As you know, the Tigris and the Euphrates rivers are the two major rivers in Iraq. They root from Turkey, and they both empty in the Persian Gulf.


In this article many interesting facts will be revealed to those who are interested to know more about both rivers.

 

The Tigris River

Here are some interesting facts about the Tigris.

The Tigris has been an important source of irrigation, energy and travel and tourism, dating back to the earliest known civilizations.

Four countries surround the Tigris (Iran, Iraq, Turkey and Syria). It is the second largest river in Western Asia. People use its water as a source of freshwater and for their agricultural activities. The Tigris is also used for hydropower.

 

The Tigris borders Mesopotamia in the Fertile Crescent. It’s at the eastern end of two great rivers, the other being the Euphrates. The Tigris River is 1,750 km long. It originates in the Taurus Mountains of eastern Turkey, and about 30 km from the source of the Euphrates. The river then flows for about 400 km along southeastern Turkey before becoming part of the Syrian-Turkish border.


The Tigris branches into several channels. First, the man-made Shatt al-Hayy forks to join the Euphrates near Nassiriya. Second, the Shatt al-Muminah branch and al-Majar al-Kabir branch. They feed the central marshes. Third, the Al-Musharrah and Al-Kahla, which feed the Hawizeh Marshes. Further, the main channel of the river stream is joined by the Al-Kassarah. And lastly, the Tigris river joins the Euphrates river to form the famous Shatt-Al-Arab.

Tigris river city is Baghdad. Baghdad stands on the banks of the Tigris river. It was chosen to be the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate, in 762 CE.

 


The Euphrates River

Although Euphrates shares some facts with the Tigris, we’ll still talk about it in more detail.

 

The Euphrates is the longest and one of the most important rivers in Western Asia. As mentioned before, the Euphrates is one of the two rivers that define Mesopotamia.

The Euphrates originates in Turkey. It flows through Syria and Iraq to finally join the Tigris in the Shatt al-Arab. It also empties into the Persian Gulf.


It emerges from the confluence of the Western Euphrates 450 km and the Eastern Euphrates 650 km. Its length from the source to the confluence with the Tigris is estimated to be 3,000 km, of which 1,060 km in Iraq. As a matter of fact, three rivers in Syria add their water to the Euphrates; the Sajur, the Balikh and the Khabur.


Many civilizations have thrived on the banks of the Euphrates, including during ancient times. One of its most-notable civilizations was the Mesopotamian Empire. Today that area of the world is known as Iraq. he Euphrates was part of the “Silk Road,” the famous trade route which passed through Central Asia and Mesopotamia. One of the ancient world’s most important cities, Babylon, was built along the banks of Euphrates.

Fishing was and still is important to many people who live along its banks. More than fifty species of fish live in it.


During the past century, several large dams have been built along the Euphrates. One of them is the Euphrates Dam. It is more than 200 feet high and has a very large reservoir.

Throughout history, the Euphrates has been an undeniable vital importance to those living along its course. Now more than ever, many people depend on the river for basic amenities like electricity and drinking water. That can be seen through the build of large hydroelectric power plants, irrigation systems and pipes that can transport water over long distances.

 

Question: what is the area between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers called?

Answer: Mesopotamia!

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