|
WATER
CONTEXT

Turkey is located between 26 ° - 45 ° eastern
longitudes and 36 ° - 42 ° northern latitudes .
Borders of Turkey
|
The
Borders and Coastline of Turkey (km)
|
Bulgaria : 269
Greece : 203
Georgia : 276
Armenia : 328
Azerbaijan/Nakhichevan: 18
Iran : 560
Iraq : 384
Syria : 911
Total Length ofLland Borders:
2,949
|
Black Sea : 1,778
Sea of Marmara : 1,275
Aegean & Mediterranean: 4,763
Total Length of Coastline: 7,816
Total Borders & Coastline : 10,765
|
|
Note: Coastlines
of islands are not included. |
- Turkey posseses a
number of different characteristics in terms of
its geographical location. The total length of
its land borders and coastline is 10,765 km,
2,949 km of which are the land borders while
7,816 km are the coastline. Turkey has borders
with Greece and Bulgaria to the west, with
Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan/Nakhichevan, and
Iran to the east, and with Iraq and Syria to the
south.
- The border with
Bulgaria ( 269 km) extends from the
mouth of the Rezve Stream in the Black Sea to
the north west of Edirne. The border with
Greece( 203 km) extends along
the Meriç River, passing around Edirne and
Karaağaç and emptying into the Aegean Sea to the
west of Enez. The total length of the border
with Georgia( 276 km), the
border with Armenia( 328 km)
and Azerbaijan/Nakhichevan border
( 18 km) is 622 km, beginning from Sarp Village
and extending along the Arpaçay and Aras rivers.
The border with Iran ( 560 km)
follows the summits of high mountains with
extending up to the Kelsim Breach at the
beginning of the Iraq border. The border with
Iraq( 384 km) ends at the point where
the Tigris and Habur rivers meet after passing
through high and mountainous territory in the
vicinity of Hakkari. The border with
Syria( 911 km) runs immediately south
of the Baghdad Railway, reaching the
Mediterranean in Güvercinkaya.
- The average altitude (
1,132 m) of Turkey is higher than that ( 1,050
m) of Asia and three and a half times higher
than that ( 330 m) of Europe. The elevation of
Turkey increases from the west to the east. The
altitude of Ulus, the centre of Ankara, is 875
m. The altitude of plains in the eastern region
rises to 2,000 m.
- Turkey ’s surface area
is 780,000 km 2, namely 78 million hectares (Mha).
Excluding the total area of reservoirs and lakes,
Turkey’s land area is 769,600 km 2. Excluding
mountainous areas which cover a little more than
half of the total land area, Turkey has plains,
plateaux, steep and rugged land, and flat hills.
Plains of different altitudes covered with
alluvium amount to 19 Mha. Plateaux cover 8 Mha.
The total area of plains and plateaux is equal
to 27 Mha, which is 30% of Turkey’s land. Rugged
terrains with flat, wide hills amount to 10 Mha.
Since agricultural operations are often
relatively easy in these type of rugged terrains,
10 Mha might be added to 27 Mha as flat lands.
Therefore, Turkey has about 37 Mha of flat lands.
However, Turkey’s total agricultural area is
about 28 Mha. The General Population Census of
2000 indicates that Turkey has a population of
67.8 million in a total of 81 provinces. The
average population density is 88 persons per
square kilometer.
Rivers and Lakes
- Turkey
has about 120 natural lakes, including small
lakes in the mountains. The largest and deepest
lake is Lake Van with a surface area of 3,712 km
2 and an altitude of 1,646 m from sea level. The
second largest lake is Lake Tuz in central
Anatolia. Being relatively shallow, this lake is
at an altitude of 925 m from sea level and has a
surface area of 1,500 km 2. There are four main
regions where lakes are intensively dispersed:
The “Lakes District” (Eğirdir, Burdur, Beyşehir,
and Acıgöl Lakes), Southern Marmara (Sapanca,
İznik, Ulubat, and Kuş Lakes), Lake Van and its
environs, and Lake Tuz and its environs.
Although some of the lakes are only a few meters
in depth, some of them are of a depth of more
than 30 meters. The depth of Lake Van is more
than 100 m.
- Turkey
has 555 large dam reservoirs. The names and
surface areas (km2) of the large ones
are Atatürk (817), Keban (675), Karakaya (268),
Hirfanlı (263), Altınkaya (118), Kurtboğazı (6).
