Mesopotamia, or the famous Mesopotamia - it is here that the origins of the civilizations of the Middle East and Western Asia lie. The region is very fertile and at one time performed a function for the inhabitants similar to the African Nile - it fed and watered numerous communities of people.
Ancient homeland of civilizations
The Tigris River is one of the deepest rivers on Earth. From ancient times, tribes settled along the channels of large rivers, and this one was no exception. It was in its valley and the river Euphrates running parallel to it that the centers of the first civilizations were formed in the fourth millennium BC. Well-fortified cities with a developed economy appeared here. In them, the population quickly mastered various types of crafts and architecture. The favorable climate allowed the inhabitants to harvest rich harvests several times a year. This gave a surplus product and directly influenced the further development and emergence of state formations. In Mesopotamia, the Sumerians became the creators of the city-states. The history of this people and its origin is still poorly understood and has many dark spots. Suffice it to mention that the language of thispeople does not correspond to any modern language family.
River origins and geographical information
The Tigris River, as well as its larger neighbor the Euphrates, takes its source in the heights of the Armenian Highlands. It is here that glaciers melting for thousands of years give life to the two largest rivers of Western Asia. The length of the Tigris is almost two thousand kilometers (1890 km), and the basin 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. km. Starting in the mountains, on the plain of upper Mesopotamia, they form a vast valley. Both rivers have wide channels with gently sloping banks, which in some areas form quite significant slopes and counterslopes. Four large tributaries flow into the Tigris: Big Zab, Botan, Little Zab and Diyala. Therefore, its course is much faster than the Euphrates, into which the following tributaries flow: Tokhma, Geksu, Belikh, Khabur.
Merge into a new river
When entering the Lower Mesopotamian lowlands, the rivers slow down, forming vast wetlands. The riverbeds are divided into several large and small branches. Here the Euphrates receives practically no water from its tributaries. At the same time, the Tigris River is fed by the water resources of the Zagros. Therefore, in this place it is much more full-flowing than its counterpart. The waters of the two rivers often overflow. However, they can significantly change the landscape of the area. At 195 kilometers from the Persian Gulf, near the Iraqi city of El Qurna, both rivers merge. Thus, a single channel is formedShatt al Arab. This is the country in which the Tigris River is united into a single whole with the Euphrates! It should be noted that 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 above bay near the Iraqi city of El-Kishla.
Animals and flora of Mesopotamia
Where the Tigris River is located, there was once a rich flora and fauna. Since ancient times, this water resource has provided the population with a lot of fish. In addition, the adjacent green belt also abounded in various mammalian species. Anthropogenic impact in the form of numerous dams and canals, most of which were built in violation of all kinds of norms, have caused and continue to cause great harm to the Tigris basin. Also, wastewater is illegally dumped into the river in places of large settlements. Water from it now poses a mortal danger due to the presence of pathogens of dangerous diseases there. The river fauna has suffered greatly from human impact and man-made factors. Fishing has practically lost its importance. Although carps and catfish are still found in the river, people are afraid to eat them. In the area of Baghdad in the Tigris, bull sharks can be seen swimming in from the Persian Gulf.
Important resource in the Middle East
So where is the Tigris River? At present, this large water artery 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 in 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. The dry southern zones and vast deserts are located here, so the ancient Tigris and Euphrates rivers are simply necessary for them. These main water basins of Western 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 committed themselves to jointly limit the flow of water.
Environmental problems and solutions
Recently, the countries through which the Tigris River flows have seriously attended to its improvement. The damage inflicted on it, according to preliminary estimates of United Nations experts, exceeds 84% of its original potential. Many endemics have disappeared. In view of the extremely negative environmental situation in the river basin, a tripartite commission was formed. At the initiative of Turkey, the Joint Water Institute was established, which includes experts from different fields of science. The plans of this organization include the coordination of the construction of all hydraulic structures on the river. In addition, it is called upon to monitor the careful use of water resources by the participating countries. Iraq also became concerned about the state of the river inwithin its territory. In 2012, the government of this Arab country adopted a program to treat wastewater discharged into the Tigris. It also provides for the construction of several treatment facilities at once in large settlements of the state. Nevertheless, the situation around these two rivers is still quite tense. Disagreements between the countries through which these water arteries flow do not allow for the effective use and conservation of water.
