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.