Into what body of water does the Nile River empty? a. Mediterranean Sea c. Suez Canal b. Red Sea d. Atlantic Ocean You have new items in your feed. Click to view. Question and answer Into what body of water does the Nile River empty? a. Mediterranean Sea c. Suez Canal b. Red Sea d. Atlantic Ocean The Nile River empties into the: A. Mediterranean Sea. Expert answered| andrewpallarca |Points 22800| Into what body of water does the Nile River empty? a. Mediterranean Sea c. Suez Canal b. Red Sea d. Atlantic Ocean You have new items in your feed. Click to view. Question and answer Into what body of water does the Nile River empty? a. Mediterranean Sea c. Suez Canal b. Red Sea d. Atlantic Ocean The Nile River empties into the: Mediterranean Sea. Get an answer Into what body of water does the Nile River empty? a. Mediterranean Sea c. Suez Canal b. Red Sea d. Atlantic Ocean Original conversation User: Into what body of water does the Nile River empty? a.

Mediterranean Sea c. Suez Canal b. Red Sea d. Atlantic Ocean Weegy: The Nile River empties into the: Mediterranean Sea. What body of water does the Nile river delta emp... - Brainly.com This Is a Certified Answer × Certified answers contain reliable, trustworthy information vouched for by a hand-picked team of experts. Brainly has millions of high quality answers, all of them carefully moderated by our most trusted community members, but certified answers are the finest of the finest. The Nile river delta is located on the Northern end of the river which empties into the Mediterranean Sea. What body of water does the Nile river empty int... - Brainly.com This Is a Certified Answer × Certified answers contain reliable, trustworthy information vouched for by a hand-picked team of experts. Brainly has millions of high quality answers, all of them carefully moderated by our most trusted community members, but certified answers are the finest of the finest. It empties in into the Mediterranean sea delta - National Geographic Society delta Photograph courtesy Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA/GSFC Delta Blues Delta blues is a style of music developed by African-American artists living and performing in the Mississippi Delta region of the southern United States.

The Mississippi Delta actually has nothing do do with deltas at all! The Mississippi Delta is a flood plain between two rivers in northwestern Mississippi, the Mississippi and the Yazoo. The Mississippi Delta is more than 480 kilometers (300 miles) north of the delta of the Mississippi River in Lousiana. Slide guitar is one of the standard instruments used by delta blues musicians, while familiar topics include poverty and injustice. Robert Johnson, widely recognized as one of the greatest guitarists of all time, played the Delta blues. Listen to Robert Johnson here . Delta s are wetland s that form as rivers empty their water and sediment into another body of water, such as an ocean, lake, or another river. Deltas can also empty into land, although this is less common. A river moves more slowly as it nears its mouth , or end. This causes sediment, solid material carried downstream by current s, to fall to the river bottom. The slowing velocity of the river and the build-up of sediment allows the river to break from its single channel as it nears its mouth. Under the right conditions, a river forms a deltaic lobe .

A mature deltaic lobe includes a distributary network—a series of smaller, shallower channels, called distributaries, that branch off from the mainstem of the river. In a deltaic lobe, heavier, coarse r material settles first. Smaller, finer sediment is carried farther downstream. The fine st material is deposited beyond the river's mouth. This material is called alluvium or silt. Silt is rich in nutrient s that help microbe s and plants—the producers in the food web —grow. As silt builds up, new land is formed. This is the delta. A delta extends a river's mouth into the body of of water into which it is emptying. A delta is sometimes divided into two parts: subaqueous and subaerial. The subaqueous part of a delta is underwater. This is the most steeply sloping part of the delta, and contains the finest silt. The newest part of the subaqueous delta, furthest from the mouth of the river, is called the prodelta . The subaerial part of a delta is above water. The subaerial region most influenced by waves and tides is called the lower delta .

The region most influenced by the river's flow is called the upper delta . This nutrient-rich wetland of the upper and lower delta can be an extension of the river bank, or a series of narrow islands between the river's distributary network. Like most wetlands, deltas are incredibly diverse and ecologically important ecosystem s. Deltas absorb runoff from both flood s (from rivers) and storm s (from lakes or the ocean). Deltas also filter water as it slowly makes its way through the delta's distributary network. This can reduce the impact of pollution flowing from upstream. Deltas are also important wetland habitat s. Plants such as lilies and hibiscus grow in deltas, as well as herb s such as worts, which are used in traditional medicines. Many, many animals are indigenous to the shallow, shifting waters of a delta. Fish, crustacean s such as oysters, birds, insects, and even apex predator s such as tigers and bears can be part of a delta's ecosystem. Not all rivers form deltas. For a delta to form, the flow of a river must be slow and steady enough for silt to be deposited and build up.

The Ok Tedi, in Papua New Guinea is one of the fastest-flowing rivers in the world. It does not form a delta as it becomes a tributary of the Fly River. (The Fly, on the other hand, does form a rich delta as it empties into the Gulf of Papua, part of the Pacific Ocean.) A river will also not form a delta if exposed to powerful wave s. The Columbia River in Canada and the United States, for instance, deposits enormous amounts of sediment into the Pacific Ocean, but strong waves and currents sweep the material away as soon as it is deposited. Tide s also limit where deltas can form. The Amazon, the largest river in the world, is without a delta. The tides of the Atlantic Ocean are too strong to allow silt to create a delta on the Amazon. Types of Deltas There are two major ways of classifying deltas. One considers the influences that create the landform , while the other considers its shape. Influence There are four main types of deltas classified by the processes that control the build-up of silt: wave-dominated, tide-dominated, Gilbert deltas, and estuarine deltas. In a wave-dominated delta, the movement of waves controls a delta's size and shape.

