The Nile River is the longest river in the world. It is 4160 miles (6,671 kilometers) long. It starts in Burundi and flows down to the Mediterranean Sea. It irrigates about 6 million acres of land in Egypt and about 2.75 million acres in Sudan. Some 60,000 years ago the Nile River began its yearly flooding of the land along its banks, leaving behind rich soil. Areas close to the flood plain became attractive as a source of food and water. The Nile Valley and the Nile Delta are among the most fertile farming areas.The Nile was the main highway of Egypt. There are three different parts of the Nile; the Nile, the White Nile, and the Blue Nile. The Egyptians depended on the Nile for water and for life. The farmers depended on the annual flooding to water their crops. The farmers each year knew when the Nile would rise, and planned ahead. To take advantage of the Nile, the people built irrigation channels to carry the water into the fields. They also built dams to hold back the water during droughts. Other than water, the Nile gave thick, black mud left behind in the flooding. The dark mud enriched the soil and made the farmland EXTREMELY productive. The Nile gave the people fish, ducks, geese, and other edible birds. Papyrus, a long, thin reed grew along the river banks. The papyrus was used for making baskets, boats, and light weight writing materials. |