Economic Importance of the Nile River

There is a lot to know about the River Nile. To start with, it is the longest and most powerful river in the world. It is also a major attraction whenever an individual visits Egypt or surrounding countries. The beauty of the river will undoubtedly attract you and it will not take seconds before you think of your digital camera. Besides taking pictures, there is also a lot to collate on the river. For instance, understanding the economic importance of the Nile River is a nice position to get started.

One cannot think of anything good about Egypt without bringing river Nile into the picture. Even Herodotus quoted this epigram “Egypt is the gift of the Nile” to express the succinctness and appropriateness of the Egyptian nation. Most of the ancient Egyptians understood the socio-economic and political importance of river Nile and majority settled along the river. The ancient Egyptians could not survive without the Nile. In a sense, Egypt receives the low amount of rainfall and the floods from river Nile offered a better way to grow crops from the water residues on their lands.

During these floods, the waters also left behind nutritious elements that made it easy to grow crops.  The heavy banner-servicessummer rains in the Ethiopian highland had great influence on the settlement of Egyptians along the Nile River. Evidently, heavy torrents of water were sent into the Nile and through the long stretch into the river, thick mud was left behind and offered nice fields for planting seeds. Hence, Egyptians occupied all the land along the river and made a good income from the sale of their farm produces. This action later led to conflicts and war with surrounding countries.

River Nile also provided Egyptians with reeds commonly known as papyrus and they used them to make boats and paper. At the end of the day, they would make good money from their successful trade with other people from neighbouring countries. Food insecurity has been a big issue in Africa. But for Egypt and surrounding areas, agriculture has always been the backbone of the economy around the river.

Egyptians indulged into food production and made good money from the imports that they made. Fishing also offered enough food to interchange with other farm produces.  Therefore, malnutrition and deaths of children have been minimal in Egypt and areas across the river. Ancient Egyptians used spears and nets to catch different species of fish in the river. Transportation of farm produces and bulk fishes was not a big issue as water transport was the in-thing for many people living along the river. Through boats, travelling from one region to another became easy.

Besides being able to enjoy good incomes from their farm produces, Egyptians and many countries around River Nile can also enjoy fresh water that is scarce in many other parts of Africa. More revenues are coming in from the tourism industry as more and more people visit boat cruise along the river and to sightsee what other nations cannot offer. Today, with advancement in technology, river Nile also provides hydro-electricity and floods are limited since the construction of the Aswan Dam. Indeed, the Nile River has changed the lifestyle and thinking of many people along the Nile basin.

     

     Things You Didn’t Know About the Nile

•  The Nile is Africa’s longest river, covering 4,101 miles – roughly the distance of flying between Tahiti and San Francisco.
• The Nile Basin covers nearly 10% of the landmass of the African continent, and is home to 160 million people.

•  The significance of the Nile can be traced backed to ancient Egypt. The rich agriculture along the riverbanks – and the wealth it generated – enabled the construction of the great pyramids of Giza.

• The river got its English and Arabic names from the Greek word “neilos,” which means “valley.” The ancient Egyptians named the river “Ar” (“black”) because the annual floods would deposit black sediment in the fields.

•  In 1970, the Aswan High Dam was completed. It provides about half of Egypt’s power, and it curbed the river’s historic floods.

•  The flooding of the Nile was such a regular annual event that ancient Egyptians used it to create an incredibly accurate calendar. 

• The Nile gave rise to some of the world’s earliest cultures. In 1787, the Rosetta Stone was found in the Nile Delta city of Rosetta. This ancient artifact played a key role in helping anthropologists decipher Egyptian hieroglyphics.
•  In total, the Nile and its tributaries pass through ten countries in Central, Eastern and Northern Africa, providing food, water for irrigation, and transportation.

• Dams have reduced the flow of the Nile so much that some areas are now experiencing drinking water shortages due to pollution.

• Egypt’s Western Desert shows what the country would be without the Nile: rolling sand dunes, scorching heat, little vegetation, dust storms and locusts – with just a few oases.

• Even today, a common Egyptian blessing is: "May you always drink from the Nile."

• The Nile is home to an immense amount of wildlife: Hippos, black rhinos, the Nile Crocodile, amphibians, reptiles, snakes, birds and some unexpected animals call the river home. 

•  The river sources its water from two tributaries: the White Nile, which flows from Lake Victoria (the second-largest freshwater lake in the world), and the Blue Nile, which flows from Lake Tana in Ethiopia (where it’s alleged that the Virgin Mary rested on her journey from Egypt).