The Nile delta (shaped by waves from the Mediterranean Sea) and Senegal delta (shaped by waves from the Atlantic Ocean) are both wave-dominated deltas. Tide-dominated deltas usually form in areas with a large tidal range , or area between high tide and low tide . The massive Ganges-Bramahputra delta, in India and Bangladesh, is a tide-dominated delta, shaped by the rise and fall of tides in the Bay of Bengal. Gilbert delta s are formed as rivers deposit large, coarse sediments. Gilbert deltas are usually confined to rivers emptying into freshwater lakes. They are usually steeper than the normal flat plain of a wave-dominated or tide-dominated delta. This type of delta was first identified by the geologist Grove Karl Gilbert, who described mountain streams feeding ancient Lake Bonneville. (Utah's Great Salt Lake is the only remnant of Lake Bonneville.) Estuarine deltas form as a river does not empty directly into the ocean, but instead forms an estuary. An estuary is a partly enclosed wetland that features a brackish water (part-saltwater, part-freshwater) habitat.

The Yellow River forms an estuary, for instance, as it reaches the Bohai Sea off the coast of northern China. Shape The term delta comes from the upper-case Greek letter delta (Δ), which is shaped like a triangle. Deltas with this triangular or fan shape are called arcuate (arc-like) deltas. The Nile River forms an arcuate delta as it empties into the Mediterranean Sea. Strong waves make a cuspate delta a pointed, tooth-shaped version of the arcuate. The Tiber River forms a cuspate delta as it empties into the Tyrrhenian Sea near Rome, Italy. Not all deltas are triangle-shaped. A bird-foot delta has few, widely spaced distributaries, making it look like a bird's foot. The Mississippi River forms a bird-foot delta as it empties into the Gulf of Mexico. Inverted delta s look like the opposite of a classic arcuate delta. The distributary network of an inverted delta is inland, while a single stream reaches the ocean or other body of water. The delta of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River in northern California is an inverted delta.

The rivers and creeks of the Sacramento and San Joaquin distributary networks meet in Suisun Bay, before flowing to the Pacific Ocean through a single gap in the Coast Range, the Carquinez Strait. Inland deltas, which empty into a plain, are extremely rare. The Okavango delta in Botswana is probably the most well-known—and so unusual it is recognized as one of the "Seven Natural Wonders of Africa." Water from the Okavango River never reaches another body of water. The delta spreads water and silt across a flat plain in the Kalahari Desert before being evaporate d. An abandoned delta forms as a river develops a new channel, leaving the other to dry up or stagnate . This process is called avulsion . Avulsion occurs when the slope of a channel decreases and the sediment build-up increases. These forces allow the channel to overflow its banks or levee s and find a steeper, more direct route to the ocean or other body of water. The process of avulsion in deltaic lobes is called delta switching . Over time, delta switching can create entirely new deltaic lobes.

Delta switching has resulted in seven or eight distinct deltaic lobes of the Mississippi River over the past 5,000 years. Deltas and People Deltas are incredibly important to the human geography of a region. They are important places for trade and commerce , for instance. The booming city of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, sits on the delta of the Fraser River as it empties into the Strait of Georgia, part of the Pacific Ocean. The Fraser delta helps make Vancouver one of the busiest, most cosmopolitan port s in the world, where goods from the interior of Canada are export ed, and goods from around the world are import ed. The Pearl River Delta, sometimes called the Delta of Guangdong, is another heavily urban ized river delta. The Pearl River delta is one of the fastest-growing centers of China's economy. The Pearl River delta includes both of China's two special administrative regions, the former British colony of Hong Kong and the former Portuguese colony of Macau. Hong Kong and Macau are welcoming to western business, and provide a entryway to the Chinese market .

The Pearl River delta region is growing so quickly, it frequently experiences labor shortages as immigrant s from the Chinese interior settle in the area, seeking a better life and higher wages. Deltas have a rich accumulation of silt, so they are usually fertile agricultural areas. The world's largest delta is the Ganges–Brahmaputra delta in India and Bangladesh, which empties into the Bay of Bengal. Bangladesh sits almost entirely on this delta, and about two-thirds of the population live and work there. Fish, other seafood, and crop s such as rice and tea are the leading agricultural products of the delta. Similarly, the inverted delta of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers in northern California is one of the most agriculturally rich areas in the U.S. The soil supports crops from asparagus to zucchini, wine grapes to rice. Disappearing Deltas Extensive river management threatens deltas. River management involves monitor ing and administer ing a river's flow (often through the use of dam s). River management increases the amount of land available for agricultural or industrial development , and controls access to water for drinking, industry , and irrigation .

Engineer s and government officials must consistently debate the interests of agriculture, industry, the environment , and citizen safety and health when putting delta wetlands at risk. River management in Egypt has radically alter ed the way land is farmed around the Nile delta, for instance. Construction of the Aswan Dam in the 1960s reduced annual flooding of the delta. This flooding had distributed silt and nutrients along the banks of the Nile. Today, Egypt is much more reliant on fertilizer s and irrigation. The Nile delta is also shrinking as a result of the Aswan Dam and other river management techniques. Without silt and other sediments to fortify it in a prodelta, the waves of the Mediterranean Sea are eroding the delta faster than the Nile can replace it. In the United States, dams on the Colorado River nearly prevent it from reaching its delta on the Sea of Cortez, Mexico. The ecosystem (what was once the world's largest desert estuary) has been reduced to a fraction of its former area, and many indigenous species are vulnerable, threatened, or endangered. Finally, decades of river management prevent the Mississippi River from naturally flowing through its delta wetlands. Like the Nile delta, the Mississippi delta is also eroding.

