<P> The Fertile Crescent (also known as the cradle of civilization) is a crescent - shaped region containing the comparatively moist and fertile areas of what is an otherwise arid and semi-arid Western Asia, the Nile Valley and Nile Delta . It was created by the inundations of the surrounding Nile, Euphrates, and Tigris rivers . Having originated in the study of ancient history, the concept soon developed and today retains meanings in international geopolitics and diplomatic relations . </P> <P> The Fertile Crescent includes Mesopotamia, the land in and around the Tigris and Euphrates rivers; and the Levant, the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea . The modern - day countries with significant territory within the Fertile Crescent are Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Cyprus, Jordan, Israel, Palestine, Egypt, as well as the southeastern fringe of Turkey and the western fringes of Iran . </P>

Why were the achievements of the peoples of the fertile crescent so important