The coastal periphery was home to some of the world's earliest known civilizations, each of them developing around fertile river valleys.
ðə kˈoʊstəl pɚɹˈɪfɚɹi wʌz hˈoʊm tə sˌʌm ʌvðə wˈɜːldz ˈɜːlɪɪst nˈoʊn sˌɪvɪlᵻzˈeɪʃənz, ˈiːtʃ əv ðˌɛm dɪvˈɛləpɪŋ ɚɹˈaʊnd fˈɜːɾəl ɹˈɪvɚ vˈælɪz.