- Turkey
is rich in terms of streams and rivers. Many
rivers rise and empty into seas within Turkey’s
borders. Rivers can be classified in relation to
the sea into which they empty. The rivers
emptying into the Black Sea are the Sakarya,
Filyos, Kızılırmak, Yeşilırmak, and Çoruh. The
rivers emptying into Mediterranean Sea are the
Asi, Seyhan, Ceyhan, Tarsus, and Dalaman. The
rivers emptying into the Aegean Sea are the
Büyük Menderes, Küçük Menderes, Gediz, and
Meriç. The rivers empting into the Sea of
Marmara are the Susurluk/Simav, Biga, and Gönen.
The Euphrates and Tigris rivers empty into the
Gulf of Basra, while the Aras and Kura rivers
empty into the Caspian Sea. As far as the
lengths of the some major rivers are concerned,
the Kızılırmak is 1,355 km, Yeşilırmak is 519
km, Ceyhan is 509 km, Büyük Menderes is 307 km,
Susurluk is 321 km, the Tigris is 523 km, the
Euphrates River up to the Syrian border is 1,263
km, and the Aras River up to the Armenia border
is 548 km.
Climate
-
Turkey has a semi-arid
climate with some extremities in temperature.
Turkey is surrounded by seas on three sides and
high mountains stretching along the Black Sea
coast in the north and along the Mediterranean
Sea coast in the south. Distance from sea and
fluctuations in altitude result in climatic
variance within short distances. Temperature,
precipitation and winds vary, based on climatic
features. The difference in the north to the
south latitude (6 0) also plays a role in this
temperature change. The southern coastal fringes
enjoy the Mediterranean climate featuring hot,
dry summers and mild, rainy winters. The
northern coastal fringes are of the Black Sea
climate, which is mild and rainy in almost all
seasons. Surrounded by high mountains, Central
Anatolia features a steppe climate with little
precipitation and daily and yearly temperature
values differing significantly. Winters are long
and cold in Central and Eastern Anatolia, while
mild and short in coastal regions.
“Precipitation varies by far with respect to the region
and period.”
|
LAND
RESOURCES
|
|
|
Mha ( million
hectares) |
|
Arable
Land
Irrigable Land
Rainfed Agriculture
Economically
Irrigable
Presently Irrigated |
: 28.05
: 25.75
: 17.25
: 8.50
: 4.90
|
Land Resources
- Turkey
’s total land area is 78 Mha. Almost one third
of this, 28 Mha, can be classified as cultivable
land. Recent studies indicate that an area of
about 8.5 million ha is economically irrigable
under the available technology. Until now, an
area of about 2.8 million ha has been equipped
with irrigation infrastructures by DSİ.
Water Resources
|
Mean
Precipitation : 643 mm/m2
Turkey
’s Surface Area : 780,000 km 2
Annual
Water Resources Potential Bm ³ (billion
m ³ )A Precipitation Volume :
501
B
Evaporation : 274
C
Leakage into Groundwater : 69
D
Springs Feeding Surface Water : 28
E
Surface Water from Neighboring
Countries : 7
F=A-B-C+D+E
F Total
Surface Runoff (gross) : 193
G
Exploitable Surface Runoff : 98
H
Groundwater Safe Yield : 14
I=G+H
I Total
Potential (net) : 112
|
- The total water volume
in the world amounts to 1.4 billion km3,
97.5% of which is saline water in the oceans and
seas, 2.5% of which is fresh water in the rivers
and lakes. Due to fact that 90% of fresh water
exists in the South Pole and North Pole, human
beings have very limited readily exploitable
fresh water resources.
- Annual mean
precipitation in Turkey is 643 mm, which
corresponds to 501 Bm 3 (billion m 3) of annual
water volume in the country. A volume of 274 Bm
3 water evaporates from water bodies and soils
to atmosphere. 69 Bm 3 of volume of water leaks
into groundwater, whereas 28 Bm 3 is retrieved
by springs from groundwater contributing to
surface water. Also, there are 7 billion m 3
volume of water coming from neighboring
countries. Thus, total annual surface runoff
amounts to a volume of 193 Bm 3 of water.

