Editing Geography of Syria (section)

===Eastern plateau===
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[[File:Syrian desert near Palmyra, Hills, Syria.jpg|thumb|left|Syrian desert near [[Palmyra]]]]
The entire eastern plateau region is intersected by a low chain of mountains, the Jabal ar Ruwaq, the Jabal Abu Rujmayn, and the [[Jebel Bishri]], extending northeastward from the Jabal Al Arab to the Euphrates. South of these mountains lies a barren desert region known as the [[Syrian Desert|Hamad]]. North of the Jabal ar Ruwaq and east of the city of Homs is another barren area known as the Homs Desert, which has a hard-packed dirt surface.

Northeast of the Euphrates, which originates in the mountains of Turkey and flows diagonally across Syria into Iraq, is the fertile [[Al-Jazira, Mesopotamia|Jazira]] region.  This region is watered by two tributaries to the Euphrates, the [[Balikh River|Balikh]] and the [[Khabur (Euphrates)|Khabur]]. The area underwent irrigation improvements during the 1960s and 1970s, and it provides substantial cereal and cotton crops. Oil and natural gas discoveries in the extreme northeastern portion of the Jazira have significantly enhanced the region's economic potential.