Trifter

The Nile River is located on the continent of Africa and is the longest river in the world. It has two main tributaries, the Blue Nile and the White Nile and is 4,135 miles long. The Nile River drains about 10% of all of Africa’s yearly rain and snowfall. Its name is from the Greek word “Nelios” meaning River Valley.

Image Source

The main source of the Nile River is considered to be Lake Victoria though the lake has its own feeder rivers and streams which could also be considered the source. The Nile River flows into the Mediterranean Sea and is known for flowing north whereas many rivers flow south. Ten different African nations are connected to the Nile River including Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Egypt and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Image Source

The country most connected to the Nile historically is of course Egypt though only 22% of the Nile River flows though Egypt today. Almost the entire ancient Egyptian civilization was located around and depended upon the Nile River. The Egyptians depended on the Nile flooding every year to make their land fertile so they could produce annual harvests to support their population. They even had a god named Hapi who was known as the Nile God and was celebrated each year for causing the flooding.

The Nile River made trade easy and lively for the Ancient Egyptians and was the main reason their civilization flourished for thousands of years.

Image Source

The Nile River is home to many different types of wildlife including the Nile Crocodile which is the largest crocodile in Africa.

Image via Wikipedia

Hippopotamus, soft-shelled turtles, lizards and 15 species of venomous snakes also live in the Nile River habitat. The Nile River is home to many different types of fish including the Nile Perch which can weigh up to 175 pounds, the tiger fish, lungfish, catfish, mudfish and eel. Ibises, cranes, eagles and many other types of bird species can found along the Nile.

Today many people take Nile River cruises and one can see some of the great sites of Egypt along its banks.

Image via Wikipedia

Cairo, Gondokoro, Khartoum, Aswan, Thebes/Luxor and Karnak all lie along the Nile. There are four major dams along the Nile River today and they are Roseires Dam, Sennar Dam, Aswan High Dam, and Owen Falls Dam.

Image Source

The Nile River is still a vibrant hub for life today.

Image Source