Between 1990 and 2000, the Mississippi River Delta lost 62 square kilometers (24 square miles) of wetlands per year—that's about one football field of mud washed into the Gulf of Mexico every 38 minutes. This situation contributed to the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Term abandoned delta Noun landform created as a river develops a new channel, leaving the other to dry up or stagnate. absorb to oversee, manage, or be in charge of. agriculture Noun gravel, sand, and smaller materials deposited by flowing water. alter apex predator Noun species at the top of the food chain, with no predators of its own. Also called an alpha predator or top predator. arcuate shaped like an arc or bow, or part of a circle. avulsion Noun natural process involving the abandonment of one river channel and the formation of a new one. bank Noun a slope of land adjoining a body of water, or a large elevated area of the sea floor. bird-foot delta Noun area where a river flows into a larger body of water through long, isolated channels that branch outward like a bird's foot.

Also called a birdfoot delta or bird's-foot delta. brackish water salty water, usually a mixture of seawater and freshwater. channel deepest part of a shallow body of water, often a passageway for ships. classify to identify or arrange by specific type or characteristic. coarse rough or composed of large, jagged particles. colony people and land separated by distance or culture from the government that controls them. commerce trade, or the exchange of goods and services. communication sharing of information and ideas. consistent maintaining a steady, reliable quality. cosmopolitan familiar or comfortable all over the world, or to people from all over the world. crop crustacean Noun type of animal (an arthropod) with a hard shell and segmented body that usually lives in the water. current pointed or tapering to a sharp end. dam structure built across a river or other waterway to control the flow of water. debate to argue or disagree in a formal setting. delta Noun the flat, low-lying plain that sometimes forms at the mouth of a river from deposits of sediments. landform created as a river deposits sediment into the body of water as it empties.

delta switching process of a delta distributary abandoning one channel and carving out another. desert Noun construction or preparation of land for housing, industry, or agriculture. distributary stream that branches off from the main stem of a river or other flowing fluid. diverse varied or having many different types. downstream in the direction of a flow, toward its end. economic having to do with money. ecosystem engineer Noun person who plans the building of things, such as structures (construction engineer) or substances (chemical engineer). environment conditions that surround and influence an organism or community. erode to change from a liquid to a gas or vapor. export good or service traded to another area. farming the art, science, and business of cultivating the land for growing crops. fertile able to produce crops or sustain agriculture. fertilizer nutrient-rich chemical substance (natural or manmade) applied to soil to encourage plant growth. filter Verb to remove particles from a substance by passing the substance through a screen or other material that catches larger particles and lets the rest of the substance pass through. fine water that is not salty. gap person who studies the physical formations of the Earth.

Gilbert delta Noun landform created by the depositon of coarse sediments, as opposed to the fine sediments of regular deltas. government system or order of a nation, state, or other political unit. habitat type of seasonal plant often used as a medicine or seasoning. high tide Noun water level that has risen as a result of the moon's gravitational pull on the Earth. human geography the study of the way human communities and systems interact with their environment. Hurricane Katrina 2005 storm that was one of the deadliest in U.S. history. immigrant person who moves to a new country or region. import to bring in a good or service from another area for trade. indigenous characteristic to or of a specific place. industry activity that produces goods and services. inverted delta Noun landform noted for its opposite-seeming appearance: the wide end of the delta is inland, while the narrow end empties into a body of water. irrigation portion of a delta defined by a region's tidal range. low tide Noun water level that has dropped as a result of the moon's gravitational pull on the Earth. mainstem largest river or channel in a watershed or drainage basin. market central place for the sale of goods.

massive tiny organism, usually a bacterium. monitor to observe and record behavior or data. mouth Noun place where a river empties its water. Usually rivers enter another body of water at their mouths. port Noun place on a body of water where ships can tie up or dock and load and unload cargo. to keep something from happening. prodelta newest, most aquatic-facing portion of a delta, featuring the finest sediment. radically something that is left over. river management the art and science of controlling the flow, path, and power of rivers. runoff transportation of goods, usually by large boat. silt top layer of the Earth's surface where plants can grow. stagnate severe weather indicating a disturbed state of the atmosphere resulting from uplifted air. tidal range the difference in height between an area's high tide and low tide. tide Noun rise and fall of the ocean's waters, caused by the gravitational pull of the moon and sun. buying, selling, or exchanging of goods and services. tributary portion of a delta roughly defined by deposits from a river. urban having to do with city life. velocity measurement of the rate and direction of change in the position of an object.

wave moving swell on the surface of water. wetland Into what sea does the River Nile flow? | Reference.com Into what sea does the River Nile flow? A: Quick Answer The River Nile drains into the Mediterranean Sea. It is the longest river on the African continent and in the world. Full Answer The headwaters of the Kagera River, known as its tributary Ruvubu, are the origination of the River Nile. From its origin, the river flows north through Africa before it enters Egypt. While many people believe that the majority of the River Nile is located in Egypt, only 22 percent of it is located there. It is believed that Ancient Egypt would not have existed without the River Nile as it provided the moisture that crops needed to survive. The Ancient Egyptians could only grow crops in the soil that formed after the River Nile flooded each year. river - National Geographic Society river The Jinsha is nicknamed "the River of Golden Sands." Photograph by Xi Luo, MyShot Germ-Killing Ganges Hindus have always believed that the water of the Ganges River has purifying powers. Although millions of people bathe in the river regularly, it does not usually spread cholera, typhoid, or other water-borne diseases.

Scientists have found that unique bacteriophagesviruses that destroy bacteriakill germs in the water of the Ganges. In addition, the Ganges holds up to 25 times more dissolved oxygen than any other river in the world. The oxygen helps prevent putrefaction (rotting) of organic matter in the river. Scientists do not know why the river retains so much oxygen. Mythical Rivers The ancient Greeks believed that five rivers encircled Hades, the underworld. These rivers are Styx (hate), Phlegethon (fire), Acheron (sorrow), Cocytus (lamentation or sadness), and Lethe (forgetting). The Greeks believed that dead souls had to cross the River Acheron, a branch of the Styx, to reach the underworld. They crossed on a ferry piloted by Charon, the ferryman of Hades. Flip-Flopping Flow The Amazon River used to flow in the opposite direction. Today, the river flows from the mountains of Peru in the west to the Atlantic Ocean in the east. But millions of years ago, it actually flowed from east to west, emptying into the Pacific Ocean.

