Diyala River

The Diyala River (Arabic: نهر ديالى, Persian: دیاله, Kurdish: Sirwan, سيروان) is a river and tributary of the Tigris that runs through Kurdistan Iran and Iraq. It covers a total distance of 445 km (275 miles).

It rises near Sanandaj, in the Zagros Mountains of Iran. It then descends through the mountains, where for some 32 km it forms the international border between the two countries. It finally feeds into the Tigris below Baghdad.

Its origin in Kurdistan and Iran is called Sirwan that means roaring sea, shouting river, it is a name of an ancient city near Ilam city in Iran too. Navigation along the upper reaches of the Diyala is not possible because of its narrow defiles, but the river's valley provides an important trade route between Iran and Iraq.

The river is controlled by a dam on the lower Diyala valley, which controls floods and irrigates the area northeast of Baghdad.

The Diyala Governorate in Iraq is named after the river.

See also

• List of places in Iraq