The Nile flows through the Sahara before reaching the Mediterranean Sea.
In Egypt, the river crosses an exceptionally dry landscape, creating a narrow, fertile corridor through the desert. Most of Egypt’s population and agriculture are concentrated along the Nile valley and delta because rainfall is extremely limited across the surrounding Sahara.
The modern Nile is formed mainly by the White Nile and Blue Nile, which meet at Khartoum in Sudan. It then continues north through Egypt before dividing into branches in the Nile Delta and entering the Mediterranean.
The river’s presence does not make the surrounding region non-desert. A desert can contain permanent rivers, groundwater and irrigated farmland while still having an arid climate. The Nile has therefore been central to settlement, transport and civilisation in northeastern Africa for thousands of years.