Editing Pirates of the Baltic Sea (section)

===Latvia===

A nation of two million people between Estonia and Lithuania. Latvia has a high-income advanced economy, although the country mainly produces low-value goods and raw materials and Latvian economy is heavily dependent on foreign investment. This has resulted in corporations having a lot of influence in Latvian politics.

The biggest exporters are in wood products, IT, food and beverage manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, transport and metallurgy.

====Riga====

The capital and home to a third of Latvia's population. Roughly half of all the jobs in Latvia are in Riga and the city generates more than 50% of Latvia's GDP as well as around half of Latvia's exports. Riga Port is one of the largest in the Baltics, but Buccaneers rarely manage to visit, since to do so they would have to pass the Raiders of Thule to access the Gulf of Riga.

====The Freeport of Ventspils====

The port of Ventspils is a deep-water sea port located in Ventspils on Latvia's Baltic coast. It can accommodate the largest vessels operating in the Baltic Sea, and by cargo turnover it is one of the Baltic Sea's busiest ports.

Although in theory supervised by the Latvian government through the Ventspils Freeport Law, large corporations effectively control much of the day to day business of the port. This poses some problems for the Buccaneers. Ventspils is not situated in the Gulf of Riga, so it is the major Latvian port that can be accessed without risking confrontation with the Raiders of Thule, but if the corporations learn of a Buccaneer ship in port, they have plenty of official and unofficial ways to cause trouble. Having forged documentation when entering is very much recommended. But if the Buccaneers manage to stay unnoticed by the corporations, the Freeport is full of opportunities. In addition to megacorps, a large number of smaller businesses move their cargoes through Ventspils, and it is a port of call for many independent vessels in the Baltic. There is always work to be had for a daring crew who does not ask too many questions.

====Navy====

Just like other Baltic states, Latvia never had a large navy. Half a dozen mine ships and a dozen patrol boats divided between the Navy and Coast Guard. And Latvia too decommissioned their own navy ships and contracted the services of Triton vessels instead, only keeping their Coast Guard.

Latvian Coast Guard is not at all happy with the Raiders of Thule having their base in a position to control access to the Gulf of Riga, and they take every opportunity to harass the Raiders. The Raiders, for their part, usually try to avoid a confrontation with the Latvians, knowing that if the tense situation escalates they might lose the political support they need to operate. Also, Latvian patrol boats are well armed for their role, with over the horizon anti-ship missiles, torpedoes, and a 76 mm gun. Not to mention having skilled crews. If the Raiders give Latvians a reason to engage, they might end up with their ships sunk.

Of course, the same could happen to a Buccaneer vessel that decides to provoke the Latvian Coast Guard.

Buccaneer wisdom on Latvian Navy: “If you are being chased by the Raiders of Thule, you might be happy to see their Coast Guard. Otherwise, best to keep clear.”