Erech (Hebrew name ארך, meaning 'to extract' or 'raw out') according to the Book of Genesis, was an ancient city in the land of Shinar, the second city built by king Nimrod. The ancient city of Erech was one of the first cities established after the Biblical account of the Great Flood. Nimrod, a third generation descendant of Noah is credited with establishing this as one of the centers of the Babylon Kingdom. Erech was located in the alluvial plain area of southern Mesopotamia, between the Euphrates and Tigris rivers. Through the domestication of grains from the nearby Hilly Flanks region and extensive irrigation techniques, this arid terrain soon supported a vast variety of edible vegetation. The domestication of grains and proximity to the regions two great rivers increased the population of Erech to the regions largest, both in population and area. It has been estimated at its peak, Erech supported approximately 50,000 inhabitants with an area of just under 6 square miles. The inhabitants of the city soon began to refer to Erech as Uruk and now it is known as Warka, Iraq.