The flow flipped when the Andes mountains started growing at the end of the Cretaceous period (around 65 million years ago). A river is a large, natural stream of flowing water. Rivers are found on every continent and on nearly every kind of land. Some flow all year round. Others flow seasonally or during wet years. A river may be only kilometers long, or it may span much of a continent. The longest rivers in the world are the Nile in Africa and the Amazon in South America. Both rivers flow through many countries. For centuries, scientists have debated which river is longer. Measuring a river is difficult because it is hard to pinpoint its exact beginning and end. Also, the length of rivers can change as they meander , are dam med, or their deltas grow and recede . The Amazon is estimated to be between 6,259 kilometers (3,903 miles) and 6,800 kilometers (4,225 miles) long. The Nile is estimated to be between 5,499 kilometers (3,437 miles) and 6,690 kilometers (4,180 miles) long.

There is no debate, however, that the Amazon carries more water than any other river on Earth. Approximately one-fifth of all the freshwater entering the oceans comes from the Amazon. Rivers are important for many reasons. One of the most important things they do is carry large quantities of water from the land to the ocean. There, seawater constantly evaporate s. The resulting water vapor forms clouds. Cloud s carry moisture over land and release it as precipitation. This freshwater feeds rivers and smaller streams. The movement of water between land, ocean, and air is called the water cycle . The water cycle constantly replenish es Earth’s supply of freshwater, which is essential for almost all living things. Anatomy of a River No two rivers are exactly alike. Yet all rivers have certain features in common and go through similar stages as they age. The beginning of a river is called its source or headwater s. The source may be a melting glacier , such as the Gangotri Glacier, the source of the Ganges River in Asia. The source could be melting snow, such as the snows of the Andes, which feed the Amazon River.

A river’s source could be a lake with an outflowing stream, such as Lake Itasca in the U.S. state of Minnesota, the source of the Mississippi River. A spring bubbling out of the ground can also be the headwaters of a river. The source of the Danube River is a spring in the Black Forest of Germany. From its source, a river flows downhill as a small stream. Precipitation and groundwater add to the river’s flow. It is also fed by other streams, called tributaries. For instance, the Amazon River receives water from more than 1,000 tributaries. Together, a river and its tributaries make up a river system . A river system is also called a drainage basin or watershed. A river’s watershed includes the river, all its tributaries, and any groundwater resources in the area. The end of a river is its mouth . Here, the river empties into another body of water—a larger river, a lake, or the ocean. Many of the largest rivers empty into the ocean. The flowing water of a river has great power to carve and shape the landscape. Many landforms, like the Grand Canyon in the U.S.

state of Arizona, were sculpted by rivers over time. This process is called weathering or erosion . The energy of flowing river water comes from the force of gravity, which pulls the water downward. The steeper the slope of a river, the faster the river moves and the more energy it has. The movement of water in a river is called a current . The current is usually strongest near the river’s source. Storms can also increase the current. A swift current can move even large boulder s. These break apart, and the pieces that are carried in the moving water scrape and dig into the river bottom, or bed. Little by little, a river tears away rocks and soil along its bed, and carries them downstream. The river carves a narrow, V-shaped valley. Rapids and waterfall s are common to rivers, particularly near their sources. Eventually, the river flows to lower land. As the slope of its course flattens, the river cuts less deeply into its bed. Instead, it begins to wind from side to side in looping bends called meanders. This action widens the river valley. At the same time, the river begins to leave behind some of the rocks, sand, and other solid material it collected upstream .

This material is called sediment . Once the sediment is deposited, it is called alluvium . Alluvium may contain a great deal of eroded topsoil from upstream and from the banks of its meanders. Because of this, a river deposits very fertile soil on its flood plain . A flood plain is the area next to the river that is subject to flooding. The deepest part of a river bed is called a channel . The channel is usually located in the middle of a river. Here, the current is often strong. In large rivers, ships travel in channels. Engineers may dredge , or dig, deeper channels so more water can flow through the river or the river can transport larger ships. Near the end of its journey, the river slows and may appear to move sluggishly . It has less energy to cut into the land, and it can no longer carry a heavy load of sediment. Where the river meets the ocean or a lake, it may deposit so much sediment that new land, a delta , is formed. Not all rivers have deltas. The Amazon does not have a true delta, for instance. The strength of the tide s and currents of the Atlantic Ocean prevent the build-up of sediment. Deltas almost always have fertile soil.

The Nile Delta and the Ganges Delta are the chief agricultural areas for Egypt and Bangladesh, for instance. Rivers Through History Rivers have always been important to people. In prehistoric times, people settled along the banks of rivers, where they found fish to eat and water for drinking, cooking, and bathing. Later, people learned that the fertile soil along rivers is good for growing crop s. The world’s first great civilization s arose in the fertile flood plains of the Nile in Egypt, the Indus in southern Asia, the Tigris and the Euphrates in the Middle East, and the Huang (Yellow) in China. Centuries later, rivers provided routes for trade , exploration , and settlement. The Volga River in Eastern Europe allowed Scandinavia n and Russian cultures, near the source of the river, to trade goods and ideas with Persia n cultures, near the mouth of the Volga in southern Europe. The Hudson River in the U.S. state of New York is named after English explorer Henry Hudson , who used the river to explore what was then the New World . When towns and industries developed, the rushing water of rivers supplied power to operate machinery .

