[center][font:a3eb='Arial']The Nile is the longest river in the world. From its furthest source to the point where it empties into the Mediterranean Sea, the River Nile is 6,695 kilometres long.[/font]
[font:a3eb='Arial']It begins as a tiny stream that becomes the River Luvironza, in the Central African country of Burundi. This river joins another river that flows into Africa's largest lake, Victoria.[/font]
[font:a3eb='Arial']The river then rushes north, between high rocky walls and over rapids. After flowing through the smaller Lake Albert, the river enters Sudan and crosses a vast swampy region called the Sudd.[/font]
[color:a3eb=#ffc000][font:a3eb='Arial']WHITE AND BLUE NILE[/font][/color]
[font:a3eb='Arial']North of the swamp, the river is known as the White Nile. It flows on for 680 kilometres towards Khartoum, the capital of Sudan.[/font]
[font:a3eb='Arial']There it is joined by the Blue Nile, another long tributary, which flows down from the Ethiopian Highlands. The “white” and “blue” rivers were given their names because of the different colours of their waters.[/font]
[font:a3eb='Arial']The Nile carries on into Egypt, where it flows through another capital city, Cairo. Before it reaches the Mediterranean Sea, the river splits into several smaller channels, forming a wide delta.[/font]
[color:a3eb=#ffc000][font:a3eb='Arial']ANCIENT AND MODERN FARMING[/font][/color]
[font:a3eb='Arial']Thousands of years ago, the ancient Egyptian civilization grew up beside the Nile. The Egyptians travelled in reed boats on the river, fished in it and drank its waters. The Nile flooded every year, spreading mud over the nearby land and making it fertile. This helped ancient farmers to grow good crops.[/font]
[font:a3eb='Arial']In modern times dams have been built across the Nile. The biggest, called the Aswān High Dam, was officially opened in 1971. It created a huge reservoir behind it, called Lake Nasser. The dam ensures a steady flow of water and prevents flooding. It is also used to generate electricity. Unfortunately, however, the dam also stops fertile mud reaching Egypt's farmlands.[/font]
[b][font:a3eb='Arial']Microsoft
Encarta
2007.
1993-2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.[/font][/b][/center]
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