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River Nile

The Greek historian Herodotus wrote that "Egypt was the gift of the Nile". Silt deposits from the Nile made the surrounding land fertile because the river overflowed its banks annually. The Ancient Egyptians cultivated and traded wheat, flax and other crops around the Nile.

 

The Nile is a major north-flowing river in North Africa, generally regarded as the longest river in the world and has long been used to transport goods along its length.

 

While most Egyptians still live in the Nile valley, the 1970 completion of the Aswan High Dam ended the summer floods and their renewal of the fertile soil, fundamentally changing farming practices.

 

 

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Uploaded on December 6, 2010
Taken on November 30, 2010