List of cities and towns on the Euphrates River
Encyclopedia
This article provides a detailed list of the cities and towns along the Euphrates River in order of country. Other landmarks along the way are provided for context. The river is approximately 2781 kilometres (1,728 mi) long, For more information, see Euphrates River
The Euphrates is formed by the union of two branches, the Karasu or Kara River
(the western Euphrates), which rises in eastern Turkey
north of Erzurum
and the Murat
(the eastern Euphrates). These rivers merge in the Elazığ Province
of Turkey, where the river is dammed in several places
such as the Keban Dam
, the Karakaya Dam
, Atatürk Dam
, the Birecik Dam
, and Karkamis Dam
. Beneath the lakes of these dams are ancient towns like Samsat. Other towns like Elif, Hasanoğlu and Hisar in the Araban district of Gaziantep
date back to Roman times. Halfeti
, a district of Şanlıurfa
, mentioned as “Halpa” in the Urartu
inscriptions. http://newspot.byegm.gov.tr/arsiv/2001/july-aug/n15.htm
The following is a partial list of other Turkish cities and towns that border the Euphrates.
The upper reaches of the Euphrates flow through steep canyons and gorges, southeast across Syria
, and through Iraq
. From west to east, the Euphrates is in Syria joined by the Sajur
, the Balikh and the Khabur
. Lake Assad is a large lake in Syria on the Euphrates River formed by the construction of the Tabqa Dam in 1973. The sites of Tell Abu Hureyra
and Mureybet
ancient Mesopotamian cities of the Euphrates, are underneath this lake.
In Iraq
, the Euphrates is known as Nahr al Furat and is only navigable by very shallow-draft boats, which can reach as far as the Iraqi city of Hit, located 1930 kilometres (1,199.2 mi) upstream and which is only 53 meters (58 yards) above sea level. Above Hit, however, shoals and rapids make the river commercially unnavigable.
A 350 miles (563.3 km) canal links the Euphrates to the Tigris from Al-Yusufiyyah
, 25 miles (40.2 km) south of Baghdad, to Al-Basrah.
North of Basra
, in southern Iraq
, the river merges with the Tigris
to form the Shatt al-Arab, this in turn empties into the Persian Gulf
. The river used to divide into many channels at Basra, forming an extensive marshland, but the marshes were largely drained by the Saddam Hussein
government in the 1990s as a means of driving out the rebellious Marsh Arabs
. Since the 2003 invasion of Iraq
, the drainage policy has been reversed, but it remains to be seen whether the marshes will recover.
A
D
F
H
I
K
M
N
Q
R
S
Anah district
Cities in Turkey
Karasu (Euphrates)
The Karasu or Western Euphrates is a long river in eastern Turkey, one of the two sources of the Euphrates. It has a length of about 450 km. To the ancient Greeks the river was known as the Τηλεβόας ....
(the western Euphrates), which rises in eastern Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
north of Erzurum
Erzurum
Erzurum is a city in Turkey. It is the largest city, the capital of Erzurum Province. The city is situated 1757 meters above sea level. Erzurum had a population of 361,235 in the 2000 census. .Erzurum, known as "The Rock" in NATO code, served as NATO's southeastern-most air force post during the...
and the Murat
Murat River
The Murat River or Eastern Euphrates is the major source of the Euphrates. It was also called Arsanias in antiquity. The river originates near Mount Ararat north of Lake Van, in eastern Turkey, and flows westward for through mountainous area...
(the eastern Euphrates). These rivers merge in the Elazığ Province
Elazig Province
Elâzığ Province is a province of Turkey with its seat in the city of Elâzığ. The source of the Euphrates river is located in this province.The province has a population of 552,646 as of 2010...
of Turkey, where the river is dammed in several places
Southeastern Anatolia Project
The Southeastern Anatolia Project is a multi-sector integrated regional development project based on the concept of sustainable development for the 9 million people living in the Southeastern Anatolia region of Turkey...
such as the Keban Dam
Keban Dam
The Keban Dam is a hydroelectric dam on the Euphrates, located in the Elazığ Province of Turkey. The dam was the first and most upstream of several large-scale dams to be built on the Euphrates by Turkey...
, the Karakaya Dam
Karakaya Dam
The Karakaya Dam is one of the 21 dams of the Southeastern Anatolia Project of Turkey, built on the Euphrates River and completed in 1987. The hydroelectric dam generates power with six units of , totalling the installed capacity to ....
, Atatürk Dam
Atatürk Dam
The Atatürk Dam , originally the Karababa Dam, is a zoned rock-fill dam with a central core on the Euphrates River on the border of Adıyaman Province and Şanlıurfa Province in Southeastern Anatolia Region of Turkey...
