{"id":14387,"date":"2023-10-08T20:40:09","date_gmt":"2023-10-08T19:40:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aboutriver.com\/?p=14387"},"modified":"2023-10-08T20:40:09","modified_gmt":"2023-10-08T19:40:09","slug":"how-come-the-nile-river-flows-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aboutriver.com\/how-come-the-nile-river-flows-up\/","title":{"rendered":"How Come The Nile River Flows Up"},"content":{"rendered":"
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After enjoying a paramount rule over Egypt for centuries, the majestic River Nile would never cease to astonish us with its mysteries. This 6000-kilometres-long river that runs from Lake Victoria in East Africa to the Mediterranean Sea has been a home to ancient civilizations, but its weirdest feature is the fact that it flows “up”. How come the Nile River flows against the force of gravity?<\/p>\n

The main reason for this phenomenon is Egypt’s geography and geology. It lies on a large plateau and its terrain varies substantially, from the bottom of the plateaus to the rocky highlands, with distinct altitudes. The river runs from south to north and is naturally directed upwards to the land of Egypt. This is mainly due to the geography of Egypt, since the country is located on the eastern side of the Nile Valley, while its western side divides it from the Sudan, with only a few kilometers of the Nile separating them. <\/p>\n

In addition, Egypt’s soil is incredibly fertile, thanks to the two main tributaries of the river, that bring huge quantities of silt from the Ethiopian highlands, which intensively irrigates the land and produces the famous black mud. This process somehow contributes to the phenomenon known as the Coriolis effect, a displacement of the surface of a liquid in motion in relation to its axis or center of rotation, thus making it move in a circular or spiral fashion, as there is greater pressure at the bottom of the river. Scientists believe that this natural “ascension” of the waters is caused by the huge amount of sediment and the shape of the river banks.<\/p>\n

It is also important to note the annual flooding of the Nile, caused by the heavy rainfalls in Ethiopia, that produces the so-called Nile Inundation, which provides the nutrient-rich soil in the region with a valuable resource, enhancing its fertility. Given that the upstream of the Nile (in the western delta) lies higher than the downstream portion, the waters of the river flow down from the mountain valleys, and despite gravity’s pull, are forced to climb up to the higher altitude.<\/p>\n

Environmental Impact of the Nile<\/h2>\n