The Nile, Arabic النيل, an-Nīl, is Africa's longest river, and by most definitions the longest in the world.
Its drainage basin contains territory of Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea, South Sudan, Republic of the Sudan, and Egypt.
The White Nile springs from Lake Victoria, and the Blue Nile from Lake Tana in Ethiopia.
Understand
Most of the Nile flows in arid climate. In the Saharan desert of Egypt and northern Sudan, the Nile provides most of the available water for farming.
Ancient Egypt is one of the world's oldest civilizations, with its monuments being among the most famous human landmarks along the Nile. Upriver and contemporary with Ancient Egypt, Nubia was a neighbouring kingdom, which left behind equally impressive, if much less visited, monuments. Since the Roman conquest of the Nile delta, the river has been dominated by foreign empires for 2000 years; such as the Ottoman Empire and the British Empire.
Destinations
- 1 Khartoum, Sudan, the meeting of the Blue and White Nile. The confluence of the rivers is reportedly forbidden to photo, as it is considered a strategic point.
- 2 Aswan, Egypt, the site of the Aswan Dam.
- 3 Cairo, Egypt, the largest city along the Nile.
- 4 Alexandria, Egypt, the largest city in the Nile delta.
Do
- Felucca cruise on the Nile — a classic way of sailing down the Egyptian portion of the river.
See also
- Alexandria to Cape Town by train and bus — an itinerary the northern section of which closely follows the river
- Suez Route — a naval route which connects Europe with the Far East through the nearby Suez Canal and the Red Sea