• No one had traveled the entire length of the Nile until 2004. It took two explorers four months to make the trip. 

•  One of the explorers, Pasquale Scaturro, said the Nile was not the slow, lazy river he’d expected. "It has rapids, waterfalls, jungle, canyons, deserts, hippos, crocs, long flat beautiful sections, huge beautiful sandbars," he says. "There is no other river in the world that can compare."

•  The Nile has inspired art and literature from ancient times up until the present – most recently the Nile Project.

•  All the nutrient-rich silt which once fed the fields is now trapped behind the dam, which is silting up. Meanwhile, farmers are forced to rely on expensive artificial fertilizers to substitute for the nutrients no longer in the flood plain.

•  Further downstream, the delta is eroding without its annual deposit of sediment.

• The Aswan Dam flooded 90,000 Nubians out of their ancestral homes.

NILE RIVER CIVILIZATION

The Nile River Valley Civilization started at the northern most peak of the Nile River at the time of the Neolithic Revolution.  This early civilization formed down the lush fields of the Nile River. Protected by the water and desert, the civilization was able to grow into Egypt and surrounding colonies. Impact of Geography Geography for the Nile River Valley Civilization was very important.  The Nile would flood each year starting in July and lasting until November.  This flood would provide new, rich soil for the Egyptians and would wash away waste.  The seas around the civilization served a barrier against war and disease. Economy The inhabitants of the Nile River Valley Civilization depended heavily on farming.  Close proximity to the Nile allowed easy access to water needed for crops.  Seasonal flooding fertilized the land for the next year's crops.  Agriculture was essential for survival, growth, and economic success. Social Structure King Had a special status Female companion also had a special status Ruler of the land  Ruling Class Related or of high importance of the King  Craftsman Craftsman make weapons and tools for the people Work on the decorations for tombs  Farmers Most people of the Nile tribes were farmers that can only be vaguely distinguished by their tombs.  Marginalized Groups Very little known about the people. Did not live in organized structures Acted as military  Slaves Little evidence of slavery Servants were often used and sold. The Pyramids were built by servants who were paid in beer. Buildings/Structures Pyramids Large boats for transport Rigid structures that held pharaoh at the top, followed by priests, artisans, farmers, and finally slaves.

                                    The River Nile (5)
                               The dams on the Nile

       Large rivers are difficult to control. The Nile River, so important to Egypt's populace, is no exception. But since the late 1960s, the Nile River has been under the control of humans because of the construction of the Aswan High Dam. Part of the rationale for this dam was to manage the natural cycles of flood and drought to produce dependable water supplies for farming and other uses. The consequences of cyclic climate variations on a decadal scale were buffered by the large storage capacity of the Nile Valley behind the High Dam, which is nearly six trillion cubic feet (157 km3) of water! This is about four times the amount of water stored behind Hoover Dam (USA, Lake Mead) and Three Gorges Dam (China) (Chao et al., 2008).In addition, the Aswan High Dam initially produced a significant amount of electrical power (about 50%, now less than 15% of Egypt's needs) that allowed electrification of "rural" Egypt.
      Figure 3 shows the narrow Nile River Valley slicing northward through the Egyptian desert. The narrow green band of the Nile River Valley represents farmland irrigated by waters of the Nile River. Prior to the completion of Aswan High Dam, the Nile River would flood its valley annually during the rainy season in its higher altitude headwaters (Ethiopia, Sudan, Kenya, Uganda), bringing nutrient-rich silt to fields and renewing fertility. In addition, a substantial volume of sediment was carried down the Nile River Channel to its large delta, building out the delta into the Mediterranean Sea, providing additional fertile land for farming. This no longer happens because the Aswan High Dam effectively (an unintended consequence) traps sediment carried from the highlands behind it.Now, the delta region, which subsides naturally as the result of compaction of sediment (newly deposited sediments have water contents of 70% or more that are reduced by compaction by overburden), is diminishing in size because rates of coastal erosion exceed supply of sediment. Currently, almost 1/3 of the Nile Delta’s land area sits within a meter of sea level. Subsidence rates vary across the delta, but in some areas, the land surface is sinking as fast as 1 cm/yr. Control of the Nile’s flow has also lead to water quality problems.Because once-regular floods no longer flush salts, sewage, fertilizers, and waste from the delta, surface waters are polluted and those living near the Mediterranean coast increasingly rely on groundwater to meet demand for drinking water and domestic use. Extraction of groundwater, coupled with land subsidence, has led to saltwater intrusion in the aquifer as far as 30 km inland.
         There have been other unintended consequences of the Aswan High Dam including the spread of disease (Schistosomiasis), a decrease in water quality and increase in algal blooms resulting from fertilization of farm fields and irrigation runoff, flooding of historical sites, and displacement of people from the regions flooded by the reservoir.

