The Nile River

 



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.

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