The Importance Of The Nile River In Africa

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The Nile river is in Africa. The name Nile comes from the Greek word Neilos, meaning valley. In an article written by Mandy Barrow, she says, “The River Nile is about 6,670 km (4,160 miles) in length and is the longest river in Africa and in the world. Although it is generally associated with Egypt, only 22% of the Nile’s course runs through Egypt” (Barrow). The Nile river was used for transporting trading goods, people, providing food and water, constructing pyramids, and nurturing animals. The river played an important role in the life of ancient Egyptians. It provided crucial resources needed by Egyptians.
An important product from the Nile river is the Papyrus plant. Papyrus was the most important writing material in the ancient world.
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As many of us know, Egypt is known for its magnificent pyramids which took many years to build. One way the Nile river helped in the process of building these pyramids was by transporting materials. The river made it possible to move large stones. The river was very beneficial when it came to the transport and trading of goods. The river was safer and more convenient compared to land. Early Egyptians learned to make small boats out of papyrus. They were constructed from papyrus reeds to help Egyptians travel up and down the …show more content…
Most Egyptians lived near the Nile as it was a source of water. This provided excellent soil for crop growth as well as fish. The Nile had thousands of fish that fisherman could catch and sell it at their local market. Some of the fish in the Nile included: tilapia, catfish, and perch. Providing fertile soil is one of the most important role the Nile played in the lives of ancient Egyptians. By providing fertile soil, the river gave a plethora of people to form business and allowed civilizations to grow around the river. Every year, between May and August, the Nile river floods. This causes enormous precipitations on the Ethiopian Highlands. This refills the topsoil with silt deposits needed for crop growth. This is a time when farmers plant their crops for the year and allowed them to grow food to feed the community. Without the annual flooding, the top soil would lose its fertility and plants would not be able to grow which would have resulted to

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