- Including 41 (69-28)
Bm 3 net discharging into groundwater (covering
safe yield extraction, unregistered extraction,
emptying into the seas, and transboundary), the
gross (surface and groundwater) renewable water
potential of Turkey is estimated as 234 (193+41)
Bm 3. However, under current technical and
economic constraints, annual exploitable
potential has been calculated as 112 Bm 3 of net
water volume, as 95 Bm 3 from surface water
resources, as 3 Bm 3 from neighboring countries,
as 14 Bm 3 from groundwater safe
yield.
Water Resources versus Water Consumption Needs
of Population
-
Countries can be classified according to their
water wealth:
-
Poor: Annual water volume
per capita is less than 1,000 m3
-
Insufficient / Water Stress:
Annual water volume per capita is less than
2,000 m 3
-
Rich: Annual water volume
per capita is more than 8,000- 10,000 m3
-
Turkey is not a rich
country in terms of existing water potential.
Turkey is a water stress country according to
annual volume of water available per capita. The
annual exploitable amount of water has recently
been approximately 1,500 m 3 per capita.
- The
State Institute of Statistics (DİE) has
estimated Turkey’s population as 100 million by
2030. So, the annual available amount of water
per capita will be about 1,000 m 3 by 2030. The
current population and economic growth rate will
alter water consumption patterns. As population
increases, annual allocated available amount of
water per person will decrease. The projections
for future water consumption would be valid on
the condition that the water resources were
protected from pollution at least for the next
25 years. It is imperative that available
resources be evaluated rationally so as to
provide clean and sufficient water resources for
the next generation.
Planning Studies in Turkey
- Under the scope of
DSİ’ planning studies, the most appropriate
formulations of projects are prepared by using
long-term data collections and investigations.
- Data collection
activities in planning studies are implemented
with the coordination of different engineering
fields consisting of gauging, observation,
survey, soil and drainage, agricultural economy,
hydrology, environmental impact
assessment,
geology, mapping and material studies.
The Hydrometeorology network of DSİ comprises
the following stations; 1,114 river flow
measurement, 120 lake water level, 115 snow
level gauge, 452 meteorological and 1,000 water
quality measurement. From those stations,
hydrological and meteorological variables such
as river flows, groundwater and lake water
levels, sediment loads, water quality, amount of
precipitation, and evaporations are collected
and monitored.
DSİ’s River Flow and Lake Observation Stations
-
In 2003, 40.1 billion m 3 volume of water was
consumed in various sectors in Turkey; 29.6 billion
m 3 in the irrigation sector, 6.2 billion m 3 in the
water supply sector, 4.3 billion m 3 in the
industrial sector. This sum corresponds to
development of only 36.5% of the available
exploitable potential of 112 billion m 3. With
ongoing studies, it is aimed at using the maximum
portion of available potential in the country.
Hydraulic Structures in Turkey
- According to the standards
of ICOLD (International Committee on Large Dams),
providing a dam’s height from foundation is more
than 15 m or its reservoir volume is equal or more
than 3 hm 3, this dam is classified as a “large
dam”. As seen from the table below, the number of
large dams constructed by DSİ is 544. If eleven
large dams constructed by other institutions are
added to this, the total number amounts to 555 dams.
DSİ has built 201 large dams within the framework of
large-scale water projects, while the remaining 343
dams are within the framework of the smaller-scale
water projects. The total reservoir capacity of
these 212 large dams is about 139.5 km 3. The
details on water resources development can be seen
in the table:
 |
IN OPERATION |
UNDER CONSTRUCTION OR IN PROGRAM |
|
January 1,
2005 |
By DSİ
|
Other |
Total
|
By DSİ
|
Other
|
Total
|
|
DAM (unit)
|
544 |
11 |
555 |
209 |
1 |
210 |
|
(large-Scale Water
Projects) |
201
|
11
|
212
|
85
|
1
|
86
|
|
(Small-Scale Water
Projects) |
343
|
-
|
343
|
124
|
-
|
124
|
|
HEPP (unit)
|
53 |
82 |
135 |
53 |
17 |
70 |
|
(Installed Capacity-MW)
|
10,215 |
2,416 |
12,631 |
8,982 |
465
|
9,447 |
|
(Annual Generation-GWh) |
36,481 |
8,844 |
45,325 |
29,581 |
1,725 |
31,306 |
|
Small Dams (unit)
|
47 |
617* |
664 |
1 |
43* |
44 |
|
IRRIGATION (million
ha) |
2.77 |
2.12 |
4.89 |
0.8 |
- |
0.8 |
|
WATER SUPPLY (billion
m 3 ) |
2.50 |
0.46 |
2.96 |
1.09 |
- |
1.09 |
|
FLOOD CONTROL AREA
(million ha) |
1.0 |
- |
1.0 |
0.5 |
- |
0.5 |
(*)Small dams
built by the General Directorate of Rural Services (GDRS
abrogated now) for irrigation.
