The River Nile is the world’s longest river and stretches approximately 6,650 kilometers (over 4,130 miles) through Norther Africa before reaching the Mediterranean Sea. Its drainage basin covers eleven countries: the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea, South Sudan, Sudan, and Egypt.
This majestic river has played a central role in the development, sustenance, and culture of some of the earliest civilizations in human history, including that of ancient Egypt. Today, it remains one of the most iconic natural wonders of the world and plays a vital role in the livelihoods of millions of people.
The River Nile symbolizes both the challenges and the opportunities that come with managing natural resources in a changing global landscape. As it flows through diverse landscapes and cultures, the Nile continues to be a source of inspiration, conflict, and cooperation among the nations along its banks.
Tributaries
The Nile is traditionally considered to have two major tributaries:
- The White Nile, which is the longer of the two, begins in the Great Lakes region of central Africa, with many considering its most distant source to be the Ruvyironza River, a tributary of the Kagera River in Burundi. It flows northward through Tanzania, Lake Victoria, Uganda, and South Sudan.
- The Blue Nile starts at Lake Tana in Ethiopia and flows into Sudan from the southeast. The two rivers meet near the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, where they merge to form the main Nile River. During the raindy season, roughly 85% av the water in the Nile comes from the Blue Nile.
The White Nile in South Sudan
- The White Nile enters South Sudan just south of Nimule. In this region, it is called Bahr al Jaba which means River of the Mountain.
- Just south of Nimule, the Achwa River merges with the White Nile. Another notable confluence is by the small lagoon Lake No, where the river Bahr al Ghazal joins Bahr al Jaba. Below this point, the river is called Bahr al Abyad, which means White River.
- At Mongalla, the flow rate for Bahr al Jabal is fairly constant throughout the year. The average is 1,048 cubic metres per second.
- After Mongalla, the Bahr al Jabal enters Sudd; a vast swamp in South Sudan. Sudd is one of the world’s largest wetlands and the largest freshwater wetland in the Nile Basin. It was declared a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance in 2006. Roughly 50% of the water brought to Sudd by Bahr al Jabal do not continue downstream, as it is lost to evaporation and transpiration in the wetland.
- As the White Nile leaves the Sudd, its flow rate is much slower than at Mongalla. On average, it is just 510 cubic metres per second.
- After Sudd, the White Nile gets a refill of water from the rivers Sobat and Malakal. Near Malakal, just below the Sobat River, the average flow is roughly 925 cubic metres per second. The month with the largest flow is October, for which the average exceeds 1,200 cubic metres per second.
The Nile Delta
The Nile Delta is located in Lower Egypt, where the River Nile spreads out before reaching the Mediterranean Sea. This is one of the largest river deltas in the world. Measured from Alexandria in the west to Por Said in the east, it stretches over 240 km, and – depending on where you consider the delta to start – it is roughly 160 km from south to north. The generally accepted definition is that the delta starts slightly down-river from Cairo.
The Nile is a so-called ”arcuate” delta, since it is arc-shaped. It resembles a triangle from above.
Distributaries
The delta can be divided into two sections, as there are to main distributaries – one reaches the Mediterranean at the port city Damietta and the other one does it at the port city Rosetta.
In the past, the Nile had many more distributaries than today. Both flood control, silting and changing relief has had an impact and served to reduce the number of distributaries. One example is Wadi Tumilat. In prehistory, it was a distributary. Today, it is a 50 km long river valley that only a very small amount of water flows through.
Population
Almost 40 million people live in the Nile Delta region. The largest city, Alexandria, is home to an estimated 4.5 million of them. Examples of other major cities in the delta region are Shubra El Kheima, Port Said, El Mahalla El Kubra, Mansura, Tanta, and Zagazig.
(Cairo is not considered a delta city, as it is located just before the official start of the delta region.)
Fauna
Many different species of bird live in the delta, such as grey heron, cormorant, egret, ibis, little gulls, and whiskered terns. The delta is also home to turtles, tortoises, and Nile monitors.
In prehistory and antiquity, the delta was rich in hippopotamus and Nile crocodiles, but they are not found here anymore.
Aswan Dam impact
Since the construction of the Aswan Dam, the delta reives much less sediments from uppstream. This means less nutrients and the soils of the floodplains have become poorer. Also, the outer edges of the delta are eroding, and when the coastal lagoons get a bigger opening to the Mediterranean the salinity of their water goes up.
The Suez Canal
The famous Suez Canal is found east of the delta, and enters the coastal lake Manzala north-east of the delta.
Historical significance of the Nile
The Nile has been the lifeline of civilizations and peoples in northeastern Africa for thousands of years, providing essential resources such as water, food, and transportation. It facilitated the agricultural practices that sustained the ancient Egyptian civilization, enabling it to develop into one of the world’s most well-known ancient cultures. The river’s annual flooding deposited nutrient-rich silt along its banks, creating fertile land for growing crops. Ancient Egyptians revered the Nile as a god, and it played a central role in their mythology and religion. The river was crucial for trade and communication, helping to establish Egypt as a powerful entity in the ancient world.
Modern importance of the Nile
Today, the Nile continues to be a vital resource for agriculture, drinking water, and hydroelectric power for millions of people. The Aswan High Dam in Egypt, completed in the 1970s, regulates floodwaters, generates power, and provides water for irrigation. However, the dam also has had environmental and cultural impacts, including the displacement of communities and changes to the river’s ecosystem.
The Nile also faces challenges related to climate change, water pollution, and management disputes among the countries through which it flows. The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), currently under construction on the Blue Nile, has been a source of tension, particularly between Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia, due to concerns over water availability and control.
Exploration and the Nile
The Nile has intrigued explorers for centuries, with many attempting to discover its source. The exploration of the Nile’s sources in the 19th century by figures such as Richard Francis Burton, John Hanning Speke, David Livingstone, and Henry Morton Stanley was a significant chapter in the history of exploration.
The Nile in culture
The Nile holds a prominent place in literature, music, and art, symbolizing fertility, life, and renewal. It is featured in numerous works of ancient and modern literature and continues to inspire artists and writers around the world.