Summary of the Article
The Nile River is crucial to Egypt's existence,
historically and presently, earning the title "lifeline of Egypt."
It's the longest river globally, stretching
6,695 kilometers, originating from the White Nile in Rwanda and the Blue Nile
in Ethiopia, meeting in Sudan to form the Nile we know.
The river flows through 11 countries before
emptying into the Mediterranean Sea.
Notably, it's one of the few rivers flowing
from south to north.
The construction of the Aswan High Dam in 1971
led to the formation of Lake Nasser, affecting Egypt's agriculture and
necessitating heavy fertilizer use.
The Nile's importance to Egypt is reflected in
its role in ancient Egyptian civilization, providing fertile land for
agriculture and influencing the development of the world's first calendar.
Ancient Egyptians held the Nile in reverence,
attributing mystical properties to its floods and even worshiping it as a
deity.
Stories and traditions around the Nile,
including sacrifices during famine, persisted for centuries.
The Nile is mentioned in the Quran,
particularly in the story of Moses and Pharaoh.
Climate change and dam projects, notably
Ethiopia's Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, pose challenges to the Nile's
stability and Egypt's water security.
The Nile remains a vital historical and
economic asset for Egypt, symbolizing the cradle of civilization and shaping
the country's destiny.
Welcome to Historical Horizons! Egyptian
civilization is considered one of the oldest civilizations in the world. About
5000 years ago, there was nothing here. There was a hot and dry desert spread
far away and no sign of any life could be seen. Even today, deserts cover more
than 90 percent of Egypt.
But there was a time in the history when the
colours
of life were all over the Egypt, there was greenery all around, and there were
a lot of birds. And there was plenty of water. Friends, today's article is about the River Nile,
called as "lifeline of Egypt". Why is this river a lifeline for
Egypt? Because if there was no River Nile, there would have been no Egypt. And if even today, suppose
that the flow of this river is changed, the very existence of human beings on
the land of Egypt would be endangered.
How long is this river? What is its source?
Which countries does it pass through, how important is it historically? why is
this river so important to Egypt, and why is the majority of Egypt's population
living along this river? We will know in today's article.
Introduction
of Nile River
Nile is derived from Greek word "Nelios"
which means valley. This
is the longest river in the world. Its length is six thousand six hundred and
ninety five kilometers. It flows across the continent of Africa and falls into
the Mediterranean, passing through a total of eleven countries.
The Nile River is actually a combination of
three rivers. One is White Nile, second is called the Blue Nile, while the
third river is not given importance due to low water level. The white Nile originates in Rwanda, an
East African country, while the blue Nile
originates in Lake Tana, Ethiopia.
The meeting of these two rivers in the Sudanese city of Khartoum forms the river
we know as the Nile.
The Nile River flows through a total of eleven
countries. These include Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, Kenya, Republic of Congo,
Uganda, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan, and Egypt. This river then falls into the
Mediterranean Sea.
Friends, this is one of the few rivers in the
world that flows from south to north.
In 1971, a dam was built on this river in Egypt called Aswan High Dam. It is one of the largest dams
in the world. Irrigation canals have been constructed from this dam, and electricity
is also generated from it.
This led to the formation of a lake called Lake Nasser, some of it's part is in
Egypt and some in Sudan.
After this dam, the part of desert that needed
the fertile soil from the river, was not fertile anymore. And the fertile water
having fertile soil, started to settle in Lake Nasser. That is why Egyptian
farmers now have to use one million tons of fertilizer annually, because
fertile water does not reach there anymore.
Lake Nasser is the largest man-made lake in the
world. Its length is 550 km and maximum width is 35 km. The river is also a
source of maritime transportation between different countries. All the cities
of Egypt are situated on the bank of this river. Including the city of
Alexandria, named after Alexander the Great. An estimated 95% of Egypt's
population lives along the Nile.
Nile
River and Ancient Egypt
According to the research of scientists, the
Nile River is 30 million years old. It is said that the locals started settling
on the banks of this river about three thousand years BC, after the expansion
of the Sahara Desert. Since this whole area was desert, this river was the only
source of water in this area.
The river flooded every year and watered the
surrounding land too. The flood was important to the region because it brought
fertile soil from the Abyssinian plains, which enabled the surrounding desert
lands to be cultivated. Thus the land of Egypt became fertile, and the
cultivation of cotton, wheat, and a variety of fruits and vegetables became
possible then gradually the people adjusted their year to the same river.
And so the world's first calendar was formed. A
year was divided into three parts: the flood season, the planting season and
the harvest season. The Egyptians' reliance on this river can be seen from the
fact that they invented a device to measure the level of flood water. The
higher the level, the better the chances of a good crops.
With the help of river mud, these people also
started making bricks. Egypt is also known as the "gift of the Nile."
Because all life here depends on this river. The Nile also played an
important role in the construction of the pyramids of Egypt.
Interesting
Stories Related to the Nile River
Friends, the ancient Egyptians considered this
river very mysterious.
The river flooded every summer, and the Egyptians were terrified of where so
much water would come from every year at its specific time.
The source of this river was discovered a few
centuries ago in North Africa. That is why so many traditions were created from
the Nile, as people did not know it's source. Egyptians were amazed to see the
benefits of this river so much that they started worshiping this river. There
are a lot of stories about that in history. They had many gods other than
Nile.
Friends, there is a story connected with this
river that a famine hit this area in 2600 BC. The king of that time had a
dream and saw one of their gods and he told him to go to his shrine on an
island in the middle of the river.
He also said that the shrine was in bad condition and expressed his anger. The
king got up in the morning and went to the tomb and had it repaired. With that, the famine ended.
Friends, these traditions, these stories have
been going on like this for centuries and since people were very scared of
famine, they used to believe them. When Hazrat Amr ibn al-Aas conquered Egypt
in 640 AD, the locals told him that every year a young girl is thrown into this
river, and if this is not done then the river dries up and famine starts.
Friends, since this river was the only source
of life in this desert, many such traditions had become a part of their lives
Seeing the situation, a letter was written to Hazrat Omar Farooq, the caliph at
that time Hazrat Umar (RA) wrote that our religion does not allow such ignorant
rituals. Friends, the Nile River is considered to be one of the four rivers of
Paradise.
Mention
of Nile River in Holy Quran
The Nile is one of the few rivers mentioned in
the Quran.
In Surah Al-Qasas, where the incidents of Hazrat Musa (A.S) and Fir'oan are
mentioned, the river Nile is also mentioned.
Today's
Nile
Friends where the whole world is under the
influence of climate change, the fluctuating climate conditions have also
affected the Nile River. Now
the Nile is constantly fluctuating. Sometimes there is a lot of water in the
river and sometimes the water level is very low. In 2016, the Nile River
flooded so badly, it affected Egypt's economy and 26 people also died. Ethiopia
began building dam in its northern mountainous regions in 2011.
Work is still underway, and if completed the
dam would become Africa's largest hydroelectric power plant. But Egypt has opposed the dam
because it would significantly reduce the amount of water that reaches Egypt.
And since Egypt is totally dependent on Nile water, this dam is a warning call
for Egypt.
This is still being debated and no results have been reached. South Sudan has
also announced plans to build a dam on the Nile.
The Nile River is home to the oldest Egyptian
civilization. This has been scientifically proven and pyramids of Egypt is its
biggest proof. that is why the Nile River is of great historical importance.
Did
you like this article? Tell us in comments. Thank You!
0 Comments