5 Fun Facts of Nile River Egypt and Some Extra Facts

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Egypt has a big river that is flowing to the north and is located in northeastern Africa. This huge river flows into the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile is also considered as the longest African river and was also considered as one of the longest rivers on earth. We should know 5 Fun Facts of Nile River Egypt.

Today, the Nile is still a famous river, almost everyone knows about this river. But still, there are some excellent and fun facts about this river that no one knows yet. What makes this river so famous and attracts so many people from around the world?

 

5 Fun Facts of Nile River Egypt

One thing that makes the Nile a famous river is its length. This river is the longest river that ever flows on earth. This river flows north for about 4,132 miles or 6,650 kilometers. The river starts from the African Great Lakes and flows through the desert of Sahara before it ends in the Mediterranean Sea.

The river goes through eleven different countries including Tanzania and Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi. The Nile also goes through the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Kenya before it flows through Ethiopia and Eritrea, South Sudan and Sudan. Then it finally ends in Egypt. Below are more facts.

1. There is not only one Nile

History said that the Lower Nile flooded during the summer. This mystified the early Egyptians since the place where they lived had never rained before. But now we know that the Nile is being fed by rainier places to the south.

There are three main tributaries of the Nile, they are called Atbara, the Blue Nile, and the White Nile. The longest one amongst them is the White Nile that the streams flow into Lake Victoria which is the biggest tropical lake on earth. It flows through Lake Kyoga and Kabalega Falls to Lake Albert.

The Blue Nile and Atbara gained the water from the Ethiopian highlands where the patterns of monsoon cause those rivers to shift between a winter trickle and summer torrent.

 

2. People were trying to search for the source

In fact, people were trying to figure out the river’s source for centuries. The ancient Egyptians honored this river as their life source. But for centuries, people were going on repeated expeditions in order to find the river’s source. The search was done by the Romans, Greeks, and Egyptians.

The efforts of those people looking for the river source were often foiled by Sudd, a region that is now known as South Sudan. In this region, the Nile forms a swamp that is vast. The first one that gave up its secret was the Blue Nile. The source of the White Nile was much more elusive.

Though we now know that the White Nile comes from Lake Victoria, the lake’s water comes from the Kagera River that flows from Lake Rweru located in Burundi.

 

3. The river detours in the desert

The Nile not only stubbornly flows to the north but also takes a turn in the middle of the Sahara Desert. But then the main tributaries of the river finally united and the river continued flowing to the north through Sudan. However, the Nile abruptly turns to the southwest then flows away from the sea.

The Nile goes on this way for at least 186 miles or 300 km, as if the river is going back to Central Africa and not going to flow to Egypt. But the river eventually goes back on its track.

The river crosses Egypt as the most influential and famous river. The huge detour taken by this river is known as the Great Bend and it is caused by the big rock formation under the ground that is known as the Nubian Swell. It is formed by the tectonic uplift and forces the dramatic Nile curve.

 

4. The river’s mud shaped the human history

As the Nile River flows into Egypt, this river transforms the Sahara Desert’s swath along the river banks. You can see the contrast clearly from the space. The long and green oasis is seen hugging the Nile River in the middle of a tan colored landscape that is bleakly around it.

Sahara is the biggest hot desert in the world, the third biggest desert after two polar deserts. Thanks to the seasonal water influx that comes from Ethiopia, the Lower Nile historically flooded in summer and soaks the soil of the desert in the floodplain. However, the river’s water didn’t tame the desert alone.

This river brought a special ingredient: the entire sediment collected by the water along its way. The main sediment is black silt that is eroded by Atbara and the Blue Nile from Ethiopian basalt.

 

5. The haven for various wildlife

Egyptians and people from other countries rely on this river, but they are not the only ones. The Nile River plies tropical rainforest that are teemed with so many plants like bamboo, banana trees, ebony, and coffee shrubs. It also reaches mixed savanna and woodland farther north.

Animals also live happily inside and around the Nile River. The Nile is home to barbels, eels, catfish, lungfish, elephant snout fish, tigerfish, and tilapia. Many birds also love to stay close to the Nile River.

This awesome river also supports many large animals like hippopotamuses, cobras, soft shelled turtles, water snakes, black mambas, and monitor lizards in three different species. However, the most famous animal living in this river is the Nile crocodile.

 

Extra Facts You Need to Know

Ancient Egypt grew around the Lower Nile. The ancient Egyptians knew this river as Iteru but they also called this river Aur or Ar that means black. Those Egyptians believed that Ra the sun god drove his ship across the river.

The Nile River and its amazing facts are ready to welcome you. Today, you are able to explore the river by booking an Egypt Nile Cruise. The tour allows you to discover the upper Egypt while sailing.

Simply contact us on WhatsApp and exodustravel.net will help you find the best tour for you and your group. The Nile cruise tour isn’t the only tour package available. Explore our site and you’ll find the right tour for you.

 

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