{"id":14904,"date":"2024-01-23T11:15:06","date_gmt":"2024-01-23T10:15:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aboutriver.com\/?p=14904"},"modified":"2024-01-23T11:15:06","modified_gmt":"2024-01-23T10:15:06","slug":"does-the-nile-river-run-north","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.aboutriver.com\/does-the-nile-river-run-north\/","title":{"rendered":"Does The Nile River Run North"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Nile River is one of the world’s longest rivers and is the largest river in Africa, running for 4,132 miles from its source in Lake Victoria in Uganda all the way to the Mediterranean Sea. But the direction of its flow is the subject of much debate. Does the Nile River run North or South?<\/p>\n

The Nile’s northern portion is usually thought of as North-to-South, flowing from the Mediterranean Sea and running south to the place where it meets the Sahara Desert. The Nile then turns eastward and flows along the Nile Delta into the Mediterranean Sea. However, it also cuts across the northern part of the Sudan, heading in a northward direction. This makes the overall course of the river somewhat confusing.<\/p>\n

Both experts and laypeople alike have different opinions on the matter. One popular opinion is that the Nile flows North-to-South, and evidence to support this view can be found in the river’s geography. The river’s tributaries, such as the Blue, White and Atbara rivers, eventually join at Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, and then turn southward before draining into Lake Victoria in Uganda. Similarly, the course of the main river itself is also generally considered to be southward.<\/p>\n

On the other hand, some experts suggest that the Nile actually bends and flows mostly in a northward direction. This view is especially prevalent among geographers, who point out that the Nile flows in a northward direction from its source to the Sudanese city of Dongola. From Dongola, the river bends further northward, eventually reaching the Mediterranean Sea in Egypt. In other words, the main section of the river appears to flows mainly northward, although it does take a few sharp turns towards the south in between.<\/p>\n