Vidzeme
Vidzeme (; ; , , ) is one of the Historical Latvian Lands. The capital of Latvia, Riga, is situated in the southwestern part of the region. Population: around 1.3 million (year?). Literally meaning "the Middle Land", it is situated in north-central Latvia north of the Daugava River. Sometimes in German, it is also known as "Livland", the German form from Latin "Livonia", though it comprises only a small part of Medieval Livonia and about half (the Latvian part) of Swedish Livonia. The historic Governorate of Livonia () is also larger than Vidzeme, since it corresponds roughly to Swedish Livonia. History. In ancient times , the territory of Vidzeme was inhabited by Latgalians and Livs (near the coast of the Gulf of Riga and along the lower reaches of the Daugava and Gauja rivers). Until the German conquest in the 13th century the Daugava, which now forms the south-east border of Vidzeme, was the boundary between the lands of the Livs and Latgalians on the right bank and those of the Semigallians and Selonians on the left bank of the river. The most notable Latgalian region in today’s Vidzeme was Tālava. After the Livonian War, part of the Livonian Confederation on the right  bank of the Daugava river and the Patrimony of Riga was ceded to the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, and the Duchy of Livonia (the left bank forming the Duchy of Courland and Semigalia). After the Polish-Swedish War concluded by the Truce of Altmark in 1629, Sweden acquired the western part of the Duchy of Livonia roughly as far as the Aiviekste River, since then forming Vidzeme's eastern border. During the course of the Great Northern War, Swedish Livonia was conquered by the Russian Empire and ceded to Russia at the Treaty of Nystad in 1721. In place of Livonia  the Russians created the Riga Governorate, but in 1796 the Riga Governorate was renamed the Governorate of Livonia (, , Russian: "Лифляндская губерния / Liflyandskaya guberniya", ), administered autonomously by the local German Baltic nobility through a feudal . After the end of World War I it was split between the newly independent countries of Latvia and Estonia. The territory of the region of Vidzeme is defined by Latvian law as follows: Ādaži Municipality, Cēsis Municipality, Gulbene Municipality, Limbaži Municipality, Riga city, Ropaži Municipality, Salaspils Municipality, Saulkrasti Municipality, Sigulda Municipality, Smiltene Municipality, Valka Municipality, Valmiera Municipality, part of Aiviekste Parish, part of Aizkraukle Parish, the  part of Aizkraukle city on the right bank of the Daugava, Bebri Parish, Irši Parish, Klintaine Parish, Koknese Parish, Koknese city, part of Pļaviņas city, Skrīveri Parish, Vietalva Parish, Alsviķi Parish, Alūksne city, Anna Parish, Ilzene Parish, Jaunalūksne Parish, Jaunanna Parish, Jaunlaicene Parish, Kalncempji Parish, Maliena Parish, Mālupe Parish, Mārkalne Parish, Pededze Parish, Veclaicene Parish, Zeltiņi Parish, Ziemeri Parish, part of Baldone Parish, Baldone city, Baloži city, part of Ķekava Parish, Arona Parish, part of Barkava Parish, Bērzaune Parish, Cesvaine Parish, Dzelzava Parish, Ērgļi Parish, Indrān Parish, Jumurda Parish, Kalsnava Parish, Lazdona Parish, Liezēre Parish, Lubāna city, Ļaudona Parish, Madona  city, Mārciena Parish, Mētriena Parish, part of Ošupe Parish, Prauliena Parish, Sarkaņi Parish, Sausnēja Parish, Vestiena Parish, part of Babīte Parish, Mārupe Parish, Sala Parish, Ikšķile city, Jumprava Parish, Krape Parish, the part of Ķegums city of the right bank of the Daugava, Ķeipene Parish, Laubere Parish], Lēdmane Parish, Lielvārde Parish, Madliena Parish, Mazozoli Parish, Meņģele Parish, Ogre city, Ogresgals Parish, Rembate Parish, Suntaži Parish, Taurupe Parish, Tīnūži Parish, part of Olaine Parish, Olaine city and Lapmežciems Parish.