The Geography of the Nile

Chapter 3 Sec. #1

The Course of the Nile

• The Nile is the world’s longest river • The Blue Nile begins in Ethiopia and is one source of the Nile • The White Nile begins deep in Central Africa and is the other source of the Nile • Both rivers meet in Khartoum which begin the Nile’s journey north to the Mediterranean Sea

The Nile Through Ancient Nubia

• The Nubian section of the Nile contained 6 cataracts, or breaks in the river • Lower Nubia was located between the first and second cataract • These areas had little farm land

Ancient Nubia

• Farther South between the second and sixth cataracts is Upper Nubia, an area with more farmland • The farm land was a 2 mile strip on either side of the river

The Path of the Nile

• The Egyptian part of the Nile ran for 700 miles from the first cataract to the Mediterranean Sea • In the North, the Nile spread out to form a fertile, marshy area called Lower Egypt

The Delta

• At the end of the Nile in the North, the river split into several streams that flowed into the Mediterranean Sea • These streams were shaped like a triangle and are called the delta which contained rich farmland

The Gifts of the Nile

• In the spring water comes rushing down and carries rich soil called silt to the land • The Egyptians praised Hapi, the god of the Nile for providing food to its people

Black Land and Red Land

• Black land was the land that had fertile soil good for farming • Red land was the desert lands surrounding The Nile River protecting it from invaders • Egypt did not have to worry about invaders and enjoyed 2000 years of peace

Growth of Civilization Along the Nile • From 4000 B.C. communities appeared long the Nile • Nubians fished in the Nile because farming was difficult • The Nile was a highway for trade • The Red Sea was a link to Mesopotamia as well • Goods were brought by caravan and overland trade routes to towns in Egypt