Geography
What is special about the River Nile?
Quick answer
The Nile is a river in Africa, about 6,650 kilometres long. It flows north through Uganda, Sudan and Egypt to the Mediterranean Sea and is usually named the world's longest river.
In one sentence
The Nile is a very long river in north-east Africa that has supported farming and cities for thousands of years.
Explained
The Nile is about 6,650 kilometres long, and it is usually counted as the longest river in the world, although some people argue that the Amazon is longer. It flows north, which surprises many people. Rivers flow downhill, and the Nile's sources lie in the high ground of the south.
boat
camel
wave
The Nile has two main branches. The White Nile starts in the lakes region of central Africa, including Lake Victoria. The Blue Nile begins in the Ethiopian Highlands, and it brings most of the water and mud in the flood season. The two meet at Khartoum, the capital of Sudan. From there the river flows through the desert, passing Egypt's cities of Aswan, Luxor and Cairo. Near the Mediterranean Sea it splits into many channels to form a green, fan-shaped delta. Eleven countries share the Nile's basin.
The Nile has always mattered to people. Egypt gets very little rain, but each summer the river used to flood and leave a layer of fertile black mud. Farmers grew wheat, flax and papyrus reeds on the banks, and that allowed ancient Egypt to flourish. Even today, nearly all Egyptians live close to the river. The Aswan High Dam, finished in 1970, now controls the floods, creates Lake Nasser, and provides electricity.
Wildlife along the Nile includes Nile crocodiles, hippos and many birds. People fish, farm, travel and visit temples along the banks. The river is a good example of how a river provides water for drinking and crops and acts as a road. Learn more about how rivers work in rivers, and about the continent in Africa.
Examples
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Length | about 6,650 km |
| Source areas | Lake Victoria region, Ethiopian Highlands |
| Meeting place | Khartoum, Sudan |
| Mouth | a delta on the Mediterranean Sea |
| Big dam | Aswan High Dam |
Common mistakes
- "Rivers cannot flow north." They flow downhill, whichever direction that is.
- "The Nile only flows through Egypt." Its basin covers eleven countries.
- "The Nile is the only river in Egypt." There are no other major rivers.
Quick quiz
The River Nile
Check what you know with 4 quick questions.
Question 1 of 4
In which direction does the Nile flow?
Practise it
Try it
Countries and continents practice
For grown-ups
Related topics
Rivers
A river is a large stream of fresh water that flows downhill from its source, often in hills or mountains, to its mouth at a sea, lake or another river.
Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest continent, with 54 countries, the Sahara Desert, the River Nile, the Congo rainforest and savannas full of wildlife.
Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt was a great civilisation along the River Nile that lasted about 3,000 years. It is famous for pharaohs, pyramids, hieroglyphs and mummies.
The Amazon River
The Amazon is a huge river in South America that carries more water than any other river on Earth. It flows about 6,400 km from the Andes across Brazil to the Atlantic Ocean.
Antarctica
Antarctica is the frozen continent around the South Pole. It is the coldest, windiest and driest continent, covered by ice, and has no permanent residents.
Asia
Asia is the largest continent, covering about a third of the world's land and holding around 60 percent of its people. It has Mount Everest, the Himalayas and the most populous countries.