, the Birecik Dam
Birecik Dam
The Birecik Dam, one of the 21 dams of the Southeastern Anatolia Project of Turkey, is located on the Euphrates River downstream of Atatürk Dam and upstream of Birecik town west of Province of Şanlıurfa in the southeastern region of Turkey. It was purposed for irrigation and energy production...
, and Karkamis Dam
Karkamis Dam
Karkamış Dam is one of the 21 dams of the Southeastern Anatolia Project of Turkey. It is on the Euphrates River. The foundation of the dam was laid in 1996, and is 4.5 kilometers from the Syria border...
. Beneath the lakes of these dams are ancient towns like Samsat. Other towns like Elif, Hasanoğlu and Hisar in the Araban district of Gaziantep
Gaziantep
Gaziantep , Ottoman Turkish: Ayintab) previously and still informally called Antep; ʻayn tāb is a city in southeast Turkey and amongst the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world. The city is located 185 kilometres northeast of Adana and 127 kilometres by road north of Aleppo, Syria...
date back to Roman times. Halfeti
Halfeti
Halfeti is a small farming district on the east bank of the river Euphrates in Şanlıurfa Province in Turkey, 120 km from the city of Şanlıurfa. Population 33,467 .Most of the villages were submerged in the 1990s under the waters behind the dam on the Euphrates at Birecik...
, a district of Şanlıurfa
Sanliurfa
Şanlıurfa, , often simply known as Urfa in daily language , in ancient times Edessa, is a city with 482,323 inhabitants Şanlıurfa, , often simply known as Urfa in daily language (Syriac ܐܘܪܗܝ Urhoy,Armenian Ուռհա Owr'ha, Arabic الرها ar-Ruhā), in ancient times Edessa, is a city with 482,323...
, mentioned as “Halpa” in the Urartu
Urartu
Urartu , corresponding to Ararat or Kingdom of Van was an Iron Age kingdom centered around Lake Van in the Armenian Highland....
inscriptions. http://newspot.byegm.gov.tr/arsiv/2001/july-aug/n15.htm
The following is a partial list of other Turkish cities and towns that border the Euphrates.
- Rumkale (Hromgla)
- Arulis (Gümüşgün) was an important centre of the Kommagene kingdom
- ZeugmaZeugma (city)Zeugma is an ancient city of Commagene; currently located in the Gaziantep Province of Turkey . It is a historical settlement which is considered among the four most important settlement areas under the reign of the kingdom of Commagene...
known as “Seleukeia Euphrates” in the Hellenistic period - BirecikBirecikBirecik , also formerly known as Bir and during the Crusades as Bile, is a town and district of Şanlıurfa Province of Turkey, on the River Euphrates....
- Arsameia
Cities in Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
, and through Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. From west to east, the Euphrates is in Syria joined by the Sajur
Sajur River
The Sājūr River is a long river originating in Turkey and flowing into the Euphrates in Syria. It is the smallest of the three rivers joining the Euphrates in Syria, and the only one that joins the Euphrates on its right bank...
, the Balikh and the Khabur
Khabur River
The Khabur River , , , ) is the largest perennial tributary to the Euphrates in Syrian territory. Although the Khabur originates in Turkey, the karstic springs around Ra's al-'Ayn are the river's main source of water. Several important wadis join the Khabur north of Al-Hasakah, together creating...
. Lake Assad is a large lake in Syria on the Euphrates River formed by the construction of the Tabqa Dam in 1973. The sites of Tell Abu Hureyra
Tell Abu Hureyra
Tell Abu Hureyra is an archaeological site located in the Euphrates valley in modern Syria. The remains of the villages within the tell come from over 4,000 years of habitation, spanning the Epipaleolithic and Neolithic periods. Ancient Abu Hureyra was occupied between 11,000 and 7,500 years ago...
and Mureybet
Mureybet
Mureybet is a tell, or ancient settlement mound, located on the west bank of the Euphrates in Ar-Raqqah Governorate, northern Syria. The site was excavated between 1964 and 1974 and has since disappeared under the rising waters of Lake Assad...
ancient Mesopotamian cities of the Euphrates, are underneath this lake.
- Abu KamalAbu KamalAl-Bukamal or Al-Bu-Kamal , also referred to as Abu Kamal, is a city in eastern Syria on the Euphrates River near the border with Iraq...
- Ar RaqqahAr RaqqahAr-Raqqah , also spelled Rakka, is a city in north central Syria located on the north bank of the Euphrates, about 160 km east of Aleppo. It is the capital of the Ar-Raqqah Governorate and one of the main cities of the historical Diyār Muḍar, the western part of the Jazīra...
