G.A.P. Plans To Irrigate 1.7 Million Hectares Land

SANLIURFA (A.A) - 28.07.2002 - When the Southeast Development Project (GAP) which is the biggest investment of Turkey is completed, a total of 1.7 million hectares of land is planned to be irrigated and an employment opportunity will be provided for 3.5 million people.
GAP Regional Development Administration Regional Office officials said on Sunday that 63 percent of the total population in GAP region (6.6 million) live in cities and the remaining 37 percent live in rural areas.
When the project is completed, Turkey plans to control 28.5 percent of its total water with the facilities on Fýrat (Euphrates) and Dicle (Tigris) rivers.
The dams in GAP are believed to produce 27 billion kilowatthours of hydroelectric energy annually.
The total hydroelectric production in Karakaya, Ataturk, Kralkizi, Karkamis, Dicle and Birecik dams reached 184 billion kilowatthours until 2002. GAP dams which undertake 50 percent of Turkey's total hydroelectric production, meets 9.3 percent of the country's total energy production.
With the high agricultural and industrial potential the economic reveneu in the region is expected to increase and business opportunity for nearly 3.5 million people will be created.