How Important the Nile River Is to Egypt.

The   civilization   of   ancient   Egypt   was   indebted   to   the   Nile   River   and   its   dependable   seasonable   flooding.   The   river’s   predictability   and   the   fertile   soils   it   provided   allowed   the   Egyptians   to   build   an   empire   on   the   basis   of   great   agricultural   wealth.   Egyptians   are   credited   as   being   one   of   the   first   groups   to   practice   agriculture   on   a   large   scale.   This   was   possible   because   of   the   ingenuity   of   the   Egyptians   as   they   developed   basin   irrigation.   Their   farming   practices   allowed   them   to   grow   staple   food   crops,   especially   grains   such   as   wheat   and   barley   and   industrial   crops,   such   as   flax   and   papyrus.
The   civilization   of   ancient   Egypt   developed   in   the   arid   climate   of   northern   Africa.   This   region   has   several   key   geographical   features;   the   Arabian   and   Libyan   deserts   and   the   Nile   River   which   flows   from   Lake   Victoria   north   into   the   Mediterranean   Sea.   Because   of   this   area   received   almost   no   rainfall,   the   Nile   River   was   key   to   the   development   of   the   Egyptian   civilization.   The   river   provided   a   fertile   oasis   in   the   middle   of   great   deserts   which   allowed   the   Egyptians   to   develop   into   a   powerful   state   based   in   agricultural   wealth.   Egypt’s   dependence   was   characteristic   of   several   ancient   races,   including   the   Mesopotamia   and   Indus   civilizations   who   relied   on   the   Tigris/Euphrates   and   Indus   rivers   respectively.

Farming Systems
The Nile and Field Planting
The   Nile   River   was   measured   as   being   4175   miles   long   in   2006   and   is   considered   to   be   the   longest   river   in   the   world.   The   main   source   of   its   water   comes   from   Lake   Victoria.   From   there   the   river   flows   northward,   eventually   emptying   into   the   Mediterranean   Sea.   While   the   actual   origin   of   the   river   is   hard   to   determine   with   certainty,   it   is   thought   to   be   located   in   the...