IRAQ - SYRIA BOUNDARY
I. BOUNDARY BRIEF
The Iraq-Syria Boundary is 376 miles in length and is delimited. Beginning at the
Turkish tripoint at the confluence of the Tigris and the Khabur rivers, the boundary
follows the thalweg of the Tigris downstream about 3.2 miles where it leaves the river.
The boundary then trends in straight line segments first southwestward about 68 miles
and then southward about 153 miles to the Euphrates (Al Furat) River near the
northeastern extremity of Baghuz Island. The boundary then follows in a straight
line southwestward a distance of about 152 miles to the Jordanian tripoint at approxi-
mately 33° 22' 29" North Latitude and 38° 47' 33" East Longitude.
II. GEOPOLITICAL BACKGROUND
A. Ancient History
Like other parts of the Near East, the Iraq-Syria frontier is immersed in the record
of mankind since earliest historic time. At both ends of a crescent shaped fringe of
fertile land long known as the "Fertile Crescent," the earliest civilizations of the
Tigris-Euphrates and Nile Walleys developed. The Iraq-Syria boundary cuts across the
northern arc of the crescent thus bisecting what was the ancient northern riverine
civilization of Mesopotamia, or earlier, Assyria-Babylonia.
The boundary area itself is replete with the bench marks of western civilization.
A listing of contributions would include domestication of plants and animals as well
as the development of the alphabet, mathematics, law, warfare and religion. Abraham,
the progenitor of both Arabs and Jews, originated in the Tigris-Euphrates area. The
very word Hebrew is derived from this feat of having voyaged across the Euphrates River
to then "Southern Syria" lands known in the Bible as Ancient Ammon, Moab and Edom
located in the highlands east of the Jordan Walley.
The fact that the boundary area is situated across the main lines of communication
led readily to flourishing trade and commerce between west and east. In later centuries
the highly developed caravan trade included inter-continental traffic between Europe,
Africa and Asia. As trade and commerce developed early in history because of geography,
so also did the boundary region become a route for the movement of armies and peoples.
From earliest historic times, the impact of land and people imposed challenges and
conflicts which took form in varied streams of influence affecting the entire globe.
In proximity of the boundary area, Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian empire,
(near present day Mosul), fell to the Babylonians in 612 B.C. Under Nebuchadnassar,
the Babylonian Captivity of the Hebrews (586–536 B.C.) took place until terminated by
the Persian conquests. In 331 B.C. Alexander defeated the Persians under Darius III
at Arbela (Irbid). In 64 B.C. the Romans under Pompey defeated the Seleucids,
Alexander's successors. Later the Syriac (Aramaic) speaking Kingdom of Palmyra (Tadmur)
dominated the area until defeated in 272 A.D. by the armies of the Roman Emperor Aurelian,
who also captured Queen Zenobia on the bank of the Euphrates while on her way to seek
aid from the Persians. Henceforth, until the Islamic conquest the boundary region was
the scene of persistent conflict among the Romans, Greeks, Syrians, and the Persians.
In the early centuries of efficient Roman rule, the boundary area, especially
the nearer Syrian side, attained great economic strength as an integral part of the
Mediterranean world. But more important than the flow of goods were the ideas whose
impact via Christianity spread first to undermine, and then to supplant older
Greco-Roman social traditions.





This International Boundary Study is one of a series of specific boundary papers prepared
by The Geographer, Office of the Geographer, Directorate for Functional Research,
Bureau of Intelligence and Research, Department of State, in accordance with provisions
of Bureau of the Budget Circular No. A-16.
Government agencies may obtain additional information and copies of the study by calling
the Geographer, Room 8744, Department of State, Washington, D. C. 20520 (Telephone:
63-22021 or 63-22022).
INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARY STUDY
No. 101
Argentina - Chile Boundary
(Palena TCăTifornia Sector)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
tº
Map, Argentina - Chile Boundary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
I. Historical Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . l
Award and Report of November 20, 1902 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . l
! II. Treaties and 0ther Agreements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
- Award of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Pursuant to the
Agreement for Arbitration . . . . . . . - - - - - - - - - - - 3
III. Summary . . . . . . . . . . . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 4
The Geographer
Office of the Geographer
Bureau of Intelligence and Research
º