History glossary
Nile
the great river of northeast Africa whose floods supported ancient Egyptian farming and settlement.
- Category
- River
- Region
- Northeast Africa
- Date range
- Ancient to present
What it means
The Nile flows north through northeast Africa into the Mediterranean Sea. In ancient Egypt, its annual flood made agriculture possible in a desert environment. Today it runs through countries including Uganda, Sudan, South Sudan, and Egypt, and remains central to modern water and political issues.
Related terms
Stories using this term
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