Regions of Latvia – Sēlija

Coat of arms of the Sēlija (Upper Latvia) region. Along the upper edge, the name of the issuing state "LATVIJA"; below the design, the regional name "SĒLIJA". The issue year "2025" appears on the right.

In south-eastern Latvia lies the historic region of Sēlija, also known in German as Upper Latvia or Selonia, stretching between the middle course of the Daugava in the north and the Lithuanian border in the south. In settlement history, Sēlija traces back to the Baltic tribe of the Selonians, who shaped the region until the German crusading expansion of the 13th century, after which it was absorbed into the Teutonic Order. The landscape is flat, criss-crossed by fields and river lowlands, and for centuries belonged to the sparsely populated border zones of the Baltic region. Today, Sēlija essentially comprises parts of the Jēkabpils and Jaunjelgava administrative districts and neighbouring municipalities — it is the smallest of Latvia's four traditional regions, though this takes nothing away from its distinct cultural-historical identity.

Like Latvia's other historic regions — Vidzeme, Kurzeme and Latgale — Sēlija no longer has any administrative function of its own, but remains alive as a marker of identity. Regional dialects, folk songs and local customs preserve the cultural profile of the Selonians, which differs noticeably from that of neighbouring regions. In Latvia's culture of remembrance, Sēlija stands for the agrarian, quieter part of the country — less coastline, fewer cities, but a deep-rooted connection to Latvia's rural population. In 2025, Latvia dedicated a 2-euro commemorative coin to the region as part of its "Regions of Latvia" series, honouring all four historic parts of the country numismatically.