Vidzeme (pronounced [ˈvid̪͡z̪eme]; Lithuanian: Vidžemė; Livonian: Vidūmō, Russian: Видземе, Polish: Liwonia) 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 (Latvian: Vidzemes guberņa) is also larger than Vidzeme, since it corresponds roughly to Swedish Livonia.