Where do the Tigris and Euphrates rivers begin?

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Map showing the Tigris and Euphrates river basin and its drainage network across Turkey, Syria, and Iraq, with color shading for elevation, major dams, canals, lakes, and boundaries with neighboring countries. The green areas indicate lower elevations along the river valleys, while higher elevations are shaded in brown and orange. A small locator map in the corner shows the basin's position within the Middle East. — Tigris-Euphrates river system The Tigris and Euphrates river basin and its drainage network.

The Tigris and Euphrates rivers both have their sources in eastern Turkey, originating within 50 miles (80 km) of each other.1

Specifically, the Euphrates River is formed by the confluence of the Karasu and Murat rivers in the Armenian Highland of northeastern Turkey. The Tigris River also descends from the valleys and gorges of eastern Anatolia. From these high-altitude sources, both rivers flow southeast through the Middle East toward the Persian Gulf.2314