20+ Nile River Facts You Must See! (Free Printables)

The Nile River has contributed much to human history and continues to do so. Millions of lives depend on this river to live.

This river provides essentials, such as freshwater food and transportation, for numerous people. It is the major north-flowing river in northeastern Africa and flows into the Mediterranean Sea. 

This is the longest river in Africa and is the primary water source of several countries, including Egypt, South Sudan, and Sudan. In this article, we will explore some amazing facts about the Nile River.

Interesting Nile River Facts:

The Nile Is the Longest River in Africa

The Nile River is known as the longest river in Africa. Historically, it has been regarded as the longest river in the world. However, several researchers have contested this thought, indicating that the Amazon River is a little longer.

The Nile is about 4130 miles or 6650 km long. It flows from the Great Lakes of Africa, crosses the Sahara Desert, and enters the Mediterranean Sea.

Unlike any other river, the Nile covers eleven countries and drains almost 10% of Africa. However, the claims have still not been confirmed.

Egypt’s Civilization Has Thrived Along the Nile River.

The Nile River is the most significant in the evolution and history of Egyptian civilization. It flows throughout Egypt and is the country’s major water source.

As most of Egypt is a desert-like area, and rainfall is not dense in this area, the river Nile still works as a vital source of food, water, and energy for millions of people in this region.

The country wouldn’t have prospered without the resources provided by this river. The people of Egypt depend on the waters of this river for fishing and agricultural purposes.

The Nile River Starts in Burundi and Ends in The Mediterranean Sea

There are several theories about the origin of this important and ancient river. One of those theories indicates that this river starts its flow from the area of Lake Victoria. However, it is also said that the Kagera River is the biggest feeder and the real Nile River source.

However, scientists are still trying to find the source of the Nile River. After flowing through nine countries, including Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Zaire, Kenya, Sudan, Ethiopia, and Egypt, it merges into the Mediterranean Sea.

The Nile’s Name Originates from The Greek Word “neilos.”

The name of this river, ‘Nile,’ originated from ‘neilos’, a Greek word that refers to ‘valley.’ During Egyptian civilization, this river was known as ‘Aur’ or ‘Ar.’

These two words have the same meaning: ‘black.’ Before entering Egypt, this river covers nine other countries and finally enters the northern edge of Egypt.

The Two Major Tributaries of The Nile Are the Blue Nile and The White Nile

The Nile River has two major tributaries: the White and Blue Nile. The names of these tributaries came from the silt deposition amount made by the river.

The White Nile is regarded as the headwaters stream, though the Blue Nile is the actual source of most of the Nile River’s water, containing almost 80% of the silt and water.

The Blue Nile and White Nile Have Distinct Routes Before Merging

The Blue Nile starts at Ethiopia’s Lake Tana and continues to flow into Sudan from the southeast. The White Nile is a bit longer and rises in the Great Lakes region. It starts at Lake Victoria and goes through South Sudan and Uganda.

These two rivers form the main Nile River at Khartoum, the Sudanese capital. Both of these tributaries play a vital role in ensuring the constant water flow of the Nile throughout the year.

The Nile River Once Had a Longer Course in Ancient Times

In ancient times, the Nile was much longer during the Miocene Epoch, 23 and 5.3 million years ago.

At that time, the headwaters of this river stretched to the far south of Zambia. Also, Lake Tanganyika emptied its waters into the Nile until several volcanic eruptions cut the river off from the lake.

The Nile River Is Egypt’s Lifeline, Providing Essential Resources

The Nile is often regarded as the lifeline of Ancient Egypt. This is right because the country wouldn’t have prospered without the vital resources offered by the Nile River. Many Egyptians built houses near the river.

These people used the water of this river to prepare food, drink, fish, and grow crops. Moreover, this river is the main source of water supply not only in Egypt but also supports around ten percent of the water supply of Africa.

The Nile River Is One of The World’s Oldest Rivers

The age of the river Nile can be traced back to a really early time, like 3000 BC. According to several archeological shreds of evidence, it has been established that people used to practice farming along the banks of this river.

