The Nile is not only the main body of water on the African continent, but also one of the longest rivers in the whole world. Taking the reserves of its tributaries, it is a life-giving force for the population of the continent located along its channel. This is a priceless treasure of the “black continent”, over the waters of which wars fought and states united, dams were built and dry lands came to life.
History reference
The most important waterway of the hottest continent of the planet since ancient times was revered by its population as a source of life, prosperity and prosperity. Thanks to the Nile, today we have the opportunity to get acquainted with Ancient Egypt, its architecture, art, science, wisdom, astronomical knowledge and religion. We can only assume what an important role the Nile played in the formation of the largest civilization, which had a huge impact on human life. As you know, about 20% of the length of the river is located in the modern state of Egypt. The state of agriculture, the quality of the crop and its quantity depend on the behavior of the Nile. Thus, the non-spilled waters of the Nile - this is death for the population. In most cases, the river is always associated with Egypt, where sacred waters guard the pyramidal tombs of the rulers of the state, a monumental sculpture of the Sphinx, a giant statue of Ramses, temples dedicated to outstanding pharaohs.
Geographical position
The Nile River is located in Africa and originates from the East African plateau at an altitude of 1134 m. It is not always calm in its course, but flat, the river passes through the territory of 7 countries, at the same time uniting them with its waters. Among them are the equatorial and multilingual Uganda, the wildlife of Kenya, the unique Tanzania, the birthplace of mankind Ethiopia, the center of tropical epidemics South Sudan, the desert Republic of Sudan and contrasting Egypt. The great river feeds the territory of these states for about 3 million years, saving the population from hunger and drought. It has grown such historical centers of Egypt as Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, Giza and Alexandria, the capital of Sudan Khartoum.
Climatic conditions
With a length of 6852 km, the Nile crosses the following climatic zones of Africa: equatorial, subequatorial, tropical and subtropical. Most of its path, and this is more than 3,000 km, it passes through the territory of the world's largest desert - the Sahara.
The diet of the river directly depends on climatic conditions. The Nile is the annual floods of summer and winter. The reason is associated with the rainy season in equatorial latitudes, where one of its tributaries originates. Thanks to this type of precipitation, the great river is full-flowing and fleeting. At this time of the year, the Nile can overflow, flooding settlements and causing floods.
In winter, it replenishes the waters of the White Nile, and in the summer - Blue. Low water (lowest water level) occurs in the month of May. The temperature indicators of the water of a hydrological object vary depending on the type of climate. The average summer period is plus 26 o C, winter - plus 18 o C.
The source of the Nile
Many researchers disagreed among themselves about where the source of the Nile is. Inaccessible jungle, hilly terrain with ledges and rapids, mosquitoes and crocodiles became an obstacle to a thorough study of the hydrological object. The mystery became clear only in the middle of the 18th century, thanks to the efforts of the London Geographical Society and the dedication of its employees - the officer, traveler John Spike and river explorer Samuel Baker.
The official opening of the beginning of the great river is considered to be 1864. The peculiarity of the Nile is that it has not one source, like most rivers of the planet, but two. The main tributary with geographic coordinates (0 ° N, 33 ° E) originates in equatorial latitudes on the territory of Uganda, carrying its waters to Lake Victoria, and exits the stormy river Kageroy. Overcoming the ledges and at the same time replenishing fresh water in the lakes of the mainland, the right tributary leaves the White Nile on the flat surface of the African continent.
The homeland of the second source is the territory of the Ethiopian Highlands, where the Blue Nile emerges from Lake Tana . The merger of two full-flowing tributaries occurs near the capital of Sudan - the city of Khartoum. Following in a northerly direction, a full-flowing river in a single channel carries life force along the desert territory to the Mediterranean Sea, forming a huge delta on its way.
Mouth of the sacred river
The place where the Nile River flows into has geographic coordinates (31 ° N, 30 ° E). The shape of the mouth of the reservoir is no less unique than the history of the search for the source of the river. It, thanks to river sediments, forms a huge triangle, resembling the Greek letter "delta". 160 km from the capital of Egypt, the city of Cairo, two large shipping branches are formed - Damietta and Rashid, as well as many small channels.
It is the Nile Delta that is considered the most fertile section of the famous river. Over 240 km stretches a unique natural formation along the southern shores of the Mediterranean Sea. This is the most populated part of Egypt and the entire channel of the Nile. The scale of the river sediment is simply stunning, their sizes are equal to the area of the entire Crimean peninsula.
Flora and fauna
The flora and fauna of the area where the Nile is located changes in its species composition in the direction of the river. The richest sections of the zone of shrouds and woodlands, less expressive areas of deserts and semi-deserts.
The water world is saturated with such representatives as the Nile crocodile, multiper, hippos and a variety of fresh fish. About 300 species of birds nest on the banks of the river, many migratory and wintering representatives. But flamingos, pelicans, herons are especially distinguished.
The most interesting flora and fauna of the delta and the Nile Valley are papyrus, date palms, acacia, oleander, citrus fruits, reed beds, cattail and fern, cultivated vegetation. Representatives of the fauna such as turtles, hippos, artiodactyls, reptiles and many insects are found here. The leaders among the wildlife are birds. The Nile River Basin is simply a salvation for the formed flora and fauna.
Where is Neal more interesting?
For any tourist, getting to the area where the Nile is located will not be a problem. The most fascinating and at the same time dangerous is a trip along the river. The source of the Nile is interesting for its inaccessibility. The place where the Nile River flows into is captivating with rich colors and amazing objects.
The distance between Moscow and the capital of Egypt on the map is more than 4000 km. For air transport in a straight line - about 3,000 km and 4 hours. Flights are organized by 8 airlines, where there are direct flights and with a change in Istanbul. But where the Nile is most interesting is for the tourist to decide. Not everyone likes the wet and hot jungle, someone likes warm sand, heat and pyramids.
Great river features
The main difference between the Nile and most rivers of the planet is the direction of the current - from south to north. The nature of the river depends on the terrain. In the upper section, it looks like a mountain river - bustling and noisy. Hilly terrain, heavy rainfall help the river to develop its main channel through its stream. In the lower reaches, the sacred river is calm, quiet and navigable. Here, by all characteristics, we see that the object is a plain river Nile. Mainland Africa, its homeland, hot and deserted in the area of the confluence, and wet - at its source.
A section of the river with rapids and waterfalls is called the Victoria Nile, the calm Albert Nile stretches until the tributaries reunite in one channel, the most marshy section falls on Bahr al-Jebel. Forming six rapids, the river has created many problems with shipping for centuries, so the construction of the reservoir was simply a necessity. It solved the issue of transport movements and at the same time became a salvation for the arid regions.
Unlike the Amazon, the Nile flows through the desert regions of the "black continent", but does not lose its full flow. It brings a lot of silty sediments, which are organic fertilizers, thereby doubling their advantage.
Travel Opportunities
The Nile is not just a hydrological object of the planet. This is a ready-made natural route stretching from the equator to the tropical borders. Its tourist opportunities are immense. For those who like to see more and faster, river cruises with stops in famous historical cities are created:
- Cairo attracts museums and ancient Egyptian art, pyramids and statues;
- Alexandria is fascinated by legends, forts and beaches;
- Thebes - by temples and honorable age;
- Aswan - by the palm islands and the standard of living of Egypt;
- Sudan Khartoum - ensembles of palace architecture.
Those who like to explore the natural resources along the river may spend more time, but as a result they will get a brighter experience.