When it comes to human history and ancient civilizations, there is one river that has continued to be in the books as being crucial. This is none other than the Nile River. The river is noted for being historic for several reasons including those who used to reside along the banks and how those civilizations used this river to their advantage. With thousands of years of history, it is important to dig deeper and better understand the history behind this river in Egypt and why it draws in so many people. If you are thinking of going to the river Nile then I would highly recommend looking at MS Commodore Nile cruise.
Geography And Stats
It’s best to start with the location as the Nile River is situated heading towards the north of Africa and tends to link to the Mediterranean Sea. This includes going through Egypt and other nations such as Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. It has noteworthy features such as Lake Albert and Lake Victoria or the Blue Nile Falls.
There are three specific tributaries linked to the Nile – the Blue Nile, the Atbara River, and the White Nile. A lot of research has been done on the tributaries and some facts are still unknown as to the main sources. Theorists state the starting point is near Burundi and/or Rwanda for these tributaries. Due to this link, the Nile is the longest river on the planet and the White Nile contributes 20% of the water that flows into the river. The Blue Nile begins in Ethiopia and Sudan before counting near the north of Khartoum. While the Atbara River begins near Lake Tana.
While accurate measurements are difficult, the Nile is measured to be approximately 6,650 kilometres in length. This is why it is the longest river in the world. Although, some theorists state there is a case for the Amazon River being a bit longer even though it is narrower. Other rivers carry a lot more water even if they are not as long as the Nile River such as the Congo River, which has more than 95% of the Nile’s Water.
Prehistoric Details
The Nile is one of the oldest known rivers in the world and was noted 31 million years ago. Based on history, the river was even longer than it is right now. This included Lake Tanganyika draining into the Nile along northern Zambia. Over time, this was cut off due to the Virunga Mountains near Rwanda’s border.
Most people link the Nile River with Egypt as Ancient Egypt was shaped based on the river’s presence. There was a time when the river never went through Egypt and was instead going through Libya into the Gulf of Sidra. This was changed as the sea levels rose and then linked with Egypt.
The Value Of The Nile River In Ancient Egypt
This river is important for many reasons both geographically and culturally. The ancient cities and landmarks were built near the river and that shaped a lot of the world’s history including transport, fishing, bathing, drinking, and recreation. Advanced Irrigation systems were also developed due to this river, which made growing crops easier. This is something that continued to sustain their civilization for years to come and that is why it holds such value for the locals.
At the time, the desert crop was hard to maintain and that is why the Nile River became important to ancient Egypt. They needed fresh water and that was flowing from the Nile River. As time went on and more developments arose by the civilization, the importance of this river become increasingly noticeable. This is why it is continually linked to the region when tourists visit in the modern age. The history there is exceptional and it starts with how the Nile River was used.
