Tigris–Euphrates river system through the central plain and combine at Al-Qurnah to form the Shatt al-Arab and discharge into the Persian Gulf. The region has historical importance as part of the Fertile Crescent region, in which civilization is believed to have first emerged. The ecoregion is characterized by two large rivers, the Tigris and Euphrates. The rivers have several small tributaries which feed into the system from shallow freshwater lakes, swamps, and marshes, all surrounded by desert. The hydrology of these vast marshes is extremely important to the ecology of the entire upper Persian Gulf. Historically, the area is known as Mesopotamia. As
Euphrates Viaduct Euphrates Viaduct The Euphrates Viaduct is a motorway bridge across the Euphrates between Belkıs, Nizip, Gaziantep Province and Birecik, Şanlıurfa Province in Turkey. Built up to 2007, it is the longest river bridge in Turkey. Buses and other cars going from the three big cities (Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir) to Diyarbakır, play an important role on this viaduct. Cars going to Diyarbakır can also use the Kömürhan Bridge which carries state roadway between Malatya and Elazığ. The viaduct is a part of the Adana-Gaziantep-Urfa Motorway, which will be extended up to Habur border gate in the Iraqi border/frontier. The viaduct