The Nile is the river that flows through Cairo and Khartoum before reaching the Mediterranean Sea.
The modern Nile is formed mainly by the White Nile and Blue Nile. The White Nile rises in the Great Lakes region of East Africa, while the Blue Nile begins at Lake Tana in Ethiopia. They meet at Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, then the combined river flows north through Egypt.
The Nile has supported settled life in northeastern Africa for thousands of years. Ancient Egyptian agriculture depended on its water and seasonal flooding, and many major archaeological sites stand along its valley. Cairo, Egypt’s capital, lies on the river just south of its broad delta.
A common mix-up is calling the Amazon the world’s longest river; measurements and definitions are debated, but the Nile is traditionally listed first. The Nile’s delta is one of the Mediterranean’s major wetland regions.