Hundreds of factories operated mill s powered by the Thames in England, the Mississippi in the United States, and the Ruhr in Germany. Rivers remain important today. If you look at a world map, you will see that many well-known cities are on rivers. Great river cities include New York City, New York; Buenos Aires, Argentina; London, England; Cairo, Egypt; Kolkata, India; and Shanghai, China. In fact, rivers are usually the oldest parts of cities. Paris, France, for instance, was named after the Iron Age people known as the Parisii , who lived on the islands and banks of the Seine River, which flows through the city. Rivers continue to provide transportation route s, water for drinking and for irrigating farmland, and power for homes and industries. Rivers of Europe The longest river in Europe is the Volga. It flows approximately 3,685 kilometers (2,290 miles) across Russia and empties into the Caspian Sea. The Volga has been used for centuries to transport timber from northern forests, grain from farms along its valley, and manufactured goods.

The river is also known for its sturgeon , a type of large fish whose eggs are used to make a famous delicacy —Russian caviar. The Thames, in England, is one of Europe’s most historic rivers. Along its banks stands the city of London, a bustling urban area for more than a thousand years. By 100 CE, London had already become an important Roman settlement and trading post . Because of its location on the river and near the seacoast, London became England’s principal city and trade center. Europe’s busiest river is the Rhine, which runs from the Alps in Switzerland, through Germany and the Netherlands, and empties into the North Sea. It flows through many industrial and farming regions and carries barge s laden with farm products, coal , iron ore , and a variety of manufactured goods. Rivers of Asia Asia’s longest and most important river is the Yangtze, in China. It flows from the Dangla Mountains, between Tibet and China’s Qinghai province. It empties in the East China Sea 6,300 kilometers (3,915 miles) later. The Yangtze is a highway for trade through the world’s most populous country.

The Yangtze is also an agricultural river. Its valley is a major rice-growing region, and its water is used to irrigate fields. Many Chinese live on the river in houseboat s or sailboat s called junk s. The Yangtze River is the home of the world’s most powerful hydroelectric power plant, the Three Gorges Dam . Eventually, the plant will be able to constantly produce 22,500 megawatts of power. China’s rural population will have access to affordable electricity for homes, businesses, schools, and hospitals. Creating the Three Gorges Dam was one of the largest engineering feat s in history. Engineers dammed the Yangtze, creating a 39.3-cubic-kilometer (31.9 million acre-foot) reservoir , or artificial lake. The Ganges is the greatest river on Asia's Indian subcontinent . It is sacred to the millions of followers of the Hindu religion. For thousands of years, Hindus have worshipped the river as a goddess, Ganga Ma (Mother Ganges). Hindus believe the river’s water purifies the soul and heals the body. Millions of people use the Ganges every day for bathing, drinking, and industry.

The historic Tigris and Euphrates river system flows from Turkey through Syria and Iraq and into the Persian Gulf. The rivers lie in an area called the Fertile Crescent . The region between the two rivers, known as Mesopotamia , is the so-called “cradle of civilization.” The earliest evidence of civilization and agriculture —farming and domestication of animals—appears in the Fertile Crescent. Rivers of North America In North America, rivers served as highways for native tribes and, later, for European explorers. French explorers began traveling the St. Lawrence and other rivers of Canada in the 1500s. They found an abundance of fish and other wildlife, and they encountered Native American tribes who hunted beaver. The explorers took beaver pelt s back to Europe, where they were used to make fashionable hats. Soon, hunters explored and traveled networks of rivers in North America in search of beaver pelts. The establishment of trading posts along the rivers later opened the way for permanent European settlers. The St. Lawrence River is still a major waterway . The river, which empties into the Atlantic, is linked to the Great Lakes by the St.

Lawrence Seaway —a series of canal s, lock s, dams, and lakes. The St. Lawrence Seaway allows oceangoing ships to enter the interior of the continent. The Mississippi is the chief river of North America. It flows approximately 3,766 kilometers (2,340 miles) through the heart of the United States, from its source in Minnesota to its delta in Louisiana and the Gulf of Mexico. Spanish and French explorers first traveled the Mississippi in the 1500s and 1600s. In 1803, the United States bought almost the entire Mississippi River Valley from France as part of the Louisiana Purchase . After that, the Mississippi was widely traveled by traders and settlers on rafts, boats, and barges. With the introduction of the steamboat , a new, industrial, era began on the Mississippi. Paddle wheeler s carried trade goods up and down the river. Soon, workboats were joined by cruise ship s and other luxurious passenger vessels. Writer Mark Twain , who was once a steamboat pilot on the river, described this era in his book Life on the Mississippi. Over time, the Mississippi increased in importance as a trade route.

Today, it carries cargo ships and barges in lines that may extend for more than a kilometer. Large quantities of petroleum , coal, and other bulky goods are conveyed on the river by massive barges pushed by powerful towboat s. North America’s Colorado River is famous for forming the Grand Canyon in Arizona. For millions of years, the river has cut its way through layers of rock to carve the canyon. Long ago, the river flowed through a flat plain. Then the Earth’s crust began to rise, lifting the land. The river began cutting into the land. The Grand Canyon is now about one and a half kilometers (one mile) deep at its deepest point, and 29 kilometers (18 miles) wide at its widest. Rivers of South America The strength of the Amazon River in South America dwarf s all other rivers on the planet. The amount of water flowing through the Amazon is greater than the amount carried by the Mississippi, the Yangtze, and the Nile combined. The Amazon begins as an icy stream high in the Andes mountains of Peru. It flows through Brazil and empties into the Atlantic Ocean. The Amazon and its tributaries drain a basin that covers an area equal to three-fourths of the contiguous United States.

The first Europeans to see the Amazon were Spanish explorers, who traveled it in the 1500s. They encountered a group of natives who all appeared to be women, or so the story goes. The explorers called the people Amazon s, after female warriors described in Greek myth ology. The name Amazon was later given to the river. For much of its course, the Amazon flows through the world’s largest tropical rain forest . The region has abundant and unusual wildlife, including flesh-eating fish called piranha s; huge fish called pirarucu , which can weigh more than 125 kilograms (275 pounds); and giant snakes called anaconda s. Some Amazon tribes remain independent of Western culture. The Tagaeri people, for instance, continue to live a nomad ic life based around the Amazon and its tributaries in the rain forest of Ecuador. Because of the demand for timber from the rain forest, the land of the indigenous people of the Amazon is shrinking. Today, there are fewer than 100 Tagaeri living in the rain forest. Rivers provide energy to many South American communities. The Itaipú Dam crosses the Paraná River on the Brazil-Paraguay border.

