User:Phaisit16207/sandbox/Euphrates

The Euphrates (see below) is a river in Western Asia that flows through Turkey, Syria and Iraq. It originates at the confluence of the Karasu and Murat rivers in the Armenian highlands of northeastern Turkey, through the valley, and merges with the Tigris at the Shatt al-Arab, ultimately emptying into the Persian Gulf. It is considered the most important river in the region, as it is a part of the river system that was defined and created the civilisation of Mesopotamia, as well as the Tigris.

The river flows through the Assyrian, Akkadian, Babylonian and Sumerian civilisations from the 4th to 2nd millenium BC. The river's heartland was formed Assyrian and Babylonian empires preceding the Persian rule extended to Mesopotamia. Alexander's conquest and his posthumous succession war spread the Hellenistic culture along the river before the Parthians conquered this area. The river once defined the border between the Roman and Persian empires. In the seventh century, the Muslim conquests totally eliminated the Mesopotamian culture.

The Euphrates is the fifteenth-longest river in Asia and the longest in Western Asia, at about 2780 km, and has a drainage area of 440000 km2 that covers six countries. The name is probably derived from the Greek "good announce".

The Euphrates Riverside is the location of many archaeological sites from the Mesopotamian era, including Mari, Babylon, Uruk, and Ur. Many dams are created along the river to reduce its flow, especially in Turkey. The freshwater in the river started to dry up as the low rainfall which affected the inhabitants and agricultural activities.