Strata in Latvia

Latvia is a small Eastern European country next to the Baltic Sea and is close to 25,000 sq mi. It is located on a more western part of the Eurasian Plate. While Latvia does have many lakes and rivers, it is not in close proximity with the plate’s border and as such has low tectonic/seismic activity.

Latvia
photo credit - nationsonline.org

Tectonic Plates
photo credit - skywalker.cochise.edu

Latvia has many of its own wonders beside huge mountains or disorienting faults despite its sort of middle location on the Eurasian Plate. Located in Latvia in Vidzeme (or “the Middle Land”) is Gauja National Park with an area of 917.45 km² (roughly 570 mi²). In this national park is the Gauja formation.

Gauja Formation
photo credit -ermaktravel.com

This formation is made up of sandstone, varying from fine-grained to very fine-grained and from well cemented to weakly cemented layers. The formation has a maximum thickness of 260ft and has clastic dikes running through the sandstone. Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock, the layers of build-up (or strata) clearly visible with the coloring of each layer. While mainly a yellowish-gray there are also parts that are pinkish brown as well as other colors.

Strata from Gauja Formation
photo credit - gnp.lv

It is a little surprising to find that Latvia has such large, clear formations of sandstone with very beautiful, discernible strata! Though Gauja National Park is not the only place with geological formations or happenings, it certainly has one that is a precise example of strata. It is not only aesthetically pleasing but it also provides good tourism to the region.