Cultural regions of Latvia of Courland, then as the Courland Governorate in the Russian Empire while Vidzeme and Latgale were politically separate, both from Courland and one from another. From this perspective, there are three regions: Kurzeme (including Zemgale and Sēlija), Vidzeme and Latgale. Such division is no longer commonly used but it can be seen in the coat of arms of Latvia and the "Monument of Freedom" in Riga both of which contain three stars: for Kurzeme, Vidzeme and Latgale, which were united into Latvia in 1918. Cultural regions of Latvia Cultural regions of Latvia are several areas within Latvia formally recognised as
On the Restoration of Independence of the Republic of Latvia been clearly expressed by electing as a majority those deputies, who had stated that they will restore independence of the Republic of Latvia in their reelection programme. After establishing that the Republic of Latvia "de jure" is a sovereign country and that by the will of its people it should be independent, the Supreme Soviet ruled: 1. To recognize the priority of international laws over national laws. To hold to be illegitimate the treaty between the USSR and Germany of 23 August 1939, and the consequent liquidation of independence of Latvia resulting from Soviet military aggression on 17 June 1940.