Daugava
| Daugava Western Dvina | |
|---|---|
The drainage basin of the Daugava | |
| Native name |
|
| Location | |
| Country | Belarus, Latvia, Russia |
| Cities | |
| 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 |
| • 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 |
• elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
| Length | 1,020 km (630 mi) |
| Basin size | 87,900 km2 (33,900 sq mi) |
| Discharge | |
| • average | 678 m3/s (23,900 cu ft/s) |
The Daugava (/ˈdaʊɡəvə/ DOW-gə-və), also known as the Western Dvina or the Väina River, 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, of which 352 km (219 mi) are in Latvia 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. The city of Ķekava is located 6 miles south of the west bank of the river.
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.