ABSTRACT
Since the collapse of the Soviet Union Latvia has changed its status from a destination country to an immigrant-exporting country. The main migratory inflows between 1951 and 1990 were from the nearest Soviet Republics, and particularly Russia, Belarus and Ukraine. As a result, the percentage of ethnic Latvians decreased from 77 per cent in 1935 to 52 per cent in 1989, while the percentage of Russians, Belarusians and Ukrainians increased. The significant changes in the ethnic composition of Latvia’s population are the core reasons for the rather negative attitudes towards immigrants and immigration in Latvia. Nonetheless, since 1991 net migration in Latvia has been negative as, on average, more people leave Latvia than arrive. Indeed, every year about 1,500 people immigrate, and about 4,000 people emigrate.