- Deir ez-Zor
- MayadinMayadinMayadin is a city in eastern Syria. It is located at about . Euphrates River flows through the town....
Cities in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, the Euphrates is known as Nahr al Furat and is only navigable by very shallow-draft boats, which can reach as far as the Iraqi city of Hit, located 1930 kilometres (1,199.2 mi) upstream and which is only 53 meters (58 yards) above sea level. Above Hit, however, shoals and rapids make the river commercially unnavigable.
A 350 miles (563.3 km) canal links the Euphrates to the Tigris from Al-Yusufiyyah
Yusufiyah
Yusufiyah is a regional township in the country of Iraq, located in Baghdad Province, approximately 25 km southwest of the capital, Baghdad...
, 25 miles (40.2 km) south of Baghdad, to Al-Basrah.
North of Basra
Basra
Basra is the capital of Basra Governorate, in southern Iraq near Kuwait and Iran. It had an estimated population of two million as of 2009...
, in southern Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, the river merges with the Tigris
Tigris
The Tigris River is the eastern member of the two great rivers that define Mesopotamia, the other being the Euphrates. The river flows south from the mountains of southeastern Turkey through Iraq.-Geography:...
to form the Shatt al-Arab, this in turn empties into the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
. The river used to divide into many channels at Basra, forming an extensive marshland, but the marshes were largely drained by the Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
government in the 1990s as a means of driving out the rebellious Marsh Arabs
Marsh Arabs
The Marsh Arabs , also known as the Maʻdān , are inhabitants of the Tigris-Euphrates marshlands in the south and east of Iraq and along the Iranian border....
. Since the 2003 invasion of Iraq
2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
, the drainage policy has been reversed, but it remains to be seen whether the marshes will recover.
A
- Al Hillah
- Al KiflAl KiflAl Kifl is a town in southeastern Iraq on the Euphrates River, between Najaf and Al Hillah. The population in and near the town is about 15,000. Kifl is the location of a tomb claimed to be that of holy man Dhul-Kifl who is believed be the biblical prophet Ezekiel...
- Al-HanayaAl-HanayaAl-Hanaya is a town in Iraq, on the Euphrates River. It was mentioned as one of the cities frequently visited by Radhanite merchants....
- AnahAnahAnah, or Ana, is an Iraqi town on the Euphrates river, approximately mid-way between the Gulf of Alexandretta and the Persian Gulf.-Etymology:...
D
- Al DiwaniyahAl DiwaniyahAl Diwaniyah is the capital city of Iraq's Al-Qādisiyyah Governorate. In 2002, its population was estimated at 440,927. The area around Al Diwaniyah, which is well irrigated from the nearby Euphrates river, is often considered to be one on the most fertile parts of Iraq, and is heavily cultivated...
F
- FallujahFallujahFallujah is a city in the Iraqi province of Al Anbar, located roughly west of Baghdad on the Euphrates. Fallujah dates from Babylonian times and was host to important Jewish academies for many centuries....
H
- HadithaHadithaHaditha is a city in the western Iraqi Al Anbar Governorate, about 240 km northwest of Baghdad. It is a farming town situated on the Euphrates River at . Its population of around 100,000 people is predominantly Sunni Muslim Arabs...
- HaqlaniyahHaqlaniyahAl-Haqlaniyah is an Iraqi town on the Euphrates River in Al-Anbar province....
- Hīt, Iraq
I
- IskandariyaIskandariyaIskandariya is an ancient city in central Iraq, one of a number of towns in the Near East named after Alexander the Great...
K
- Khan al BaghdadiKhan al BaghdadiKhan al Baghdadi or Al Baghdadi is an Iraqi city on the Euphrates River in Al-Anbar province....
- KufaKufaKufa is a city in Iraq, about south of Baghdad, and northeast of Najaf. It is located on the banks of the Euphrates River. The estimated population in 2003 was 110,000....
M
- MusayyibMusayyibMusayyib is a city in the Babil Province, Iraq. As of 2003, its population is 279,939. Musayyib sits on both the east and west banks of the Euphrates River, which splits into the Hindiya and Hilla branches just south of the city. Musayyib's municipal government has heavy representation from the...
N
- NasiriyahNasiriyahNasiriyah is a city in Iraq. It is on the Euphrates about 225 miles southeast of Baghdad, near the ruins of the ancient city of Ur. It is the capital of the province of Dhi Qar...
Q
- Al-Qa'im (town)Al-Qa'im (town)Al-Qa'im is an Iraqi town on the Euphrates River in Al-Anbar province, close to the Syrian border....
