People have depended on the Nile River for over 6,000 years. Ancient Egyptian Civilization was only possible due to the existence of the Nile River. The river provided water to grow crops.The yearly flooding brought in new, fertile soil. A surplus of food meant more people could live in the valley of the Nile. The land was so fertile, some people didn't have to work on farms, but could help build temples and pyramids

The Nile is the longest river in the world. It is 4,100 miles long and drains the water from 10 countries. It rises in the equatorial tropics and flows north through the desert.

Navigate through slides to learn more the different parts of the Nile. Please learn about all five parts of the Nile River before continuing with the tutorial.

The Nile Delta formed in Northern Egypt where the Nile River spreads out and drains into the Mediterranean Sea. It is one of the world's largest river deltas, covering some 240 km of Mediterranean coastline, and has been a rich agricultural region for over 5,000 years

The White Nile is the longest branch of the Nile River at around 2,300 miles long and begins at Lake Victoria.

The Blue Nile begins at Lake Tana in Ethiopia. It's shorter than the White Nile, but supplies over 50% of the water that flows through Egypt.

The basin system of irrigation was developed thousands of years ago; it is now used only in parts of southern Egypt and northern Sudan. The basin system only supports one main crop because it is dependent on the annual flooding of the Nile. 

The perennial system of irrigation, less dependent on the Nile flood, is used more widely. The perennial irrigation system allows farmers to plant multiple crops.

The receiver behind the dams, Lake Nasser, allows the government to release water throughout the year for irrigation and navigation on the Nile.

The Nile River was, and still is, a gift to the people who live close by. Six thousand years ago it provided water, food, and a way to travel through Egypt by boat. A great civilization grew up along its banks because of this gift of water, and to this day a great many people in Africa benefit from the bounty of this magnificent river.

Subsistence agriculture is self-sufficient farming in which farmers grow only what they need to survive. The crops and animals raised are only for the use of the farm family – nothing is sold to others. The problem with this approach is that if your family traditionally grows maize and there is an incredible drought and your maize does not grow, then your family has no food. In recent years there has been a push for farmers to move away from this subsistence farming approach and plant crops that are drought-resistant and could also be sold. If a farmer grows cotton and maize, for example, and the maize does not grow, at least the cotton can be sold so the farmer can buy some food for his family. It has been incredibly difficult to convince farmers to take this approach and part with their traditional agricultural practices. Farmers are beholden to certain crops and certain animals – particularly cattle. Cattle are considered sacred to some, and in places like Swaziland, cattle are even given free veterinary care. Unfortunately, being tied to crops like maize and refusing to part with their cattle results in increasing poverty in rural areas.

Commercial farming is the raising of crops and livestock for sale and can be done on a large scale using modern machines and technology. Commercial farming can also be as simple as the previous example of farmers growing cotton to sell for food. The World Bank sees the development of commercial farming as the way to get many rural Africans out of poverty. Some people would say that there is no such thing as a subsistence farmer anymore. Peasant farmers are developing cooperative ventures, pooling their lands to grow items for sale overseas, and even individual farmers sell some things to the market.

The dry grassland region of Africa is known as the African savanna. Of the many African savannas, the Serengeti is most well known for its vast herds of wildebeest, gazelle and zebras. Many people travel to the Serengeti for animal safaris to watch the herds of wild animals as well as the incredible birds. It is also home to one of the highest concentrations of large predators in the world. The following animals are just a few of the species you can find in the Serengeti.

One of the first and most well-known explorers to penetrate the interior of Africa was Dr. David Livingstone, a British physician and missionary. Born in Scotland, David Livingstone arrived in Africa in 1840 at the age of 27 as a missionary and physician. For centuries Africa was known as the 'Dark Continent,' since, except for its coastal regions, little was known of the land. The immediate effect of the explorations of men like Dr. Livingstone and other explorers such as Burton, Speke, and Stanley was that their explorations contributed to the potential desirability of parts of Africa for economic purposes – although that was not necessarily their intent while initially exploring the continent.

The Scramble for Africa officially began in 1881, when France moved into Tunis. After centuries of neglect, Europeans began to expand their influence into Africa. The end of the slave trade, exploration, capitalism, steam engines, medical advances, politics, and military innovations were all factors leading to the Scramble for Africa. Soon, it took on a full-fledged land grab in Africa by European powers - this is why it came to be called the Scramble for Africa.

The discovery of gold and diamonds in places like South Africa was a further catalyst for the exploration and subjugation of the continent. The quest for diamonds, gold, oil, and other minerals continues to impact the continent of Africa. On the next page, you will learn about conflict diamonds, sometimes called Blood Diamonds, and learn more about their impact on the countries and people of Africa.