Download Egypt: Geography The Ancient Egyptian Civilization lasted more that

Egypt: Geography
The Ancient Egyptian Civilization lasted more that 2,000 years. Longer than its Mesopotamian
counterparts.
The Nile River flows North, from mountains in Central Africa to the Mediterranean Sea. It flows
approximately 4,150 miles. Despite an association with Egypt only the last 600 miles of this river
actually flows through Egypt.
Most ancient Egyptians actually lived in the Nile delta. It was protected from invasion by waterfalls,
the Sea and the desert. The land there was also fertile, and there was plenty to eat and drink.
Egypt has two very distinct seasons, the wet season and the dry season. During the wet season (JuneSeptember) snow that melted off of the mountain caps and rain mix into the Nile causing it to flood.
This is actually a good thing for the Egyptians though. When the water recedes, it leaves behind silt,
which is very fertile and the farmers would use this to grow their food. Immediately following the wet
season though was the dry. To keep their plants watered, the Egyptians would dig huge holes and fill
them with water. They would then use those reservoirs to water all of their crops. The Egyptians would
fill those reservoirs using a machine called a Shadoof, which was basically a large bucket on a lever.
The Nile provided other things for the Egyptians as well. The most important thing the nile provided
the Egyptians with, besides water, was papyrus, the local reed. The Egyptians would use the reeds to
create paper, boats and many other things.
The first things that were ever written down were inventory, and transactions.
Today 95% of all Egyptians still live in the Nile Valley. y
Today the Nile River no longer floods as the the Aswan Dam prevents holds back the high water.