R
- RamadiRamadiRamadi is a city in central Iraq, about west of Baghdad. It is the capital of Al Anbar Governorate.-History:Ramadi is located in a fertile, irrigated, alluvial plain.The Ottoman Empire founded Ramadi in 1869...
- Rawah
S
- Saddat al HindiyahSaddat al HindiyahSaddat al Hindiyah is a city on the Euphrates River in Iraq. It is located just south of Musayyib and 80 km south of Baghdad. In October 2003, the US Army initiated rehabilitation of roads and swamp areas in the Nasir neighborhood of Sadat al Hindiyah, to improve residents’ access to social...
- SamawahSamawahSamawah or As Samawah is a city in Iraq, 280 kilometres southeast of Baghdad. .The city of Samawah is the modern capital of the Al Muthanna Governorate. The city is located midway between Baghdad and Basra, at the northern edge of the governorate...
Al Anbar Province
The following section lists the cities and town along the Euphrates in order along the riverAl Qaim District
- Qusaybah
- Sa' dah
- Al Ubaydi
- As Sammah
- Mish 'al
- Shaqaqivah
- Al Jurn
- Babiye
- Artajah
- An Nayah
Anah districtAnah (district)Anah is a district in Al Anbar Governorate, Iraq. It is centred around the town of Anah....
- Al Mahdiyah
- Al Ajjamiyah
- RawaRawa (town)Rawa is an Iraqi town on the Euphrates river. It lies on the north bank of the river, across from the much larger town of Anah. People from this town are known by the appellation Rawi or surname al-Rawi....
- AnahAnahAnah, or Ana, is an Iraqi town on the Euphrates river, approximately mid-way between the Gulf of Alexandretta and the Persian Gulf.-Etymology:...
Haditha District
- Abu Tughrah
- Wastan
- Imam Nur ud din
- SulaymaniyahSulaymaniyahSulaymaniyah is a city in Iraqi Kurdistan, Iraq. It is the capital of Sulaymaniyah Governorate. Sulaymaniyah is surrounded by the Azmar Range, Goizja Range and the Qaiwan Range in the north east, Baranan Mountain in the south and the Tasluje Hills in the west. The city has a semi-arid climate with...
- Subhaniyah
- Matmash
- Hawijat Sulaymaniyah
- Mirjalan
- Arrabi
- Jadidah
- Dardasah
- Suwaynikh
- Siflah
- Tasiyah
Heet District
- SawariSawariIn traditional Japanese music, sawari is the name of a buzzy sound quality that is often found in, and sometimes expected of certain traditional stringed instruments....
- Jaudafiyah
- Samaniyah
- Jubbah (Iraq)
- Jubariyah
- Waddahiyah
- Juwaniyah
- Mashad
- Al Baghdadi
- Charraf
- Mashad (duplicate city)
- Daniqiyah
- Marabdiyah
- Yardah
- Bashiri
- Samalah
- ZaraZara-Places:*Zara, Turkey, district in the Turkish province of Sivas Province *Zara, Italian, Venetian, German and Hungarian name of the Adriatic port city of Zadar , former capital of Dalmatia, today in Croatia*Zara, Tibet, village in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China*Zara ,...
- Kassiya
- Mashquqah
- Qabatiyah
- Sidhadiyah
- Baziyah
- Khadaram
- Mufrawda'
- Sahliyah
- Jallawiyah
- Maskhan
- Natil
- Sadqah
- Hit, Iraq
- Banrani
- Khauza
- Abu Naml
- Zuwayyah
- AqabahAqabahAqabah is a Palestinian village in the northeastern West Bank, which is being targeted for demolition by the Israeli Civil Administration...
- Abu tibban
- Khan Abu Rayt
Ramadi District
- Zanqurah
- GothiaGothiaGothia is a name given to various places where the Goths lived during their migrations:* Götaland, the traditional original homeland of the Goths.* Dacia was referred to as Gothia during the fourth century, when it was settled by Goths....
- Say yid 'Abd Allah 'Ali
- 'Arab Abd al Khalat
- RamadiRamadiRamadi is a city in central Iraq, about west of Baghdad. It is the capital of Al Anbar Governorate.-History:Ramadi is located in a fertile, irrigated, alluvial plain.The Ottoman Empire founded Ramadi in 1869...
- 'Ajal as Salim
- 'Ali an Numan
- Fadil
- Malahimah
- HabbaniyahHabbaniyahAl Habbaniyah or Habbaniya is a city in Al-Anbar Province, in central Iraq.-References:...
(Khaldia)