Euphrates
Euphrates | |
---|---|
Etymology | from Greek, from Old Persian Ufrātu, from Elamite ú-ip-ra-tu-iš |
Location | |
Country | Turkey, Iraq, Syria |
Basin area | Turkey, Syria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iran |
Cities | Birecik, Raqqa, Deir ez-Zor, Mayadin, Haditha, Ramadi, Habbaniyah, Fallujah, Kufa, Samawah, Nasiriyah |
Physical characteristics | |
Source | |
• location | Murat Su, Turkey |
• elevation | 3,520 m (11,550 ft) |
2nd source | |
• location | Kara Su, Turkey |
• elevation | 3,290 m (10,790 ft) |
Source confluence | |
• location | Keban, Turkey |
• elevation | 610 m (2,000 ft) |
Mouth | Shatt al-Arab |
• location | Al-Qurnah, Basra Governorate, Iraq |
• coordinates | 31°0′18″N 47°26′31″E / 31.00500°N 47.44194°ECoordinates: 31°0′18″N 47°26′31″E / 31.00500°N 47.44194°E |
Length | Approx. 2,800 km (1,700 mi) |
Basin size | Approx. 500,000 km2 (190,000 sq mi) |
Discharge | |
• location | Hīt |
• average | 356 m3/s (12,600 cu ft/s) |
• minimum | 58 m3/s (2,000 cu ft/s) |
• maximum | 2,514 m3/s (88,800 cu ft/s) |
Basin features | |
River system | Tigris–Euphrates river system |
Tributaries | |
• left | Balikh, Khabur |
• right | Sajur |
The Euphrates (/juːˈfreɪtiːz/ (listen)) is the longest and one of the most historically important rivers of Western Asia. Together with the Tigris, it is one of the two defining rivers of Mesopotamia (the "Land Between the Rivers"). Originating in Turkey, the Euphrates flows through Syria and Iraq to join the Tigris in the Shatt al-Arab, which empties into the Persian Gulf.
Etymology[]
The Ancient Greek form Euphrátēs (Ancient Greek: Εὐφράτης, as if from Greek εὖ "good" and ϕράζω "I announce or declare") was adapted from Old Persian