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The word 'nile' is derived from the Greek word meaning river - 'neilos'.
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The Nile River is formed from the Blue Nile and the White Nile which meet at Khartoum.
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The source of the Blue Nile is Lake Tana in Ethiopia, and the source of the White Nile is Lake Victoria.
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The Nile River discharges into the Mediterranean Sea at a rate of 680,000 gallons of water each second.
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Ancient Egyptians chose to live near the Nile River, because it rarely rains in Egypt and the water was necessary for survival. Approximately half of Egypt's population lives in the Nile Delta region today.
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The ancient Egyptians planted crops in the black soil left behind after the Nile flooded. This fertile land was referred to as the Black Land and the land farther away where it was impossible to grow crops was referred to as the Red Land.
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Flooding along the Nile River has been controlled since the construction of the Aswan Dam in the 1960s.
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As the Nile River flows into the Mediterranean Sea it branches off into the Damietta and the Rosetta Branch.
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The largest crocodiles in Africa are found along the Nile River.
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The Nile River is home to a variety of animals and other wildlife including Nile Monitors, mongoose, wildebeest, hippos, baboons, frogs, tortoises, and turtles as well as many hundred species of birds.
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The land drained by the Nile River includes Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya, Congo, and Tanzania. This area is referred to as the basin.
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The papyrus reeds that grow along the Nile River were important for ancient Egyptians. They used them for making building materials, and paper.
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The first expedition to travel the entire length of the Nile River from Uganda to Rosetta took place in 2004. It took four months and two weeks to navigate the river from beginning to end.
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Many dams have been built to control flooding along the Nile River including the Aswan High Dam, the Roseires Dam, the Owen Falls Dam, and the Sennar Dam.
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During flood season many of the roads along the river are not usable. The Nile becomes a major transportation source during this time of year.
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In addition to the White Nile and Blue Nile, there is another river that flows into the Nile. It is often not mentioned as it only contributes 1% of its total volume. Its name is Atbarra but many refer to it as the Forgotten River.
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