19 | 52,203 | 49,642 | 101,845 | 5.5% |
| 20–24 | 46,783 | 44,318 | 91,101 | 5.0% |
| 25–29 | 42,850 | 40,075 | 82,925 | 4.5% |
| 30–34 | 53,045 | 49,353 | 102,398 | 5.6% |
| 35–39 | 69,376 | 65,584 | 134,960 | 7.4% |
| 40–44 | 67,872 | 65,558 | 133,430 | 7.3% |
| 45–49 | 59,834 | 61,353 | 121,187 | 6.6% |
| 50–54 | 61,328 | 66,023 | 127,351 | 6.9% |
| 55–59 | 57,833 | 66,735 | 124,568 | 6.8% |
| 60–64 | 55,522 | 69,424 | 124,946 | 6.8% |
| 65–69 | 51,691 | 72,494 | 124,185 | 6.8% |
| 70–74 | 37,022 | 62,221 | 99,243 | 5.4% |
| 75–79 | 26,402 | 53,407 | 79,809 | 4.3% |
| 80–84 | 15,271 | 39,575 | 54,846 | 3.0% |
| 85–89 | 9,789 | 30,618 | 40,407 | 2.2% |
| 90–94 | 2,962 | 11,037 | 13,999 | 0.8% |
| 95–99 | 637 | 2,527 | 3,164 | 0.2% |
| 100+ | 48 | 243 | 291 | 0.0% |
Countries with the most similar age structure
These profiles have the 2026 age distributions closest to Latvia’s, measured by the total difference in the share of the population in each five-year band. Similar shapes can arise from very different histories, so the match is a starting point for comparison, not an explanation.
- Estonia98% overlap · median age 43.2
- Slovenia96% overlap · median age 45.0
- Lithuania96% overlap · median age 42.6
- Bulgaria96% overlap · median age 45.0
- Belgium96% overlap · median age 42.1
- Switzerland96% overlap · median age 43.2
To calculate school-age, working-age, or older groups with other boundaries, use the age-group calculator for Latvia.
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World Population Pyramid. (2026, October 19). Latvia Population Pyramid 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/latvia/
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“Latvia Population Pyramid 2026.” World Population Pyramid, 19 Oct. 2026, worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/latvia/.
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World Population Pyramid. “Latvia Population Pyramid 2026.” Last modified October 19, 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/latvia/.
Underlying data: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2024). World Population Prospects 2024.
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Latvia in 2026?
Under the UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium scenario, Latvia's population in 2026 is projected at 1,835,935.
What is the median age in Latvia?
The projected median age in Latvia in 2026 is 43.8 years: half the population is younger and half is older.
What is the fertility rate in Latvia?
The projected total fertility rate in 2026 is 1.35 births per woman, below the replacement level of about 2.1 in low-mortality populations.
Is Latvia's population projected to grow?
Between 2026 and 2050, the UN medium scenario indicates the population will decline by about 18%, from 1.8M to 1.5M.
What share of Latvia is aged 65 or older?
In 2026, 22.7% of the projected population is aged 65 or older. By 2050, the medium scenario places the share at 28.9%.
How many babies are born in Latvia each year?
The UN medium scenario projects 13,328 births and 27,245 deaths in 2026, about 36 births a day. Deaths exceed births by 13,917.
What is life expectancy in Latvia for men and women?
Life expectancy at birth in 2026 is projected at 80.9 years for women and 72.1 years for men, a gap of 8.8 years in favour of women.
Does Latvia have more immigrants or emigrants?
Latvia is projected to lose about 360 more people through emigration than it gains in 2026. Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates cumulative net migration of −259,926.
What is the sex ratio in Latvia?
The projected 2026 population sex ratio is 86.8 males per 100 females. This all-age ratio is different from the sex ratio at birth and can vary substantially by age.
Sources and notes
- United Nations, DESA, Population Division: World Population Prospects 2024, medium scenario.
- Population values are mid-year figures. Source values published in thousands are converted to people; displayed figures may imply more precision than is appropriate for planning.
- Historical values through 2023 are estimates. Values from 2024 onward are projections.
- Calculations follow the site methodology.