You know that Egypt was a green strip along the Nile. But which way does the water go? On most maps north is at the top, and the Nile surprises people: it flows up the map.
Key idea
The Nile flows from south to north. It starts deep in Africa and empties into the Mediterranean Sea. Near the sea it splits into branches that fan out in a triangle called the Delta.
Why it works
Water always runs downhill. The land far to the south, in the mountains of East Africa, is high. The Mediterranean coast is low. So the river runs north, from high ground to the sea. The Delta got its name from the Greek letter delta, Δ, because the branches spread out in a triangle.
Worked example: Which way to float?
A boat floats on the Nile with no sail and no rowing, from Karnak toward Giza. Will it get there?
- The current flows south to north.
- Giza is north of Karnak.
- So the current carries the boat toward Giza.
Answer: Yes. Giza is downstream (north) of Karnak.
Common mistake
Thinking rivers must flow "down" the map, toward the south. Rivers flow downhill, not down the page. Check a map: the Nile's mouths are at the top, on the Mediterranean, so it flows north.
The Nile is one of the two longest rivers in the world. Its two main branches, the White Nile and the Blue Nile, meet at Khartoum in Sudan and flow north together into Egypt.