        Aswan High Dam, Arabic Al-Sadd al-ʿĀlī, rockfill dam across the Nile River, at Aswān, Egypt, completed in 1970 (and formally inaugurated in January 1971) at a cost of about $1 billion. The dam, 364 feet (111 metres) high, with a crest length of 12,562 feet (3,830 metres) and a volume of 57,940,000 cubic yards (44,300,000 cubic metres), impounds a reservoir, Lake Nasser, that has a gross capacity of 5.97 trillion cubic feet (169 billion cubic metres). Of the Nile’s total annual discharge, some 2.6 trillion cubic feet (74 billion cubic metres) of water have been allocated by treaty between Egypt and Sudan, with about 1.96 trillion cubic feet (55.5 billion cubic metres) apportioned to Egypt and the remainder to Sudan. Lake Nasser backs up the Nile about 200 miles (320 km) in Egypt and almost 100 miles (160 km) farther upstream (south) in Sudan; creation of the reservoir necessitated the costly relocation of the ancient Egyptian temple complex of Abu Simbel, which would otherwise have been submerged. Ninety thousand Egyptian fellahin (peasants) and Sudanese Nubian nomads had to be relocated. Fifty thousand Egyptians were transported to the Kawm Umbū valley, 30 miles (50 km) north of Aswān, to form a new agricultural zone called Nubaria, and most of the Sudanese were resettled around Khashm al-Qirbah, Sudan

 

                                                 The River Nile(4)

          Muqrin al-Nilain

      Muqrin al-Nilain: The area is considered as a rare geographical location, and wherein the blue Nile which descends and plateaus of Ethiopia with the white Nile to and came to lake Victoria located on the boarders of each and may Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya, it is the longest river in the world and descends north to the Mediterranean sea through the Arab republic of Egypt. The Muqrin area has acquired extraordinary charm and attraction, making a peaceful retreat for seekers of spirit and beauty, and enjoy seeing a meeting Nile hug after come along way of this distinctions and notice the waves of the blue Nile, and the calm waves of the white Nile break at their confluence, to the beautiful scenic views that please the heart and mind and never get bored to see it, while the swaying branches of the trees with a stream of fresh air on the beach, and the birds chirp and made a beautiful nature aesthetic. The area of ​​Muqrin was known for its historical and archaeological significance and its occupants played major roles in the economic, political and social activities in Sudan. It is bordered by the Nile Road, adjacent to the Blue Nile, and south by Al-Tabiya Street.

             Some of the references indicate that the area of ​​Muqrin al-Nilain was located in antiquity in the homeland of the Nile. The archaeological discoveries in 1945 revealed a homeland for the Neilites whose civilization dates back to an ancient era, as it was proved to be inhabited in the time of the Nabataean kingdoms, Marwa) 750 BC - 350 m. More than a dozen sites around the Horn of the Nile were also found. The region is distinguished between the cities of the three Sudanese capitals Khartoum, Omdurman and Khartoum Bahri, and lies the island of Totti in front of the forum and also mediate the three capital cities. The origin of the Muqrin region dates back to the Turkish rule, thanks to Khurshid Pasha Bek (1826-1838), when he ordered the removal of traditional dwellings and referred them to houses made of wood panels. Among the most important modern features of the Muqrin area are Friendship Hall, Corinthia Tower (formerly Al Fateh), Sudan National Museum, Central Bank of Sudan, Al Muqarn Secondary School, Al Muqarn Commercial Central Area, In addition to a number of diplomatic mission headquarters.

 This geographical area is a high place in the hearts of the Sudanese, where the poets and creators are immersed. In general, the Nile is the homeland and the family, as some call it, not just a river in a geographical area, but it has a historical and cultural significance in the Sudanese nation. One of the most beautiful images of the Muqrin is sung by the famous Sudanese poet Abdelkareem Al-Kabli, by his grace the people's time, the most beautiful image and meanings.Muqrin al-Nilain: The area is considered as a rare geographical location, and wherein the blue nile which descends and plateaus of Ethiopia with the white Nile to and came to lake Victoria located on the boarders of each and may Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya, it is the longest river in the world and descends north to the Mediterranean sea through the Arab republic of Egypt. The Muqrin area has acquired extraordinary charm and attraction, making a peaceful retreat for seekers of spirit and beauty, and enjoy seeing a meeting Nile hug after come along way of this distinctions and notice the waves of the blue Nile, and the calm waves of the white Nile break at their confluence, to the beautiful scenic views that please the heart and mind and never get bored to see it, while the swaying branches of the trees with a stream of fresh air on the beach, and the birds chirp and made a beautiful nature aesthetic. The area of ​​Muqrin was known for its historical and archaeological significance and its occupants played major roles in the economic, political and social activities in Sudan.