- According
to ICOLD standards, there are at present 555 large
dams, in Turkey. According to crest types, these
dams can be classified as follows:
- Rock or
earth-filled types: 537 dams
- Concrete
gravity types: 8 dams (Çubuk I, Elmalı II, Sarıyar,
Kemer, Gülüç, Porsuk, Arpaçay, Karacaören)
- Arch types
: 6 dams (Gökçekaya, Oymapınar, Karakaya, Gezende,
Sır, Berke)
- Composite (Concrete
Faced Rock-Fill Dam –CFRD or RCC) types: 4 dams
(Kürtün, Birecik, Karkamış, Keban)
|
Dams and Hydropower Plants Developed
by other Organizations
|
|
Name of the
Dam and HEPP |
Province
|
Year of
Completion |
Installed
Capacity
(MW)
|
Average Annual
Generation (GWh) |
Water Supply
(hm 3)
|
Irrigation
Area (ha) |
|
Berke |
Adana |
2001 |
510 |
1,668 |
|
|
|
Sarıyar |
Ankara |
1956 |
160 |
400 |
|
10,000 |
|
Manavgat |
Antalya |
1988 |
48 |
220 |
|
|
|
Karacaören II |
Burdur |
1993 |
47 |
206 |
|
|
|
Elmalı II |
İstanbul |
1955 |
|
|
2 |
|
|
Darlık |
İstanbul |
1988 |
|
|
108 |
|
|
Alaçatı |
İzmir |
1997 |
|
|
3 |
|
|
Sır |
K.Maraş |
1991 |
284 |
725 |
|
|
|
Kirazdere |
Kocaeli |
1999 |
|
|
142 |
|
|
Gülüç |
Zonguldak |
1966 |
|
|
6 |
|
|
Birecik |
Ş.Urfa |
2000 |
672 |
2,518 |
|
92,700 |
|
TOTAL |
|
|
1,721 |
5,737 |
261 |
102,700 |
Note: Run-off
river/canal hydroelectric power plants that have been
built by various companies and institutions are excluded
from this table.
- Total installed capacity (MW)
and annual average generation (GWh) of hydroelectric
power plants (run-off river HEPPs) completed by the
other organizations are 2,416 MW and 8,844 GWh
respectively . These values account for 20% of
Turkey’s current hydropower installed capacity
(12,631 MW) and annual hydroelectric generation
(45,325 GWh). The HEPPs put into operation by DSİ
generate 80% of Turkey’s current hydro energy needs.
According to DSİ’s investment program in 2005, there
is a total of 53 HEPPs, 24 of which will be realized
with bilateral agreements (6,136 MW and 20,203 GWh)
and 5 of which are to be realized with local bidding
(124 MW and 458 GWh), and the remaining 24 of which
are under construction (2,722 MW and 8,920 GWh). The
number of hydroelectric power plants being
constructed by other organizations under Law No.
3096 is 17 (465 MW and 1,725 GWh). These are being
built as Autoproducer or BOT (Build-Operate-Transfer)
models by the private sector.

-
Since its establishment in
1954, DSİ has made investments of US$ 33.5
billion, and the total benefit from these
projects realized by DSİ in the sectors of
energy, agriculture, services, and the
environment is estimated as US$ 81 billion.
These projects have made a more than two fold
contribution to the national economy when
considering their investment costs.
IN THE SECTOR OF
AGRICULTURE : US$ 39.0 billion
- IN THE SECTOR OF ENERGY :
US$ 30.0 billion
- IN THE SECTOR OF SERVICES
: US$ 12.0 billion
TOTAL : US$ 81.0 billion
|
DAMS & HEPPs
CONSTRUCTED AS LARGE-SCALE WATER PROJECTS
|
|
1.
