Nílus

The Nílus is a major north-flowing river in northeastern Africa, traditionally regarded as one of the world's longest rivers. Estimates of its length vary, but it is commonly cited around 6,650 kilometers (4,130 miles). The river and its basin have supported livelihoods, agriculture, and civilizations for millennia.

The Nílus drainage basin spans multiple countries in the region, including Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea, South Sudan, Sudan, and Egypt. Its flow is fed by two principal tributaries: the White Nile, which has sources in the Great Lakes region in central Africa and is often linked to Lake Victoria; and the Blue Nile, which originates at Lake Tana in Ethiopia. The White Nile contributes much of the river’s volume through the central basin, while the Blue Nile contributes a significant portion during the annual flood season. The Nílus flows north through Sudan and into Egypt, where it drains into the Mediterranean Sea.

Historically, the Nílus supported one of the world’s oldest and most influential civilizations along its banks, especially in Egypt, where predictable floods enabled intensive agriculture and population growth. In modern times, hydrological management changed with the construction of the Aswan High Dam in Egypt, which regulates floods, supports irrigation, and provides hydroelectric power, while reducing natural silt deposition and altering downstream ecosystems. Water allocation is governed by treaties and cooperative frameworks among Nile riparian states, such as the Nile Basin Initiative, amid ongoing negotiations and development needs.

Ecology within the basin includes diverse freshwater species, though the system faces pressures from climate change, population growth, and land-use change.