Latvia parts of the Russian Empire, which may have been influenced by the Protestant religion of the inhabitants. World War I devastated the territory of what became the state of Latvia, and other western parts of the Russian Empire. Demands for self-determination were initially confined to autonomy, until a power vacuum was created by the Russian Revolution in 1917, followed by the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk between Russia and Germany in March 1918, then the Allied armistice with Germany on 11 November 1918. On 18 November 1918, in Riga, the People's Council of Latvia proclaimed the independence of the new country, with
Government institutions in Latvia Latvian State Forest Research Institute "Silava" National Research Institute of "Food Safety, Animal Health and Environment Research Institute" Food and Veterinary Service Government institutions in Latvia This is a list of government and municipal institutions of Latvia and their subordinated institutions with executive powers: Latvian Chancery of the President Saeima Constitutional Court of the Republic of Latvia Supreme Court of the Republic of Latvia The State Audit Office Latvijas Banka The Central Election Commission The Financial and Capital Market Commission The Ombudsman's Office The National Council for Electronic Media The Public Utilities Commission Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau Society Integration