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Seyhan River

The 722nd longest river in the world

560 km

The Seyhan River (formerly written Seihan, Sihun, ancient name: Ancient, Sáros), alternatively known as Sarus (or in Turkish as Sarus Su), is the longest river of Cilicia and the longest of Turkey that flows into the Mediterranean Sea. The river is 560 kilometres (350 mi) long and flows southwest from its headwaters in the Tahtalı-Mountains (in Sivas and Kayseri provinces) in the Anti-Taurus Mountains to the Mediterranean Sea via a broad delta. Its main tributaries are Zamantı and Göksu, which unite in Aladağ, Adana to form the Seyhan River. The Zamantı River originates from the Uzun Plateau in Pınarbaşı, Kayseri and crosses Tomarza, Develi and Yahyalı districts in Kayseri. Its sources were reported being in the Taurus Mountains in Cataonia. It flowed through Cappadocia by the town of Comana, then through Cilicia. It is noted by numerous ancient authors including Livy, Xenophon, Procopius, Strabo, Ptolemy, Appian, Pliny the Elder, and Eustathius of Thessalonica who erroneously calls it Sinarus. At 50 kilometres (31 mi) from its mouth, Seyhan River flows through the city of Adana, the only settlement situated on the river. Several bridges and footbridges cross the river in Adana including the Stone Bridge, a 2nd-century Roman bridge. Ancient city of Augusta was also situated on the river, corresponding today to the east side of the Çatalan reservoir. The river meets the Mediterranean Sea at Cape Deli. Its basin is the mountainous Seyhan Basin.

Flows through: Turkey.

River data from Wikidata (CC0); lengths normalised to a common unit.

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