Daugava

Daugava Western Dvina
The drainage basin of the Daugava
Native name	Западная Двина (Russian) Дзвіна (Belarusian) Daugava (Latvian) Vēna (Livonian) Dauguva (Lithuanian) Väina (Estonian) Düna (German)
Location
Country	Belarus, Latvia, Russia
Physical characteristics
Source	Valdai Hills
• location	Penovsky District, Tver Oblast, Russia
• coordinates	56°52′16″N 32°31′44″E / 56.871°N 32.529°E / 56.871; 32.529
• elevation	221 m (725 ft)
Mouth	Gulf of Riga
• location	Riga, Latvia
• coordinates	57°3′42″N 24°1′50″E / 57.06167°N 24.03056°E / 57.06167; 24.03056
• elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Length	1,020 km (630 mi)[1]
Basin size	87,900 km2 (33,900 sq mi)[1]
Discharge
• average	678 m3/s (23,900 cu ft/s)

The Daugava (Latgalian: Daugova; German: Düna) or Western Dvina (Russian: Западная Двина, romanized: Zapadnaya Dvina; Belarusian: Заходняя Дзвіна; Estonian: Väina; Finnish: Väinäjoki) is a large river rising in the Valdai Hills of Russia that flows through Belarus and Latvia into the Gulf of Riga of the Baltic Sea. The Daugava rises close to the source of the Volga. It is 1,020 km (630 mi) in length,^[1] of which 352 km (219 mi) are in Latvia^[2] and 325 km (202 mi) in Russia. It is a westward-flowing river, tracing out a great south-bending curve as it passes through northern Belarus.

Latvia's capital, Riga, bridges the river's estuary four times. Built on both riverbanks, the city centre is 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) from the river's mouth and is a significant port.