Daugavpils is a state city situated in southeastern Latvia on the banks of the Daugava River. The city derives its name from this river and serves as an important administrative center, housing both its own municipality and the administration of the surrounding Augšdaugava Municipality.
Geographically, the city is divided by the river; the northern sections belong to the historical Latvian region of Latgale, while the southern parts lie in Selonia. Daugavpils is the second-largest city in Latvia after the capital, Riga, and ranks as the ninth most populous city within the Baltic states.