Latvia–Lithuania relations Latvia–Lithuania relations Latvian–Lithuanian relations are bilateral international relations between Latvia and Lithuania. Latvia has an embassy in Vilnius, and Lithuania has an embassy in Riga. The ambassador to Lithuania is Hardijs Baumanis, the ambassador to Latvia is Antanas Vinkus. Both states share a long common history: Both Latvians and Lithuanians belong to the family of Baltic peoples, speakers of the Baltic languages. The territory of Latvia and Lithuania were together part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth between 1561 and 1772 (with a brief period of Swedish rule in what is now Latvia in between). Between
Culture of Latvia Orthodox Christian minorities. Latvia is divided into several cultural and historical regions: Vidzeme, Latgale, Courland and Zemgale. Sometimes, Sēlija and Maliena are also distinguished. Latvians have the rich heritage of traditional folklore, especially folk songs. Dating back well over a thousand years, more than 1.2 million texts and 30,000 melodies of folk songs have been identified. A form of traditional architecture in Latvia is log houses. The position of houses differs among regions. In western Latvia, single farms are more popular and in villages, the houses are positioned in a circle around a central square. In eastern Latvia, villages are