THE SOUTHEASTERN ANATOLIA PROJECT - GAP

The Southeastern Anatolia Project is the largest and most multifaceted development project in Turkey as well as one of the largest development projects in the world. The project includes active farming with extensive irrigation systems and electricity production.

Native

The Southeastern Anatolia Project covers the lower parts of the Firat and Dicle Rivers and the provinces of Gazi Antep, Sanli Urfa, Adiyaman, Diyarbakir, Mardin, Siirt, Batman and Sirnak on the plains between the rivers.

The Ataturk Dam and Hydroelectric Plant, the largest in Turkey and the sixth largest in the world, is situated on the Firat River in the town of Bozova in Sanli Urfa. Ataturk Dam, which is the foundation of the Southeastern Anatolia Project, began operation in 1994 and is important, not only for energy production, but also for irrigation.

Ataturk Reservoir (GAP)

The water obtained from the reservoirs of the Ataturk Dam will be carried to the Harran plain by the Sanli Urfa Tunnel System, which is the largest in the world, in terms of length and rate of flow. The waters of the Firat (Euphrates) River passes through tunnels which are 26.4 kms in length and 7.62 ms in diam, and distributed to the vast crop lands of the southeastern Anatolian plains from central and branch channels, bringing a prosperity to the region.