                                                             
                                                        The River Nile (3)

                                          The River Nile is lifeline of Egypt 

Ancient Egypt couldn’t have existed without the Nile River. Since rainfall is almost non-existent in Egypt, the Nile River provided the only source of moisture to be able to sustain crops.


Heavy summer rains (that fell every year) in the Ethiopian highlands, sent a torrent of water that flooded the banks on the River Nile. When the floods went down it left thick, wealthy mud (black silt) which is excellent soil to plant seeds in after being ploughed.


The ancient Egyptians could grow crops only in the mud left out when the Nile overflowed. So they all had fields all over the River Nile.


Reeds, called papyrus, grew along the area of the River Nile. The Egyptians made paper and boats from these reeds.


The Nile also gave the early Egyptians food. They applied spears and nets to be able to catch fish. They would also use and create nets to catch different birds that flew close to the surface of the water.


Another way the Nile River helped the ancient Egyptians was with trade. The Nile was the quickest and easiest way to travel from a place to another.


The Nile River area was known as the Black Land. Further from the river Nile was the Red Land, a location of inhospitable desert.


The River Nile flooded on a yearly basis between June and September, in a special season the  Egyptians called ‘Akhet’: the inundation.


Melting snow and heavy summer rain within the Ethiopian Mountains sent the torrent of water causing the banks on the River Nile in Egypt to overflow in this flat desert land. And this is why the Nile flooded.


The reason why it does not flood now is because of the construction on the Aswan Dam in the particular 1960’s. Which means that by 1970 the flood was controlled.


Hapi was the Nile god. Honoring a god was crucial, and so very important. So the Egyptians when a flood came used to thank Hapi for bringing fertility for the land.

The Nile 

The Egyptians knew the time of the year that the Nile River would flood. They depended on the flooding to bring extra water and the rich soil and dirt that fertilised the fields for growing crops. Since the rains happened almost at the same time every year, the Egyptian civilisation and everyday life was based on the flooding of the Nile, the planting and harvesting of the crops. The Nile flooded the area for about three months and then it had time to empty out into the Mediterranean Sea and return back to its normal size and flow.Egyptian-civilisation Nile River was used by the ancient Egyptians to travel in boats for trade to other areas. It was also used to transport items to the various sections of the Egyptian kingdom. It is thought that many of the stones used for the pyramids and the great buildings in Egypt were ‘quarried’ (dug out from the natural rock) and then loaded onto barges and sailed to the location of the new buildings

Pharaohs had beautiful fancy ships built for themselves to travel up and down the Nile for pleasure and relaxation. The Nile River supplied Egypt with a way to have commerce as well as being the source for their crops.

Since the Nile River was so important to ancient Egyptian life, they added it as part of their religion. They believed the Nile River was the river way that was taken from life to death and then to enter the afterlife. The east was looked at as the place of growth and birth and the west was part of death. This is the same idea as the sun rising in the east and setting in the west. In the Egyptian religion it was the way their Sun god Ra, traveled to birth, life, death and then to be reborn each day. This is why all of the burial tombs for the Egyptians are on the west side of the Nile.

                                                   

                          The River Nile (2)



                                                 River Nile Countries  

The River Nile takes its name from the Greek word 'Nelios' meaning River Valley and it is the longest river in the world. Although many people consider it an Egyptian river, it actually flows through many countries and is the primary water source for both Egypt and Sudan.

Classed as an international river, the Nile flows through nine countries, namely Egypt, Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi, Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan, and Zaire. While there are disputes about the exact length of the Nile, it certainly travels thousands of miles through Central/Eastern and Northern Africa and its countries

 the Nile flows through nine countries

 

There are nine countries the Nile and tributaries flow through. These countries are Egypt, Ethiopia, Tanzanian, Uganda, Kenya, Burundi, Sudan, Rwanda and Zaire.


There are several major cities which have been located along the edge of the River Nile. These cities are Thebes/Luxor, Gondokoro, Cairo, Khartoum, Karnak and Aswan.


Many parts on the Niles banks are full of Crocodiles. They are the biggest crocodiles in Africa.