The River Nile, which is 4404 miles long, runs through many African countries, including Egypt, Sudan and Rwanda, and is the longest river in the world. The Nile has two streams: the White Nile and the Blue Nile.
The White Nile
The White Nile is the smaller stream that makes the River Nile. It’s called the White Nile because the clay at the bottom of the river makes the water look pale. This part of the Nile flows from Rwanda to Khartoum, and is 2,300 miles (3,700 km) long.
The Blue Nile
The Blue Nile is the larger stream which makes the River Nile. This is the northern part of the Nile that starts at Ethiopia and flows north until reaching the Mediterranean Sea. The Blue Nile is between 910 and 990 miles (1,450-1,600 km) long, depending if you include the part which goes under the Ethiopian highlands.
How the Nile was important for Ancient Egyptians
The River Nile provided water for their crops. It was so important that if there was a drought, then there would be less food than usual, and people would starve.
Ancient Egyptians based their calendar on the River Nile’s flood cycles.
Where the River Nile’s name comes from
The Nile’s name comes from the Greek word Neilos, which means a valley or a river valley. Egyptians used to call the river Aur because when the river flooded, it turned black.
The Aswan High Dam
The Aswan High Dam was built in the 1960s and 1970s to make sure that villages and towns near the River Nile didn’t flood. At 3,830 metres (12,570 feet), it is one of the largest embankment dams in the world. The Egyptians built it with the help of the Soviet Union, or what is mostly now Russia.
Whilst the Egyptians were building the dam, they also created a reservoir called Lake Nasser. This lake is one of the largest man-made in the world and it’s depth goes up to 130 metres (430 feet).
River wildlife
The River Nile is home to plenty of wildlife, from the famous Nile crocodile and hippopotamus to less well-known animals such as the African tiger fish and the African Rock Python.
The Nile Crocodile is the second largest reptile on Earth, with males between 3 and 5 metres long and females being slightly smaller. Crocodiles will eat anything it can catch, including buffalo, zebra and fish.
Unlike crocodiles, hippos don’t eat other animals but will emerge from the water at sunset to munch on nearby grass. This doesn’t mean hippos aren’t deadly, as their large size means they can turn over boats.
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