Çubuk I
2.
Gölbaşı
3.
Gebere
4.
Elmalı II (*)
5.
Sarıyar (*)
6.
Seyhan
7.
Ayrancı
8.
Kemer
9.
Hirfanlı
10.
Demirköprü
11.
Sille
12.
May
13.
Mamasın
14.
Apa
15.
Seyitler
16.
Çubuk II
17.
Selevir
18.
Bayındır
19.
Cip
20.
Kızılsu
21.
Almus
22.
Kesikköprü
23.
Gülüç (*)
24.
Tatların
25.
Buldan
26.
Altınapa
27.
Kurtboğazı
28.
Akkaya
29.
Gümüşler
30.
Onaç I
31.
Altınyazı
32.
Akköy
33.
Sarımsaklı
34.
Sürgü
35.
Musaözü
36.
Gölköy
37.
Çaygören
38.
Damsa
39.
Kesiksuyu
40.
Alakır
41.
Kadıköy
42.
Kozan
43.
Kartalkaya
44.
Porsuk
45.
Enne
46.
Ömerli
47.
Devegeçidi
48.
Hasanlar
49.
Gökçekaya
50.
Atıkhisar
51.
Yalvaç
52.
Karamanlı
53.
Karaçomak
54.
K. Kalecik
55.
Tahtaköprü |
56.
Medik
57.
Çoğun
58.
Keban
59.
Korkuteli
60.
Dodurga
61.
Çorum
62.
Yapıaltın
63.
Maksutlu
64.
Kaymaz
65.
Afşar
66.
Ataköy
67.
Balçova
68.
Süloğlu
69.
Asartepe
70.
Karaidemir
71.
Hasanuğurlu
72.
Bozkır
73.
Sevişler
74.
Güzelhisar
75.
Suatuğurlu
76.
Kunduzlar
77.
Uluköy
78.
Alibey
79.
Doğancı
80.
Kültepe
81.
Demirtaş
82.
Gökçeada
83.
Arpaçay
84.
Boztepe
85.
Söğüt
86.
Topçam
87.
Aslantaş
88.
Berdan
89.
Alaca
90.
Belpınar
91.
Oymapınar
92.
Uluborlu
93.
Hasanağa
94.
Çamlıdere
95.
İvriz
96.
Yedikır
97.
Germeçtepe
98.
Kalecik
99.
Kozağacı
100.
Sarıbeyler
101.
Tayfur
102.
Kayalıköy
103.
Kozlu
104.
Ağcaşar
105.
Kayaboğazı
106.
Çatören
107.
B. Çekmece
108.
Karakaya
109.
Manavgat (*)
110.
Çakmak |
111.
Gödet
112.
Güldürecek
113.
Gölova
114.
Ketsel
115.
Kovalı
116.
Hancağız
117.
Zernek
118.
Altınkaya
119.
Geyik
120.
Gökçe
121.
Darlık (*)
122.
Tercan
123.
Altınhisar
124.
Kapulukaya
125.
Sarayözü
126.
Karacaören I
127.
Yarseli
128.
Hacıhıdır
129.
Ürkmez
130.
Uzunlu
131.
Mumcular
132.
Polat
133.
Kılıçkaya
134.
Menzelet
135.
Adıgüzel
136.
İkizcetepeler
137.
Yahyasaray
138.
Gezende
139.
Çavdarhisar
140.
Derbent
141.
Yapraklı
142.
Koçköprü
143.
Patnos
144.
Dumluca
145.
Gayt
146.
Mursal
147.
Çamköy
148.
Göksu
149.
Sarımehmet
150.
Sır (*)
151.
Atatürk
152.
Büyükorhan
153.
Eğrekkaya
154.
Sultansuyu
155.
Murtaza
156.
Beyler
157.
Gazibey
158.
Örenler
159.
Küre-Çatak
160.
Gelingüllü
161.
Seferihisar
162.
Sultanköy
163.
Kızılcapınar
164.
Karacaören II (*)
165.
Nergizlik |
166.
Kuzgun
167.
Demirdöven
168.
Kırklareli
169.
Yaylakavak
170.
Tahtalı
171.
Gönen
172.
Bayramiç
173.
Çavdır
174.
