The Mesopotamian lowland is the main landform in Western Asia. The traditional ancient name is Mesopotamia. Mesopotamia in Persian means "land between two rivers". After all, the lowland is located between the valleys of the main rivers of the western part of Asia - the Tigris and the Euphrates.
Short description of the lowlands
The total area of the Mesopotamian lowland is almost 400 thousand square meters. km, stretched to the northwest for 900 km, width - no more than 300 km.
Vegetation of the lowland is poor in its diversity. Basically, this is a subtropical desert, only along the rivers are the so-called gallery forests, represented by willows, Euphrates poplars, and reed beds. The main occupation of the local population is cattle breeding. On the territory of the lowland there are such large settlements: Abadan, Baghdad and Basra.
Where is the Mesopotamian lowland and features of its structure
The plain is located on the territory of such states: mostly in Iraq, as well as in Kuwait, Iran and Syria.
The lowland is an advanced (marginal) trough in the junction zone of the Precambrian Arabian platform and the young Zagros and Taurus mountain ranges (Alpine-Himalayan folding). The tectonic trough in which this landform was formed is very deep and is represented by Meso-Cenozoic and Paleozoic deposits. The total thickness of reservoir deposits reaches 15 km. It is here that the largest mineral deposits in Asia are concentrated: oil, natural gas, sulfur, rock s alt. Oil and gas deposits of the Mesopotamian lowland belong to the Persian oil and gas basin.
Characteristics of the Mesopotamian Lowland
The Mesopotamian lowland is a flat, flat alluvial terrain. Lakes and swamps are located throughout its territory. The soils of the lowlands are fertile, it depends on the fact that the bottom sands from the river valleys have settled on the banks for many years and, when leveled, formed a layer of soil very favorable for agriculture. The height above sea level does not exceed 100 m, only the edges of the lowland rise to a height of up to 200 m. In the north, the plain reaches the mountain remnant massif. Its average height is 500 m, the maximum point is Mount Sinjar (1460 m). In the southwest, the lowland reaches the Syrian-Arabian plateau, which is composed of layers and has heights of up to 900 m. And in the northeast it rests on the Iranian highlands. Here is the highest mountain range in Iraq. The city of Cheeha Dar (3,611 m) is also located here - the highest point in Iraq.
Climatic conditions
The Mesopotamian lowland is located in an area where the climate is dominated by subtropical, continental. The southern part belongs to the desert tropical climate. In summer, sandstorms are common in the southern region. Average temperatures in winter are within +7…+12 °С, in summer +34 °С. On some days the maximum can reach +48°С.
Mesopotamian lowlands are deprived of precipitation. Their annual amount, which falls on this territory, is only 150 mm. Therefore, rivers serve as the main water sources and arteries here.
Lakes and rivers of the Mesopotamian lowlands
The Tigris and Euphrates rivers, each 2,000 km long, cross the entire Mesopotamian lowland from northwest to southeast. And in the lower reaches they merge into a common stream and carry their waters to the Persian Gulf. These two rivers are of great importance for almost the entire region of Western Asia. The waters of the Euphrates are used to irrigate the region. And the Tigris River, which is rich in tributaries, serves as a source of hydropower in the region. A cascade of hydroelectric power plants was built on the watercourse.
The Mesopotamian lowland is located in a place of accumulation of a huge number of lakes. They are located in depressions of the relief. The largest of them: Mileh-Tartar, El-Milh, Es-Saadiya, El-Hammar. A common phenomenon in the Mesopotamian lowland is the wadi. Wadis are dry riverbeds that can fill with water to form streams during the rainy season.
Historical facts
HoweverThe Mesopotamian lowland is popular not geographically, but historically. The fact is that it was in Mesopotamia, in the valleys of the Tigris and Euphrates, that one of the first civilizations of the Ancient World, the Sumerian, was born. This place has become the main cultural center for all of Asia. The first mentions that the first settlements and cities arose in the river valleys date back to the 8th millennium BC
It is the Sumerian that is considered the first written civilization in our history. The written language of the Sumerians was called a pictogram. Also, thanks to them, irrigation farming and cattle breeding as a trade appeared. The Sumerians lived in a tribal system. Where the Mesopotamian lowland is located, it was easier to engage in agriculture, cattle breeding and handicrafts. Civilization brought many discoveries to later life. It was the Sumerians who invented: the wheel, the irrigation system, the potter's wheel, writing, primitive tools for agriculture (pick, hoe, shovel), brewing, bronze, colored glass. They were the first to draw up an annual calendar, they knew how to calculate the area of geometric shapes and came up with arithmetic. Civilization was also developed in terms of architecture. Monumental buildings - ziggurats (like mausoleums) were very popular.
Tourists constantly visit this place, as it is filled with stunning picturesque landscapes that embody all the beauty of nature. Very often people come here to swim in the lakes and just have a good rest.