Construction of the dam required the labor of thousands of workers and cost more than $12 billion. The dam’s power plant can regularly produce some 12,600 megawatts of electricity. The huge reservoir formed by the dam supplies water for drinking and for irrigation. Rivers of Africa Africa’s two largest rivers are the Nile and the Congo. One tributary of the Nile, the White Nile , flows from tiny streams in the mountains of Burundi through Lake Victoria, Africa’s largest lake. The other tributary, the Blue Nile , begins in Lake Tana, Ethiopia. The two join at Khartoum, Sudan. The Nile then flows through the Sahara Desert in Sudan and Egypt, and empties into the Mediterranean Sea. Because the area where the tributaries meet is close to the two sources of the Nile, the area is called the Upper Nile , even though it is farther south geographically. The Lower Nile runs through Egypt. One of the earliest civilizations in the world developed along the Lower Nile. Ancient Egyptian civilization arose about 5,000 years ago. It was directly related to the Nile and its annual flooding. Each year, the river overflowed, spreading rich sediment across its broad flood plain.

This made the land extremely fertile. Egyptian farmers were able to grow plentiful crops. In fact, ancient Egyptians called their land Kemet, which means “Black Land,” because of the rich, black soil deposited by the river. Egyptians also used the Nile as a major transportation route to both the Mediterranean and the African interior. The Pschent , or double crown worn by Egyptian monarch s, combined symbolism from both the Upper Nile and Lower Nile. A tall, white crown shaped like a bowling pin represented the lands of the Upper Nile. This crown was combined with a pointy red crown that had a curly wire protruding from the front. The red color symbolized the red soils of Lower Egypt, while the curly wire represented a honeybee . When putting on the Pschent, an Egyptian ruler assumed leadership for the entire Nile. The Nile provided enterprising Egyptians with material to form a powerful civilization. From papyrus , a tall reed that grew in the river, Egyptians made a sort of paper, as well as rope, cloth, and baskets. Egyptians also built great cities, temples, and monuments along the river, including tombs for their monarchs, or pharaoh s. Many of these ancient monuments are still standing.

The Congo River flows across the middle of Africa, through a huge equatorial rain forest, before emptying in the Atlantic Ocean. The Congo is second only to the Amazon in terms of water flow. It is the deepest river in the world, with measured depths of more than 230 meters (750 feet). Huge urban areas, including the capital cities of Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, and Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, sit on the banks of the river. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the river is the principal highway for transporting goods such as cotton, coffee, and sugar. Boats traveling the river range from dugout canoe s to large freighter s. The river also supplies an abundance of fish to central Africa. Fishermen use baskets and nets hung from high poles across rushing falls and rapids to catch fish. They also use more traditional nets operated from either onshore or on boats. Rivers of Australia Much of Australia is arid , but rivers still run through it. Australia’s principal rivers are the Murray and the Darling, both in the southeastern part of the continent.

The Murray flows some 2,590 kilometers (1,610 miles) from the Snowy Mountains to a lagoon on the Indian Ocean. Near the town of Wentworth, the Murray is joined by the Darling, a 2,739-kilometer (1,702-mile) river that flows from the highlands of the eastern coast. Indigenous Australians placed great importance on the Murray River. The Murray valley had the greatest population density on the continent before the arrival of Europeans in the 1600s. By the mid-1800s, European farmers had settled along both rivers and some of their tributaries. Most Australian farmers raised sheep and cattle. Riverboats began plying the waters, and towns grew up along the banks. Much of Australia’s farmland still lies within the Murray-Darling basin, where river water irrigates some 1.2 million hectares (3 million acres). The region is the chief supplier of the country’s agricultural export s—wool, beef, wheat, and oranges. Polluted Rivers For centuries, people have depended on rivers for many things. Rivers have provided waterways for shipping, convenient construction sites for cities, and fertile land for farming.

Such extensive use of rivers has contributed to their pollution . River pollution has come from directly dumping garbage and sewage , disposal of toxic waste s from factories, and agricultural runoff containing fertilizer s and pesticide s. By the 1960s, many of the world’s rivers were so polluted that fish and other wildlife could no longer survive in them. Their waters became unsafe for drinking, swimming, and other uses. One of the most famous examples of a polluted river was the Cuyahoga. The Cuyahoga is a busy river in the U.S. state of Ohio that empties into Lake Erie. It is a major highway for goods and services from the Midwest to the Great Lakes. In 1969, the oily pollution in the Cuyahoga was so great that the river actually caught fire—something it had done more than a dozen times in the 19th and 20th centuries. Since the 1969 fire, stricter laws have helped clean up polluted rivers. The laws have restrict ed the substances factories can dump into rivers, limited the amount of agricultural runoff, banned toxic pesticides such as DDT , and required treatment of sewage.

Although the situation in some parts of the world has improved, serious problems remain. The Citarum River in Indonesia, for instance, is often cited as the most polluted river in the world. Textile factories near the Citarum dump toxic wastes into the river. The garbage floating on top of the river is so thick that water is invisible. Even after communities have limited river pollution, toxic chemicals may remain. Many pollutants take years to dissolve. The pollutants also build up in the river’s wildlife. Toxic chemicals may cling to algae , which are eaten by insects or fish, which are then eaten by larger fish or people. At each stage of the river’s food web , the amount of the toxic chemical increases. In parts of North America and Europe, there is also the severe problem of acid rain . Acid rain develops when emission s from factories and vehicles mix with moisture in the air. The acid that forms can be toxic for many living things. Acid rain falls as rain and snow. It builds up in glaciers, streams, and lakes, polluting water and killing wildlife. Environmentalists, governments, and communities are trying to understand and solve these pollution problems.

