Nile Stream

The Nile is the major north-flowing river of northeastern Africa and is commonly measured at about 6,650 kilometres in length. It has two primary tributaries, the White Nile and the Blue Nile, which meet at Khartoum.

The river passes through or along the borders of multiple countries and has been central to human settlement, agriculture and transport for millennia. It flows north from its headwaters through Sudan and Egypt and empties into the Mediterranean Sea via its extensive delta.

Ancient Egyptian civilization developed along the Nile and relied on its seasonal inundation; modern river management was transformed by large-scale engineering projects such as the Aswan High Dam, completed in 1970, which controls floods and provides hydroelectric power.

The Nile’s basin includes diverse landscapes from East African lakes and highlands to the Sudanese plains and the Egyptian desert; key cities on its banks include Khartoum and Cairo.

• Length: Commonly measured at about 6,650 kilometres in length, it is widely regarded as one of the world’s longest rivers.
• Course: The White Nile and the Blue Nile meet at Khartoum, and the river flows north through Sudan and Egypt before reaching the Mediterranean Sea.

What to See#

• White Nile: One of the major headwaters, the White Nile flows north from the Lake Victoria basin and joins the Blue Nile at Khartoum to form the main Nile River.
• Blue Nile: Rising from Lake Tana in Ethiopia, the Blue Nile contributes the majority of the Nile’s fertile silt and joins the White Nile at Khartoum; its annual floods historically replenished downstream farmlands.
• Aswan High Dam / Lake Nasser: A large reservoir created by the Aswan High Dam in southern Egypt which stores flood waters and regulates flow; the dam was completed in 1970 and altered the Nile’s natural flood cycle.