Why was the Nile River so important to ancient Egyptians?

3. Hail to you, O Nile, sprung from the earth, Come to nourish Egypt, Food-provider, Bounty-maker, Who creates all that is good. (Ancient Hymn).

4. It is 6,853 km (4,258 miles) long. The Nile is an "international" river as its water resources are shared by eleven countries, namely, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea, South Sudan, Sudan and Egypt.

5. Why was the Nile River so important to ancient Egyptians?

6. The Nile river is important to the Ancient Egyptians because it kept them alive & developed their knowledge. They depended on it for food, water, transportation and much more. They even thought of it as a kind of god. It flooded once every year, creating fertile soil for growing crops. 

7. The Nile River The Nile is the longest river in the world. It flows from three branches: The Blue Nile, the White Nile and the Atbara. They join far south of Egypt to become a single river a mile wide. The Nile was the lifeline of Egypt. It fashioned the nation's economy, determined its political structure, and molded the values it chose to live by. Just as the surrounding deserts and oceans gave Egypt security, so the Nile gave Egypt prosperity. The Nile was almost wholly responsible for Egypt's economy.

8. Why did the Ancient Egyptians live near the River Nile? Most Egyptians lived near the Nile as it provided water, food, transportation and excellent soil for growing food. Why was the Nile River so important to the Ancient Egyptians? Ancient Egypt could not have existed without the river Nile. Since rainfall is almost non-existent in Egypt, the floods provided the only source of moisture to sustain crops. Every year, heavy summer rain in the Ethiopian highlands, sent a torrent of water that overflowed the banks of the Nile. When the floods went down it left thick rich mud (black silt) which was excellent soil to plant seeds in after it had been ploughed. The ancient Egyptians could grow crops only in the mud left behind when the Nile flooded. So they all had fields all along the River Nile.  What else did the Nile provide for the Ancient Egyptians? Reeds, called papyrus, grew along side the Nile. The Egyptians made paper and boats from the reeds. The Nile also gave the ancient Egyptians food. They used spears and nets to catch fish. They would also use the nets to catch birds that flew close to the surface of the water. Another way the Nile helped the ancient Egyptians was in trade. The Nile was the quickest and easiest way to travel from place to place.

12. Map Credit: Jeff Dahl

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