To provide safe drinking water and habitats where fish and other wildlife can thrive, rivers must be kept clean. Dams A dam is a barrier that stops or diverts the flow of water along a river. Humans have built dams for thousands of years. Dams are built for many purposes. Some dams prevent flooding or allow people to develop or “reclaim” land previously submerge d by a river. Other dams are used to change a river’s course for the benefit of development or agriculture. Still others provide water supplies for nearby rural or urban areas. Many dams are used to provide electricity to local communities. In 1882, the world’s first hydroelectric power plant was built on the Fox River in the U.S. city of Appleton, Wisconsin. Since then, thousands of hydroelectric plants have been built on rivers all over the world. These plants harness the energy of flowing water to produce electricity. About 7 percent of all power in the United States, and 19 percent of power in the world, comes from hydroelectric plants. China is the world’s largest producer of hydroelectric power. Hydroelectric power is renewable because water is constantly replenished through precipitation.

Because hydroelectric plants do not burn fossil fuel s, they do not emit pollution or greenhouse gas es. However, hydroelectric power does have some negative effects on the environment. Dams and hydroelectric plants change the flow and temperature of rivers. These changes to the ecosystem can harm fish and other wildlife that live in or near the river. And although hydroelectric plants do not release greenhouse gases, rotting vegetation trapped in the dams’ reservoirs can produce them. Decay ing plant material emits carbon dioxide, a major greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere. Dams also have an effect on people living near the rivers. For example, more than 1.3 million people had to move from their homes to make way for China’s Three Gorges Dam and its reservoir. Human rights organizations claim that many of these people did not receive the compensation they were promised in return for being displaced. In addition, dams can affect fish populations and the fertility of flood plains. Fish may not be able to migrate and spawn. Farmers that depended on the fertile flooding may be cut off from the river by a dam. This can harm the livelihood of fishermen and farmers who live along the river, as well as consumers who must pay higher prices for food.

Dams with very large reservoirs may also trigger earthquake s. Earthquakes happen when two or more of the tectonic plate s that make up Earth’s crust slide against each other. The weight of the water in the reservoirs can cause existing cracks, or fault s, in these plates to slip and create an earthquake. River Management River management is the process of balancing the needs of many stakeholder s, or communities that depend on rivers. Rivers provide natural habitats for fish, birds, and other wildlife. They also provide recreation areas and sporting opportunities such as fishing and kayaking. Industries also depend on rivers. Rivers transport goods and people across continents. They provide affordable power for millions of homes and businesses. Farmers and agribusiness es often rely on rivers for transportation. Rivers also supply water for irrigation. River managers must consider the needs of all the current and future stakeholders. Term acid rain Noun precipitation with high levels of nitric and sulfuric acids. Acid rain can be manmade or occur naturally. agribusiness the strategy of applying profit-making practices to the operation of farms and ranches.

agriculture Noun (singular: alga) diverse group of aquatic organisms, the largest of which are seaweeds. alluvium gravel, sand, and smaller materials deposited by flowing water. Amazon in ancient Greek mythology, a woman belonging to a tribe of all-female warriors. anaconda very large snake native to South America. annual (singular: bacterium) single-celled organisms found in every ecosystem on Earth. bacteriophage large, flat-bottomed boat used to transport cargo. Blue Nile Noun tributary of the Nile River flowing from Lake Tana in Ethiopia and meeting the White Nile at Khartoum, Sudan, to form the Nile River. boulder chemical element with the symbol C, which forms the basis of all known life. cargo goods carried by a ship, plane, or other vehicle. caviar delicacy made from the eggs of sturgeon or other fish. channel deepest part of a shallow body of water, often a passageway for ships. Charon Noun in ancient Greek mythology, the ferryman who transported the souls of the dead across the river Styx and to the underworld, Hades. cholera infectious, sometimes fatal disease that harms the intestines.

civilization dark, solid fossil fuel mined from the earth. compensation fee or money paid for goods, services, debt, loss, injury, or suffering. consumer Noun organism on the food chain that depends on autotrophs (producers) or other consumers for food, nutrition, and energy. contiguous land, space, or features that are in direct contact. continent headgear worn by a monarch or other ruler. cruise ship vessel transporting tourists on a trip. current to block a flow of water. DDT Noun (dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane) toxic chemical used as an insecticide but illegal for most uses in the U.S. since 1972. decay food or dish notable for its rarity or cost. delta Noun the flat, low-lying plain that sometimes forms at the mouth of a river from deposits of sediments. construction or preparation of land for housing, industry, or agriculture. dissolved oxygen measure of the amount of oxygen in a substance, usually water. domestication drainage basin Noun an entire river system or an area drained by a river and its tributaries. Also called a watershed.

dredge to remove sand, silt, or other material from the bottom of a body of water. dugout canoe small boat made by hollowing out a log or tree trunk. dwarf to make something appear small by having it appear next to something much larger. earthquake Noun the sudden shaking of Earth's crust caused by the release of energy along fault lines or from volcanic activity. ecosystem set of physical phenomena associated with the presence and flow of electric charge. emission the art and science of building, maintaining, moving, and demolishing structures. equatorial having to do with the equator or the area around the equator. erosion to change from a liquid to a gas or vapor. exploration study and investigation of unknown places, concepts, or issues. export good or service traded to another area. extensive one or more buildings used for the manufacture of a product. farm land cultivated for crops, livestock, or both. fault a crack in the Earth's crust where there has been movement. feat boat or ship that transports people, cargo, and goods across a waterway. fertile able to produce crops or sustain agriculture. Fertile Crescent region extending from the eastern Mediterranean coast through Southwest Asia to the Persian Gulf.

