Loading ...Rivers of the Middle East
Rivers are plentiful in the Middle East.
By: Yaseen Rashed/Arab America Contributing Writer
The Middle East is rich in its diverse landscapes, filled with natural glory. From its mountains and valleys to its deserts and oceans, the ecosystem is immensely diverse encompassing a wide array of environments. One of the most appealing landscapes of the Middle East is its beautiful rivers. The rivers in the Middle East are as old as time. They have contributed to the rise of countless civilizations and have influenced culture, food, and tradition in the region. Pop culture has enabled the stereotype of the Middle East as a dry mass of land with nothing but sand dunes and sun. However, the truth is quite the contrary. The Middle East is rich with fertile land and valleys, thanks to these rivers. The following are four of the Middle East’s most notable rivers.
Tigris & Euphrates
The Tigris and Euphrates are two of the oldest rivers known to civilization. These two rivers run parallel to one another, both originating in the northern parts of Turkey and the Caucus Mountains. They flow southeast, passing through northern parts of Syria and through Iraq. The river then joins together in Shatt Al-Arab which empties out into the Persian Gulf. These two rivers, however, have completely revolutionized culture and tradition. These rivers were there the focal point of life in ancient Mesopotamia and thousands of years later, it still remains the center of life in the culture that surrounds it. From food to dance, this region has the rivers’ and its basins incorporated. The rivers are also two of the largest in the region supplying millions of people with water every day. There is no doubt that the Tigris & Euphrates are influential and a cornerstone of Arab natural landscapes.
Nile River
The Nile River is easily one of the most recognizable rivers in the world. With a length of 4,132 miles, it’s disputed to be the longest river in the world and one of the only rivers that flow north. Although the river is usually closely associated with Egypt, it encompasses over 11 countries including Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea, South Sudan, Republic of Sudan, and lastly, Egypt. All these countries have been influenced in one way or another by the Nile. the Nile originates in Lake Victoria in Uganda and Lake Tana in Ethiopia. These two lakes flow together and connect in Khartoum, Sudan where the Nile forms as one river. This river has been home to many civilizations and continues to be the main source of water for millions of Sudanese and Egyptian people.
Jordan River
The Jordan River is a river that flows right between Jordan, Israel, and the Palestinian West Bank. This river is an extremely important river for dwellers of the region as its one of the most dependable water sources. However, the river water has decreased as its exhausted by the local populations who depend on it. Also, due to its strategic location, the Jordan River has been a source of political discourse on who exactly owns the right to source from it. Jordan, Israel, and Palestine have all disputed on ways to manage the sourcing for the river as well as conserving the climate that surrounds it. This river remains one of the most iconic rivers in the middle east as its prominence is closely associated with the Palestinian cause.
Great Man-Made River
This river, located in Libya, is one of a kind and is the first and only man-made river to be constructed. Because Libya has no physical rivers, little water could be irrigated to the Sharan region of the country. In an attempt to fix this issue, Libya designed the world’s largest irrigation system, essentially appropriating water from over 1,500 wells, most well over 500 m deep to areas in the country that otherwise wouldn’t have fresh drinking water. This brought fresh drinking water to cities like the capital, Tripoli, and the second-largest city in the country, Benghazi. Because of the insane amount of planning and detail that the project has to undergo, many have labeled the project as being “the eighth wonder of the world.” Undoubtedly, this unique innovative idea has impacted countless lives in providing a clean source of water.
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