page_title: Courland
section_title: Geography and climate
hierarchical_section_title: Courland / Geography and climate
caption_attribution_description: English: Map of historical regions of Latvia, together are shown ethnographic groups of latvians. Română: Regiunile istorice ale Letoniei, împreună cu grupurile culturale letone; Curlanda (Kurzeme), Semigalia (Zemgale) și Selonia. Vidzeme Latgalia (Latgale)
context_page_description: Courland, is one of the historical and cultural regions in western Latvia. The largest city is Liepāja, the third largest city in Latvia. The regions of Semigallia and Selonia are sometimes considered as part of Courland as they were formerly held by the same duke.
context_section_description: Situated in western Latvia, Courland roughly corresponds to the former Latvian districts of Kuldīga, Liepāja, Saldus, Talsi, Tukums and Ventspils.
  When combined with Semigallia and Selonia, Courland's northeastern boundary is the river Daugava, which separates it from the regions of Latgale and Vidzeme. To the north, Courland's coast lies along the Gulf of Riga. On the west it is bordered by the Baltic Sea, and on the south by Lithuania. It lies between 55° 45′ and 57° 45′ North and 21° and 27° East.
  The area comprises 27,286 km² (10,535 sq.mi.), of which 262 km² (101 sq.mi.) is made up of lakes. The landscape generally has a low and undulating character, with flat and marshy coastlands. The interior features wooded dunes, covered with pine, spruce, birch, and oak, with swamps and lakes, and fertile patches between. Courland's elevation never rises more than 213 m (700 ft) above sea level.
  The Jelgava plain divides Courland into two parts, the western side, which is fertile and densely inhabited, except in the north, and the eastern side, less fertile and thinly inhabited.
  Nearly one hundred rivers drain Courland, but only three of these rivers – the Daugava, the Lielupe and the Venta – are navigable. They all flow northwestward and discharge into the Baltic Sea.
  Owing to its numerous lakes and marshes, Courland has a damp, often foggy, and changeable climate; its winters are severe.
caption: Historical regions of Latvia, together with Latvian cultural groups; Courland (Kurzeme) and Semigallia (Zemgale) in yellow
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