Latvia

Latvia has a peat therapy tradition dating back to the Soviet era, when sanatoriums used local peat for musculoskeletal rehabilitation. Latvian peatlands are extensive, and the resource base is similar to Estonian deposits. Academic research has focused on molecular characterization of humic substances (Klavins et al., Purmalis et al. in Mires & Peat journal) including elemental analysis, FTIR spectroscopy, and molecular weight distribution.

Bulk composition data (HA/FA percentages comparable to Estonian or Finnish figures) has not been published in English-language literature. Latvia’s strength is in the physical chemistry of humic substances rather than balneological application research. Growing commercial interest in peat-based cosmetics exists but is less developed than in Estonia or Finland.