The Nile is famous as the longest river in the world. The river got its name from the Greek word Neilos, which means valley. The two rivers that combine to make the Nile are the Euphrates and Tigris. The Nile floods the lands in Egypt, leaving behind black sediment. That's why the ancient Egyptians named the river Aar, meaning black. The Nile River is actually 6695 kilometers (4184 miles) long. With such a long length, the Nile River is speculated to be the longest river in the world. The Nile River has played an extremely important role in the civilization, life and history of the Egyptian nation. One of the most well known river Nile facts is the river's ability to produce extremely fertile soil, which made it easy for cities and civilizations to spring up alongside the banks of the Nile. The fertile soil is contributed by the annual spring floods, when the Nile River overflows onto the banks. Much of the Egyptian nation consists of dry desert land. Throughout most of the year, very little rain falls on Egyptian deserts. This has remained true for thousands of years. The abundant Nile River provided much needed irrigation, even in ancient times. This waterway also provided a source of drinking water, and source of irrigation for farming as well as papyrus reeds that could be used for a variety of purposes such as paper and building materials River Nile, near Jinja, Uganda
Cruise on the River Nile
The river Nile in Aswan