If you've seen newscasts or stories online about the wars that have taken place in the Middle East, you might have a mental picture of what many of these areas look like. They often appear to be extremely dry desert areas that have been impacted significantly by the conflicts that have raged there for years.
However, these areas were not always like they appear today. In fact, some of these areas have been called "cradles of civilization" by historians, because they were some of the first areas in the world to support the beginnings of true civilizations. For example, the modern nation of Iraq has been ravaged by a series of wars over the last several decades. Today, it's just a shadow of its former self, still trying to recover from the effects of prolonged conflicts that ripped it apart multiple times.
It's hard for many people to imagine that Iraq was once known in ancient days as Mesopotamia, one of the earliest civilizations known to man. Mesopotamia means "Land Between Two Rivers. The presence of these two rivers — the Tigris River to the east and the Euphrates River to the west — explains why this area served as a crucible for early civilization.
In addition to the Mesopotamians, this area also gave rise to several other early civilizations , including the Sumerians, the Babylonians, and the Assyrians. The two rivers that defined Mesopotamia flow mostly parallel from the mountains of southern Turkey to the delta in southern Iraq, where they merge to form a river called the Shatt al Arab that empties into the Persian Gulf.
This area is also sometimes called the " Fertile Crescent. The Tigris and Euphrates are the two largest rivers in western Asia, with the Euphrates measuring 1, miles long and the Tigris 1, miles. They're fed from snowfall in the uplands of Turkey, Iraq, and Iran. The water they bring through the arid regions they call home allows for a variety of agriculture and helps to support millions of people.
Unfortunately, the Tigris today faces many challenges. Multiple dams and irrigation projects have reduced both its flow and biodiversity. Add to that the increase in pollution and the effects of multiple wars in the area and you're left with a body of water in serious need of clean-up and proper management.
Various environmental groups are working today to revive and protect the Tigris to ensure that it continues to support the millions of people that depend upon it. At least one group is also hoping to designate the delta marshes in southern Iraq and the country's first national park.
Are you ready to take a trip down the Tigris River? Ask a few friends and family members to accompany you as you journey through the following activities:. Thanks for the suggestion, Emory! What are some of the questions you have about the Euphrates? Great question! If you add a question to the Wonder Bank, and your question matches a Wonder of the Day that was inspired by another Wonder Friend, then you may see your name in the "Wonder Contributor" box of that Wonder!
Great question, Emory! The Euphrates is one of the two largest rivers in western Asia the other largest river is the Tigris. The Euphrates River is 1, miles long and to the west of the Tigris River. We are undergoing some spring clearing site maintenance and need to temporarily disable the commenting feature. Thanks for your patience. Drag a word to its definition. You have answered 0 of 3 questions correctly and your score is:.
Want to add a little wonder to your website? Help spread the wonder of families learning together. We sent you SMS, for complete subscription please reply. Follow Twitter Instagram Facebook. Where is the Tigris River? What was Mesopotamia? What body of water does the Tigris River empty into?
Wonder What's Next? Drop in to Wonderopolis tomorrow for a Wonder of the Day that will blow you away! Ask a few friends and family members to accompany you as you journey through the following activities: Want to get a better idea of exactly where the Tigris River is? Can you trace the route of the entire length of the Tigris River? Read more about Mesopotamia online. Innovations and advancements along the same lines of hydropower will continue to create an evolving landscape for local governments and people of the region.
Also known as hydroelectricity or hydroelectric power. Regions are the basic units of geography. The audio, illustrations, photos, and videos are credited beneath the media asset, except for promotional images, which generally link to another page that contains the media credit. The Rights Holder for media is the person or group credited. Tyson Brown, National Geographic Society. National Geographic Society. For information on user permissions, please read our Terms of Service.
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In fact, the word Mesopotamia means "between rivers" in Greek. Home to the ancient civilizations of Sumer, Assyria, and Babylonia these peoples are credited with influencing mathematics and astronomy.
Use these classroom resources to help your students develop a better understanding of the cradle of civilization. The surrounding river basin has a population of more than four hundred million people. A river is a large, natural stream of flowing water. Rivers are found on every continent and on nearly every kind of land. Join our community of educators and receive the latest information on National Geographic's resources for you and your students.
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