Kura River - Definition and Overview

Kura (Georgian Mtkvari, Azerbaijani Kür) is a river in the Caucasus Mountains. Starting in the Eastern Turkey (formerly Georgian province of Tao), it flows through Turkey to Georgia, then to Azerbaijan, where it receives Araks river as a right tributary, and enters the Caspian Sea. The total length of the river is 1,364 km.

The name Kura is taken from the name Kurosh which is the Persian pronounciation of the name of the Persian king Cyrus the Great. In ancient western documents this river was known as Cyrus. The Georgian name of Kura is Mtkvari, meaning "slow one". The name Kura was adopted first by the Russians and later by the European cartographers.

Previously navigable up to Tbilisi in Georgia, it is now much slower and shallower, as its power has been harnessed by hydroelectricity stations. The river is moderately polluted by major industrial centers like Tbilisi and Rustavi in Georgia.

Should not be confused with Kura river near Kursk, Russia.

External link

Kura (http://www.bartleby.com/65/ku/Kura.html)

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