Mesopotamia, or the famous Mesopotamia, is where the origins of the civilizations of the Middle East and West Asia lie. The region is very fertile and at one time performed a function similar to that of the African Nile for residents — it fed and watered numerous communities of people.
The ancient homeland of civilizations
The Tigris River is one of the deepest rivers on Earth. From ancient times, tribes settled along the bed of large rivers, and this one was no exception. It was in the valley of it and the Euphrates river that flows parallel to it in the fourth millennium BC that the centers of the first civilizations were formed. Well-fortified and well-developed cities appeared here. In them, the population quickly mastered various types of crafts and architecture. The favorable climate allowed residents to harvest rich crops several times a year. This gave a surplus product and directly influenced the further development and emergence of state entities. In Mesopotamia, the Sumerians became the creators of city states. The history of this nation and its origin are still poorly understood and have many dark spots. It is enough to mention that the language of this people does not correlate with any linguistic family of our time.
River Origins and Geographic Information
The Tigris River, as well as its larger neighbor Euphrates, however, takes its source in the heights of the Armenian Highlands. It is here that the glaciers melting for millennia give life to the two largest rivers in West Asia. The length of the Tiger is almost two thousand kilometers (1890 km), and the pool is 378 square meters. km The Euphrates is a longer river. It flows for almost three thousand kilometers (2790 km). The pool is 1065 sq. M. km Starting in the mountains, on the plain of upper Mesopotamia, they form a vast valley. Both rivers have wide channels with gentle banks, which in some sections form rather significant slopes and counterclones. Four large tributaries flow into the Tiger: Big Zab, Botan, Small Zab and Diyala. Therefore, its course is much faster than the Euphrates, into which the following tributaries flow: Tokhma, Geksu, Belikh, Khabur.
Merging into a new river
Upon reaching the lower Mesopotamian lowlands, the rivers slow down, forming vast wetlands. The river channels break up into several large and small branches. Here the Euphrates practically does not receive water from its tributaries. At the same time, the Tigris River is fed by the water resources of Zagros. Therefore, in this place she is much more full-flowing than her brother. The waters of two rivers often spill. However, they can significantly change the terrain. 195 kilometers from the Persian Gulf, near the Iraqi city of El Qourna, both rivers merge. Thus forms a single channel Shatt al-Arab. This is the country in which the Tigris River unites with the Euphrates! It should be noted that the Shatt al-Arab appeared not so long ago, already in historical time, and this is due to the gradual retreat of the waters of the Persian Gulf. Flowing through the territory of Iraq and the border lands of Iran, it flows into the aforementioned bay near the Iraqi city of Al-Kishla.
Fauna and flora of Mesopotamia
Where the Tiger River is located, once there was rich flora and fauna. Since ancient times, this water resource has given the population a lot of fish. In addition, the adjacent green belt also abounded with various species of mammals. Anthropogenic impact in the form of numerous dams and canals, most of which were built in violation of all standards, have caused and continue to cause great harm to the Tigris basin. Also, sewage in places of large settlements is unauthorizedly discharged into the river. Water from it now poses a mortal danger due to the presence of pathogens of dangerous diseases there. River fauna has been severely affected by human exposure and technological factors. The fishing industry has practically lost its significance. Although carps and catfish are still found in the river, people are afraid to eat them. In the Baghdad area in the Tigris, one can observe bull sharks swimming from the Persian Gulf.
Important Middle East Resource
So where is the Tiger River? Currently, this large waterway flows through the territories of six countries. These are Iraq, Iran, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Jordan. Water resources are a vital necessity for any region of the Earth and any state of the world. Just in this region, mainly represented by the Arab states, there is a large deficit of this important component of a full life. It has dry southern zones and vast deserts, so the ancient Tigris and Euphrates are simply necessary for them. These main water basins of West Asia have many tributaries that flow through different countries of the region. Border rivers are the subject of a fierce dispute between the states of the Middle East. In 1987, a tripartite agreement was concluded between Syria, Iraq and Turkey, according to which the parties undertook to jointly limit water consumption.
Environmental problems and their solution
Recently, the countries along whose territory the Tigris River flows have seriously taken care of its beautification. The damage caused to it, according to preliminary estimates by United Nations experts, exceeds 84% of its initial potential. Many endemics have disappeared. Due to the extremely negative environmental situation in the river basin, a tripartite commission has been formed. At the initiative of Turkey, the Joint Water Institute was created, which includes experts from various fields of science. The plans of this organization include coordination of the construction of all hydraulic structures on the river. In addition, it is designed to monitor the careful use of water by the participating countries. Iraq was also concerned about the state of the river within its territory. In 2012, the government of this Arab country adopted a program for the treatment of wastewater discharged into the Tigris. It also provides for the construction of several treatment facilities in large settlements of the state. Nevertheless, the situation around these two rivers remains quite tense. The disagreements of the countries over which these water arteries flow do not allow for the efficient use and preservation of water.