Social and environmental issues - Case of the Euphrates and the Tigris rivers

Water conflicts can be explained by political, social and environmental facts.

Social

Conflicts between those states are closely linked to the rise of population which means increasing needs. The growth rate averages 2,5% a year in Syria, 1,3% a year in Turkey and 1,8% a year in Iraq.

Environmental

The Tigris and the Euphrates rivers are volatile : they often change course and flow irregularly. Consequently, the management of these rivers is very tough.

What is more, these rivers are used not only by private individuals but also by economic activities such as farms, factories…

Furthermore, the quality and the quantity of available water is reduced by the population growth, urbanization, industrialization and the lack of environmentally sensitive technology.

This can make us think about a new crucial issue ‘transboundary pollution’.

Water represents 1,3% of the Turkish area, 0,06% of the Syrian area, 1,1% of the Iraqi area [France : 0,26%].

'Mesopotamia times' - Case of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers

In the Euphrates and Tigris region, called Mesopotamia, ancient civilizations lived from 4,000BC. Thanks to irrigation, the ‘fertile crescent’ was created. Conflicts between the states of Umma and Lagash happened 4,500 years ago for the control of irrigation canals. Since 2,400BC, the region has been suffering salt accumulation problems. Many of those civilizations disappeared because of the abandonment of irrigation systems.

Tigris - Case of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers

Etymology : Dijla (Arabic); Dicle (Turkish)
Average flow : in Iraq, 53 billion m³
Length : 1,900 km (1,180 mi)
Riverside countries : Turkey, Iraq, Syria

The Tigris comes from rainfalls in the Taurus Mountains in East-Southern Turkey. It is fed by others streams like the Great Zab. Its flow is more important from March to May than from August to October.

The Tigris joins the Euphrates near Basra. The part of the stream between Basra and the Persian Gulf is called Shatt-al-Arab.

The Tigris is very used as a transport route : it is navigable from the sea to Baghdad by shallow-draft vessels, to go upstream only rafts can be used.

The Euphrates river - Case of the Euphrates and the Tigris rivers

Etymology : (Arab) Al-Furāt ; (Turkish) Fırat

Average flow : 35,9 bcm (billion cubic meters)

Length : 2.780 km / 1.725 miles

Riverside countries : Turkey, Syria (657 km) and Iraq (1.200 km)

Near Elazig, the Euphrates is divided into two main branches : the Karasu, which is considered as the real Euphrates, and the Murat. Then, in Iraq, near Bagdad, it separates into two branches : the Hindiya and the Hilla. In Iraq, it joins the Tigris before ending into the Persian Gulf. The junction of the Tigris and the Euphrates constitutes a large marshy delta called Chatt al-Arab.
A canal joins the Euphrates to the Tigris (885km=550mi).

The Euphrates comes mostly from rainfalls on the Armenian plateau in Turkey and die in the Persian Gulf. The volume of the river rises from March to May and then goes down until the end of November. It flows very slowly. It is navigable by very shallow-draffy boats from the Persian Gulf to the town of Hit in Iraq ; above Hit, it isn’t navigable because of shoals and rapids. It knows a lot of flooding from April to June, in some measure, due to snow falls in Turkish mountains ; however, the number of these inundations has been reduced by the construction of dams and reservoirs. It frequently changes course because of alluvial deposits.

To know more :

http://gurukul.ucc.american.edu

http://www.jameswbell.com

http://www.american.edu

http://www.universalis.fr
http://fr.encarta.msn.com

Iraq - Case of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers

Capital : Baghdad


Official languages : Arabic, Kurdish


Developing parliament republic :
- President : Jalal Talabani
- Prime Minister : Nouri al-Maliki


Area : 440,000 km²

Another map : http://www.theglobaleducationproject.org/mideast/info/maps/iraq-map.html

Population :

- 29,300,000 inhabitants

- 66 inhabitants/km²

Currency : Iraqi dinar

Geography

The middle of the country is called Mesopotamia. This state is arid. Consequently, agriculture is closely linked to irrigation. The main cultivated cereals are wheat and barley. The main resource is oil.

Syria - Case of the Euphrates and the Tigris rivers

Capital : Damascus

Official language : Arabic

Presidential republic :
- President : Bashar al-Assad
- Prime Minister : Muhammad Naji al-Otari

Area : 185,000 km²

Population :
- 19,400,000 inhabitants
- 103 inhabitants/km²

Currency : Syrian pound

Geography

Syria has got several ports along the Mediteranean sea such as Latakia, Baniyas, Tartus and some huge cities like Aleppo, Hamah, Hims.

-Natural conditions :

In Northwestern Syria, the 'djebel Ansariyya' is a warm and humid coastal plain. The "Croissant ferile" is a grassy steppe where the rainfall rate is about 300mm/year.

- Economy :
In Northwestern Syria, mediteranean mixed-farming is done. In the "Croissant fertile" grow cereals, cotton and fruit. Wheat, barley, vegetables and tobacco are also cultivated. Moreover, Syria knows livestock farming. What is more, it has got resources of petroleum and gas.

Turkey - Case of the Euphrates and the Tigris rivers

Capital : Ankara

Official language : Turkish

Parliamentary republic :
- President : Abdullah Gül
- Prime Minister : Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
- Speaker of the Parliament : Köksal Toptan

Area : 780,000 km²

Population :
- 72,000,000 inhabitants
- density : 93 inhabitants / km²
- growth population rate : around 2%

Currency : New Turkish Lira

Geography

- Natural conditions :
The Anatolian plateau is about 1,132 meters high and counts a great number of lakes such as the Lake Van. The main mountains are the Taurus Mountains (in the South) and the Pontique Mountains (in the North).
Spring is very warm. Rainfalls are unfairly spread : in the North, along the Black Sea, it rains all the year whereas in the West and the South, it mainly rains in winter.
The vegetation is varied : shrubs in the Mediterranean region, forests in the mountains. In the Central Anatolia, there is a poor vegetation because it’s very arid.

- Population
The main minority is the Kurds.
The majority of the population lives in the West and half the population lives in town.

- Economy
Half the workers works in agriculture, mainly in small family farms. In the Anatolian plateau, cereals, like wheat and barley, are cultivated and goats and sheep are reared. Along the Marmara Sea and the Black Sea, tobacco, fruit trees and sometimes tea plant and hazel trees are cultivated. In the Mediterranean region, cotton, grapes, rice, bananas and citrus fruits are cultivated.
The mining resources of Turkey are : coal, lignite, iron, copper, bauxite, chromium, manganese and petroleum.
Hydroelectricity is very important.