Mesopotamia was an ancient civilization located in an area of the world we now know as the Middle East. It was bordered by two rivers—the Tigris in the east and the Euphrates in the west. In fact, the name Mesopotamia means "the land between the rivers".

The Tigris and Euphrates begin in the mountains near the Black Sea. As they wind their way south towards the Persian Gulf, they deposit silt (fine sand and earth) onto the surrounding lands. This makes the soil in Mesopotamia very fertile. Blessed with good farmland, the Mesopotamians were able to grow enough food to support a large population. An advanced civilization gradually emerged.

Earlier you learned that Mesopotamia was part of a region known as the Fertile Crescent. Take a minute to review that now by looking at the map above. Notice how the Fertile Crescent stretched like an arc (crescent) from the Mediterranean Sea in the west to the Persian Gulf in the east. This whole region was excellent for farming.

Now look at the modern map of the Middle East below in order to put the Fertile Crescent into context. You may have heard of Syria, Iraq and Iran in the news. If you do not recall where this region is, look at a world map. You should be able to find the Mediterranean Sea right below Europe.