Ancient Egypt The Gift of the Nile Geography

Ancient Egypt The Gift of the Nile

Geography and Ancient Egypt – Nile River The water, soil, and surrounding area of the Nile River Valley allowed a great civilization to arise in Egypt around 3200 B. C.

Ancient Egypt was located on the continent of Africa. It is still a country there today.

The Nile River Egypt is called the “Gift of the Nile” Most of northern Africa is hot and dry desert, but the Nile River brought life to Egypt and allowed it to become a great civilization. The Nile provided water, food, transportation, and trade.

The Nile is the longest river in the world, with a distance of over 4, 000 miles. Even though it didn’t rain very often, farming was possible in Egypt because the Nile flooded every year. Flooding leaves behind silt, which makes the land very fertile and good for farming.

Black and Red Land The ancient Egyptians thought of Egypt as being divided into two types of land, the 'black land' and the 'red land'.

Black and Red Land The 'black land' was the fertile land on the banks of the Nile. This was the only land in ancient Egypt that could be farmed because a layer of rich, black silt was deposited there every year after the Nile flooded. The 'red land' was the barren desert that protected Egypt on two sides. These deserts separated ancient Egypt from neighboring countries and invading armies.

Natural Barriers Egypt’s location offered another advantage because it had natural barriers that protected it from invaders. Natural barriers are geographical features that are difficult to cross. Egypt’s Natural Barriers: Surrounded by desert Mediterranean Sea and Red Sea Cataracts (rapids) in the Nile River