Çatalan
175.
Sazlıdere
176.
Alaçatı (*)
177.
Madra
178.
Çat
179.
Kralkızı
180.
Armağan
181.
Dicle
182.
Çamlıgöze
183.
Yenihayat
184.
Karaova
185.
Erzincan
186.
Bademl
187.
Özlüce
188.
Yayladağ
189.
Sıddıklı
190.
Bakacak
191.
Batman
192.
Çamgazi
193.
Akyar
194.
Yenice
195.
Karkamış
196.
Kirazdere (*)
197.
Çayboğazı
198.
Sorgun
199.
Birecik (*)
200.
Kızıldamlar
201.
Gökpınar
202.
Palandöken
203.
Berke (*)
204.
Derinöz
205.
Kürtün
206.
İmranlı
207.
Küçükler
208.
Ayhanlar
209.
Dört Eylül
210.
Bahçelik
211.
Suğla Dep
212.
Koruluk |
- With the
budget allocation for 2005, DSİ needs 19 years to
complete the projects in its investment program. For
the full development of the water projects in Turkey,
as seen in the table below, US$ 71.5 billion is
needed for completion of the remaining projects.
Considering development rates in the country, there
is still much work to do in the water sector. By
taking into account the investment budget of DSİ (annual
US $1.65 billion), it is estimated that the
completion of the works (US$ 71.5 billion budget) to
be realized by DSİ could only be possible in the
next 44 years.
DEVELOPMENT OF IRRIGATION, HYDROPOWER, AND WATER
SUPPLY SECTORS IN TURKEY
|
|
IN OPERATION
AS OF 2005
|
ULTIMATE GOALS
BY 2030
|
EACH SECTOR’S DEVELOPMENT RATES
|
|
DEVELOPMENT OF
IRRIGATION |
4.9 million ha |
8.5 million ha |
58% |
|
DEVELOPMENT OF
HYDROELECTRIC
ENERGY |
45.3 billion kWh |
127.3 billion kWh |
36% |
|
DEVELOPMENT OF
WATER SUPPLY FOR DOMESTIC AND INDUSTRIAL USE |
10.5 billion m 3 |
38.5 billion m 3
|
27% |
- In
conclusion, the distribution of precipitation in
Turkey is rather uneven. The average annual
precipitation ranges from less than 250 mm in
inland areas to 2,500 mm in parts of the Eastern
Black Sea coast. Though Turkey generally has
adequate amounts of water, it is not always in
the right place and at the right time to meet
present and anticipated needs. The rivers have
generally irregular regimes and natural flows
cannot always be diverted directly. The average
annual precipitation, evaporation, and surface
runoff vary with respect to time and geography.
Approximately 70% of total precipitation falls
from October to March; there is little effective
rain during the summer months. Therefore, it is
necessary to have storage facilities in order to
ensure domestic, industrial and agricultural
supply, and hydropower generation. In addition,
dams make a considerable contribution to control
the floods and erosion.
- The
water resources development projects of DSİ are
accepted as crucially important works for the
improvement of the welfare and happiness of the
people in the country. It is a well-known fact
that the main source of daily food, drinking
water, and electricity depend on water resources
development projects. That is why Turkey has to
develop all of her water potential to maintain
adequate living standards for the people.
-
Agriculture in Turkey heavily depends on
climatic conditions, the adverse effects of
which can only be minimized by developing
hydraulic structures. DSİ contributes to the
development of agriculture in which 35% of
Turkey’s population is employed by investing
mostly in development of irrigation sector. As
the production and consequently the income of
our farmers increases because of irrigation
development, there are further inputs to agro-industries.
Because of this, water resources development has
a crucial role to play in the socioeconomic
development of Turkey. Thus, DSİ’s investments
in hydropower, which is a national source of the
electricity needed by industry are important in
that they are able to lessen the rate of
migration to the cities and to decrease the
unemployment in the country.
- DSİ
needs a certain amount of financing to complete
its planned projects in the sectors of energy,
agriculture, services, and environment by 2030.
This additional financing requirement is
estimated at US$ 71.5 billion (as 27.5 in
agriculture, 21.0 in energy, 20.0 in services,
and 3.0 in environment). With the completion of
these planned projects, Turkey foresees to have
US$ 27.8 billion worth of gross income annually.
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