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Egypt and the Nile
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Ancient Egypt was a strange shape. It looked like a flower on a long stem. The stem was the valley of the Nile River, and the flower was the delta. People's lives depended on the Nile. Everyone lived in a strip of green land along the river.
Egypt is a dry land. Without the Nile, it would be all desert. The Nile was also the main highway, joining cities hundreds of kilometers apart.
Every September, the Nile overflowed and left a layer of black silt, which was so rich that the farmers could grow two or three crops a year.
(A) THE DELTA
North of Memphis, the Nile divided into channels, to form a delta. Much of this land was swampy, but the rest was good for farming.
(B) OASIS
The Western Desert had a few places where enough water was available for crops to be grown. These were called oases.
(C) THE EASTERN DESERT
The Eastern Desert had no oases but it contained valuable minerals, including gold.
(D) THE VALLEY
The valley was only 19 km wide but over 5,960 km long.
(E) CATARACTS
Ships sailing south were stopped by cataracts (rapids).
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Previous:
Back
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Book:
The Egyptians
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Section:
Ancient Egypt
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Chapter:
Egypt and the Nile
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