Moreover, the history of ancient Egypt and Egyptian civilization is associated with this famous and significant river. Also, the development of Papyrus is even credited to this river.

Centuries ago, tine reeds grew along the river beds of the Nile. People of ancient Egypt harnessed these reeds to create papyrus that could be used instead of paper for relaying messages and writing books. 

The Nile Expedition Led to The Discovery of The Rosetta Stone

Explorers began the White Nile Expedition in 2004. This navigation was unique, and the river’s total length was assessed. The expedition continued for more than 134 days, starting in Uganda and ending in Rosetta.

In 1787, the famous Rosetta stone was discovered in the Delta of the Nile River. This artifact was vital in our modern assessment of Egyptian hieroglyphics and paintings.

The Nile Delta Is Densely Populated and Crucial for Egypt

More than 50% of the population of Egypt lives around and in the Delta of the Nile River. Situated in Northern Egypt, this Delta is mainly the draining spot of the river Nile. The Nile Delta is rich in nutrients and silt, and hence, this part is ideal for agriculture.

This Delta is 164 km in length and 240 km in width. The silt deposition of the Nile River is created from chunks of rocks, boulders, and plant debris. This silt is one of the richest soils in the world as it is rich in minerals.

The Aswan Dam Controls the Flow of The Nile River

The journey of the Nile River started around five million years ago and played a significant role in Egypt’s history.

This river floods its bank every year, making the submerged land more fertile. However, Egypt also suffered various damages and lost lives because of this flood.

The construction of the Aswan Dam on the Nile started in 1960 and controlled the annual flood by the 1970s. This dam helped the inhabitants of that area to use natural water for various household activities. 

The Annual Flood of The Nile River Helps Farmers with Irrigation

The Nile River experiences frequent yearly floods. From its early days to recent times, it has changed its original course a bit. During the annual fold, this river was used to deposit fertile soil on the river banks of Egypt.

After the flood water dried up, the people of Egypt used this land full of fertile soil to cultivate crops. These floods helped the entire civilization to produce high-quality crops every year and even to transport their products to other lands.

Lush Vegetation Grows Along the Banks of The Nile River

A wide variety of plants or vegetation makes this place a perfect tropical rainforest area with thick forest patches.

Here, you can see different types of trees, like bamboo, rubber, coffee shrub, banana, and ebony, with patches of savanna and mixed woodland. The grass ground is also covered with mixed herbs and perennial thorny trees.

In the rainy season, this land becomes very swampy, and this area is desirable for growing tall grasses. 

Various Animals, Including Crocodiles, Live Along the Nile River

You can see animals like hippos, buffaloes, crocodiles, and antelopes in this area. The crocodiles that can be seen in the Nile basin are famous as the largest species in the world, and they can gallop almost half the weight of their bodies in a single sitting.

Other animals can be found here, such as snakes, soft-shelled turtles, lizards, mambas, and the famous Nile crocodile.

Cairo’s inhabitants deeply revered crocodiles as God’s worldly manifestation. Live crocodiles, or ‘Petsuchos,’ are decorated with jewelry and worshiped in temples.

The Nile River Is a Popular Destination for Tourists

The Nile is a great tourist destination for people visiting Egypt. Many cruises offer attractive deals on river tours, and the Nile River is an important part of modern Egypt.

Many significant transport routes are developed through this river, which also mainly meets Egypt’s water demand and irrigation needs.

Multiple Languages Are Spoken in Regions Along the Nile River

As the Nile River has an incredible length, it flows through many areas inhabited by several indigenous people. Those tribes have their own languages.

The people near Sahara speak Arabic, the people near Lake Victoria speak Bantu, and the inhabitants of South Sudan speak Nulotic.

Therefore, the Nile River has played a vital role in shaping people’s culture, history, and livelihoods in Northeastern Africa for several thousands of years.

At the end of this article, we learned about 17 amazing facts about this fascinating river. These facts offer us a clear picture of our planet’s important natural resource, the Nile River. To know more, you may visit our website.