The RAF-977 was a Soviet (now Latvian) van made by Riga Autobus Factory based on components from the GAZ-21 Volga

GAZ-21

The GAZ M21 Volga, the first car to carry the Volga name, was developed in the early 1950s. Volgas were built to last in the harsh climate and rough roads of the Soviet Union, with high ground clearance , rugged suspension, strong and forgiving engine, and rustproofing on a...

. It was introduced in 1958 in a variety of styles including a 10-seat minibus

Minibus

A minibus or minicoach is a passenger carrying motor vehicle that is designed to carry more people than a multi-purpose vehicle or minivan, but fewer people than a full-size bus. In the United Kingdom, the word "minibus" is used to describe any full-sized passenger carrying van. Minibuses have a...

 and a cargo van

Van

A van is a kind of vehicle used for transporting goods or groups of people.In British English usage, it can be either specially designed or based on a saloon or sedan car, the latter type often including derivatives with open backs...

. In 1962, an updated version called the RAF-977D was put into production but due to insufficient factory size at the RAF plant in Latvia

Latvia

Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...

, production moved to the ErAZ

ErAZ

ErAZ was an automobile manufacturer in Yerevan mostly known for producing the van RAF-977K from 1966 to 1996. Plans to establish the ErAZ factory came about on December 31, 1964, by the Council of Ministers of the Armenian SSR. The original staff were trained at the Riga Autobus Factory in...

 factory in Yerevan, Armenia, in 1966.