RIGA, Jan. 1-- Latvia adopted the euro Wednesday, making the Baltic country the 18th member of the eurozone, as New Year's Day fireworks erupted at midnight in Riga, the Latvian capital.

As part of celebrations marking Latvia's entry to the eurozone, Valdis Dombrovskis, Latvia's acting head of the government, withdrew an euro banknote from a local bank machine, becoming the first Latvian to do so.