The Tigris and Euphrates trace their sources to the mountain ranges of Armenia and Turkey. The Tigris, to the east, runs 1,848 km before it joins the Euphrates from the west for nearly 110 km before emptying into the Persian Gulf. Capital cities of the ancient Assyrian empire, such as Nineveh, Calah and Asshur, once dotted the shores of the Tigris. The modern capital of Iraq, Baghdad, stands today on this river. The Euphrates, the largest river in the region, often referred to as simply "the River" in the Old Testament (e.g. Deuteronomy 11:24, the Hebrew does not contain the name "Euphrates"), runs for 2,871 km, most of its course is navigable by boats and ideal for trade and transport. The ancient cities of Carchemish, Mari, Babylon and Ur were situated on its banks.