A country's central region (9)

I believe the answer is:

heartland

(Other definitions for heartland that I've seen before include "A most vital area" , "central zone" , "Central part of a country or area" , "Central region of a country" , "Vitally important area" .)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.

Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.