We explain what the Nile River is, its history and geography. Also, what are its general characteristics, its flora and fauna.
What is the Nile River?
The Nile River is the longest watercourse in Africawith a length of approximately 6,650 kilometers, and the second longest in the world after the Amazon River.
It flows through the territory of eleven countries and empties into the Mediterranean Sea, in the so-called Nile delta. In the latter are the cities of Cairo, the capital of Egypt, and Alexandria, the second most populated city in the country. It is estimated that Approximately 40 million people live in the Nile Delta..
The Nile River basin is one of the largest in the world with a total area of approximately 3,400,000 square kilometers. Spreads across 11 countries: Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Eritrea. The main tributaries of the Nile are the White Nile, which originates in Uganda, and the Blue Nile, which originates in Ethiopia.
The Nile River basin covers approximately 10% of the surface of Africa.. It is estimated that this basin is home to more than 160 million people who depend on its water resources for their livelihood, food and economic activities.
The population that uses the waters of the Nile River is very diverse and includes different ethnic groups and communities living in rural and urban areas along the river. These people depend on the river for activities such as agriculture, fishing, hydroelectric energy production, tourism and river transportation.
Its name comes from Arabic 'ni-l which in turn inherits it from the Greek Neilos or from the Semitic root Nahal which means “valley” or “river valley.”
See also: Red Sea
Geological origin of the Nile River
The Nile River is believed to have originated about 30 million years ago, during the Oligocene period, when The African plate began to move north and collided with the Eurasian plate. This collision created an uplift in the terrain that became a series of mountains known as the Moon Mountains or Rwenzori Mountains, in modern-day Uganda.
Over time rainwater melting from the mountains began to flow and formed small streams that joined together to form the Nile River. As the Nile flowed north it created a deep valley through the desert and began depositing sediment on the delta's alluvial plain, which has led to the formation of the fertile plain of the Nile delta.
Over the past millennia, the Nile River has witnessed many climatic and geological changes with alternating periods of drought and periods of massive floods.
History of the Nile River
The historical importance of the Nile has to do with the emergence of Ancient Egypt, one of the oldest and most important civilizations. For 3,000 years The Egyptian Empire prospered in the central and lower Nile regionuntil its conquest and annexation by the Roman Empire in the year 30 BC. c.
In the history of Ancient Egypt the Nile River played a vital role. Its recurrent floods and Its river wealth guaranteed very fertile lands that did not require intense agricultural work.. This allowed the Egyptians to engage in other cultural, military or religious activities. Furthermore, river circulation made it possible to transport the resources obtained in the desert regions of the south to the most important cities of the empire in the north.
See also: Rivers
River system of the Nile basin
The Nile River is made up of different river systems or stages:
- The blue Nile. It is born in Ethiopia, in Lake Tana. It receives that name from the dark, bluish color of its waters. Its main tributaries are the Abbay, Atbara and Dinder rivers.
- The white Nile. It is born in Lake Victoria, in Kenya. Its name is due to the whitish color of its waters due to the large amount of sediment and clay it transports. It joins the Blue Nile in the city of Khartoum, capital of Sudan. Its main tributaries are the Sobat, Baro and Bahr el Ghazal rivers.
- The middle Nile. It covers the basin area from Khartoum, where the White Nile and the Blue Nile converge, and the city of Aswan, in Egypt. This section of the river crosses a desert region with very low rainfall, which causes its flow to decrease considerably. Additionally, in this section there are important waterfalls or waterfalls that make navigation and transportation through its waters difficult.
- The lower Nile. It covers from Aswan to its mouth into the Mediterranean Sea. It is the most fertile region of the Nile, since the river deposits sediments rich in nutrients and forms a wide valley that allows the practice of intensive agriculture.
The Nile Delta
The Nile Delta constitutes the mouth of the Nile River into the Mediterranean Sea. It is located in northern Egypt and extends over an area of approximately 24,000 km².
The Nile delta is formed by the arms of the river that divide into several channelswhich in turn form numerous islands. The delta is divided into two parts: the western and the eastern. The western one, on the left bank of the river, extends from Cairo to the city of Rosetta. The eastern one, on the right bank, extends from Cairo to the city of Port Said.
The Nile Delta It is a very fertile region due to the annual flooding of the riverwhich deposit nutrient-rich sediments into the soil. This allows the production of a wide variety of crops such as cotton, rice, sugar cane, vegetables and fruits.
In the Nile Delta there are also important cities such as Cairo, the capital of Egypt, and Alexandria, the second largest city in the country, as well as very important ports for maritime trade such as Port Said, Damietta, Rosetta, Abu Qir and Dekheila.
Flora and fauna of the Nile River
The Nile basin is home to numerous endogenous species that can only be found in this river. In the region of Lake Victoria, where one of the sources of the Nile is located, the climate is humid and warm, which is why tropical forests and jungles develop with a great variety of animal and plant species.
As the river moves north, the climate becomes more arid and only flora adapted to drought conditions is found. The greatest biodiversity is found in the delta region, at its mouth. The plants used by the ancient Egyptians to make the first papers or papyrus (Cyperus papyrus) grow in the region. In addition, there are various types of bamboo, banana trees and trees such as ebony.
As for the fauna, There are about 129 species of fish on the Nileof which at least 26 cannot be found in other bodies of water. Additionally, it is home to the famous Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) and the Nile Monitor (Varanus niloticus), and is the nesting site of the loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta).
Nile economic activities
Agriculture remains the most important economic activity in the Nile basinas it has been for more than 5000 years. This is especially true in Egypt and Sudan, where the fertile lands of the delta allow the production of crops such as cotton, wheat, rice and sugar cane.
Fishing is another important activity, especially in Uganda, Kenya and Sudan. Cattle, sheep and goat farming practiced near the Nile River are also important for the region's economy, especially for Sudan.
Finally, tourism is also a very important economic activity. Millions of tourists a year come to the Nile Delta to see the pyramids of Egypt. You can also do adventure tourism and rafting in the waters of the river.
Pollution of the Nile River
Pollution of the Nile River is mainly caused by human activities that are carried out in its basin such as intensive agriculture, livestock, industrial activity and mining. The discharge of untreated sewage, the disposal of solid waste, and the use of pesticides and other toxic chemicals pollute the water and affect the health of people and animal life that depends on the river.
Furthermore, the fact that Almost all the important cities in the region are located on its banks return to the Nile River the depository of urban and sewage waste of millions of people.
Pollution of the Nile River also has economic consequences. Fishing and agriculture are two of the main activities in the region, but Water pollution has negatively affected the quality and quantity of fishery and agricultural products. In addition, tourism, another important source of income, has also been affected in recent years by the advance of river pollution.
See more: Ecological footprint
The Aswan Dam
The Aswan Dam is a hydraulic work located on the Nile River in the city of Aswan, Egypt. It was built in 1970 with the aim of regulate river flow, protect Egypt from flooding and improve irrigation in the region. In addition, the dam produces most of the electrical energy used in the country.
The dam has a height of 111 meters and a length of 3,830 meters. Its artificial lake, Lake Nasser, is one of the largest in the world, with a surface area of 5,250 km² and a storage capacity of 169 billion cubic meters of water.
References
- Egypt.net (sf). The Aswan Dam. Egypt
- Flamarique, L. (2019). The Nile already existed 30 million years ago. LaVanguardia
- Flores, J (2023). The Nile, sacred river of Egypt. National Geographic. National Geographic
- Portillo, G (sf). Nile River. MeteorologyOnNet