fertilizer nutrient-rich chemical substance (natural or manmade) applied to soil to encourage plant growth. flood plain fossil fuel Noun coal, oil, or natural gas. Fossil fuels formed from the remains of ancient plants and animals. freighter large ship used for carrying heavy cargo, or freight. freshwater water that is not salty. garbage physical force by which objects attract, or pull toward, each other. Great Lakes Noun largest freshwater bodies in the world, located in the United States and Canada. Lake Huron, Lake Ontario, Lake Michigan, Lake Erie, and Lake Superior make up the Great Lakes. greenhouse gas Noun gas in the atmosphere, such as carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor, and ozone, that absorbs solar heat reflected by the surface of the Earth, warming the atmosphere. groundwater unit of measure equal to 2.47 acres, or 10,000 square meters. Henry Hudson (died 1611) English explorer and navigator. Hindu Noun religion of the Indian subcontinent with many different sub-types, most based around the idea of "daily morality." honeybee insect that, in a hive with other honeybees, produces honey.

houseboat large, flat-bottomed boat used for residence but not suitable for open water. human rights Noun basic freedoms belonging to every individual, including the rights to social and political expression, spirituality, and opportunity. hydroelectric power usable energy generated by moving water converted to electricity. indigenous characteristic to or of a specific place. iron chemical element with the symbol Fe. Iron Age Noun last of the prehistoric "three ages," following the Stone Age and the Bronze Age, marked by the use of iron for industry. irrigate sailboat with square sails and, usually, a flat bottom, used mostly in and around China. labor lagoon Noun shallow body of water that may have an opening to a larger body of water, but is also protected from it by a sandbar or coral reef. lock Noun structure on a waterway where gates at each end allow the water level to raise and lower as they are opened and closed. Louisiana Purchase Noun (1803) land bought by the United States from France, extending from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains, and Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. Lower Nile northern section of the Nile River. luxurious mechanical appliances or tools used in manufacturing.

Mark Twain (1835-1910, born Samuel Langhorne Clemens) American writer. meander large curve in a lake or stream. meander area between the Tigris and Euphrates River in Iraq. Midwest Noun area of the United States consisting of the following states: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. migrate to move from one place or activity to another. mill machine used for grinding or crushing various materials. monarch mouth Noun place where a river empties its water. Usually rivers enter another body of water at their mouths. the Western Hemisphere, made up of the Americas and their islands. nomad person who moves from place to place, without a fixed home. ore paddle wheeler Noun steamboat used mostly on rivers propelled by one or more large wheels outfitted with paddles or scoops. papyrus aquatic plant native to the Mediterranean Sea. Parisii Iron Age people and culture native to the banks of the Seine River. pelt Persia Noun empire that dominated Mesopotamia from about 550 to 330 BCE.

Most of the ancient Persian empire is in modern-day Iran. pesticide Noun natural or manufactured substance used to kill organisms that threaten agriculture or are undesirable. Pesticides can be fungicides (which kill harmful fungi), insecticides (which kill harmful insects), herbicides (which kill harmful plants), or rodenticides (which kill harmful rodents.) petroleum fossil fuel formed from the remains of ancient organisms. Also called crude oil. pharaoh carnivorous, freshwater fish native to South America. Also called caribe. pirarucu large freshwater fish native to the Amazon. Also called arapaima. plentiful period of time that occurred before the invention of written records. protruding double crown worn by Egyptian pharaohs, symbolizing Upper and Lower Egypt. purify process of rotting or decaying. rain forest to go backward or withdraw. recreational having to do with activities done for enjoyment. replenish material at the bottom of a river. river management the art and science of controlling the flow, path, and power of rivers. river system tributaries, mouth, source, delta, and flood plain of a river. rot aquatic vessel that uses wind to maneuver and move.

Scandinavia region and name for some countries in Northern Europe: Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Denmark. seawater salty water from an ocean or sea. sediment liquid and solid waste material from homes and businesses. sluggishly top layer of the Earth's surface where plants can grow. source small flow of water flowing naturally from an underground water source. stakeholder person or organization that has an interest or investment in a place, situation or company. steamboat boat powered by steam, used mostly on rivers. Also called a steamer. St. Lawrence Seaway Noun series of canals, locks, and channels, including the St. Lawrence River, that allows ships to travel from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. stream type of marine or freshwater large, long, bony fish. subcontinent large section of a continent. submerge people and culture native to the Amazon River basin in Ecuador. tectonic plate Noun massive slab of solid rock made up of Earth's lithosphere (crust and upper mantle). Also called lithospheric plate. temperature cloth or other woven fabric. Three Gorges Dam electrical power plant along the Yangtze River in China.

tide Noun rise and fall of the ocean's waters, caused by the gravitational pull of the moon and sun. wood in an unfinished form, either trees or logs. topsoil the most valuable, upper layer of soil, where most nutrients are found. towboat powerful boat used mostly on rivers to tow a line of barges roped behind it. toxic waste chemical compound dangerous to humans and their environment. trade buying, selling, or exchanging of goods and services. trading post place established in a remote or unsettled region, where goods may be bought and sold. tribe community made of one or several family groups sharing a common culture. tributary tropical Adjective existing in the tropics, the latitudes between the Tropic of Cancer in the north and the Tropic of Capricorn in the south. typhoid infectious, sometimes fatal disease that harms the intestines. Also called typhoid fever. Upper Nile southern section of the Nile River. upstream Adjective toward an elevated part of a flow of fluid, or place where the fluid passed earlier. urban area depression in the Earth between hills. vapor visible liquid suspended in the air, such as fog. vegetation all the plant life of a specific place.

virus tiny organism that lives and multiplies in a living cell. water-borne transported or carried by water. water cycle

Question: Into which body of water does the river Nile empty?
Answer: Mediterranean Sea