This longest part is called the White Nile. It flows fromLake Victoria inUganda, and throughSudan toKhartoum. There it is joined by the Blue Nile to form the Nile proper, which then flows throughEgypt. The Blue Nile comes fromEthiopia near theRed Sea. The two branches meet near Khartoum, in the Sudan. About 300 million cubic metres of waterflow down the Nile each day.
The Nile is essential to the drier countries in the north of Africa. On the Nile there are manyboats: it is one of the easiest ways toget around. Historically, mostcities in Egypt are built next to the river, and thepyramids are close to the Nile. The Nile has always provided most of the water used to growcrops in Egypt: much of the rest of the country is adesert. In ancient times the Nile flooded every year and the people would starve if there was not enough water for the crops. TheAncient Egyptians gotpapyrus from the Nile to write on. Papyrus is made from a plant which grows near the Nile.
Many different types ofanimals live in or near the waters of the Nile, includingcrocodiles,birds,fish and many others. Not only do animals depend on the Nile for survival, but also people who live there need it for everyday use likewashing, as a water supply, keeping crops watered and other jobs.
Pyramids were built close to the Nile because they needed the granite stones fromAswan to be transported by barges down the Nile.
The word "Nile" comes from GreekNeilos (ὁ Νεῖλος).[1] Neilos came from the word "river valley". In the ancientEgyptian language, the Nile is calledḤ'pī oriteru, meaning "great river", represented by thehieroglyphs shown above (literallyitrw, and 'waters'determinative).[2] InCoptic, the wordspiaro (Sahidic) orphiaro (Bohairic) meaning "the river" (lit. p(h).iar-o "the.canal-great") come from the same ancient name.
