The Academy of Sciences (Latvian: Zinātņu akadēmija) is the official science academy of Latvia and is an association of the country's foremost scientists.

GENERAL

The Latvian Academy of Sciences is a successor of several scientific associations which previously existed in Latvia. Its predecessors are the Kurzeme Society for Literature and Art, founded in 1815 in Jelgava and the Commission of Science, founded within the Rīga Latvian Society in 1869, which in 1932 was reorganised into the Science Committee with the status of a private academy of sciences.

Since 1919, the government of the Republic of Latvia had repeatedly considered the foundation of an official Latvian Academy of Sciences. In 1927, the idea was supported by Rainis, who was then Minister of Education. In 1935, the intention to create the Latvian Academy of Sciences was expressed in public by the Prime Minister K. Ulmanis, and on 14 January 1936, by the Cabinet’s Act, the Institute of History of Latvia was founded as the first constituent part of this Academy.

In Latvia, the Academy of Sciences started its work on 14 February 1946, when academy members gathered for their first General Meeting. Scientists from the University of Latvia and the Latvian Academy of Agriculture formed the core of the Academy of Sciences. When adopting the Charter and the new Statute, by the decision of the General Meeting, adopted on 14 February 1992, the Latvian Academy of Sciences was reorganised into a classical academy which united elected members — prominent scientists and other scholars.

In the restored Republic of Latvia, the Latvian Academy of Sciences facilitates the development of sciences, carries out scientific research. It takes care that all special knowledge that Latvia and the Latvian people have given and can give to the world science and culture — national culture, language, folklore, literature, social and economic experience, traditions — are realised, studied, perfected, maintained, and passed over to the future generations. It studies and preserves the historical traditions of Rīga and regions of Latvia, shows the place of the Baltic countries in the world.

The Latvian Academy of Sciences has joined the international scientific community, collaborates with other academies of sciences and scientific organizations in Europe and the world.