The Nile River flows from south to north through eastern Africa. It begins in the rivers that flow into Lake Victoria (located in modern-day Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya), and empties into the Mediterranean Sea more than 6,600 kilometers to the north, making it one of the longest rivers in the world. The Nile River was critical to the development of ancient Egypt. In addition to Egypt, the Nile runs through or along the border of Burundi, Tanzania, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Uganda, Sudan, Ethiopia, and South Sudan.
尼罗河自南向北流经非洲东部。它始于流入维多利亚湖的河流，向北流入地中海超过6600公里，使其成为世界上最长的河流之一。尼罗河对古埃及的发展至关重要。除了埃及，尼罗河还流经布隆迪、坦桑尼亚、卢旺达、刚果民主共和国、肯尼亚、乌干达、苏丹、埃塞俄比亚和南苏丹的边境。
For thousands of years, much of Egypt’s food has been grown in the Nile delta region. Ancient Egyptians developed irrigation methods to increase the amount of land they could use for crops and support an increasing population. The Nile River delta was also an ideal growing location for the papyrus (纸莎草) plant. Ancient Egyptians used the papyrus plant in many ways, such as making cloth, boxes, and rope, but by far its most important use was in making paper. Besides using the river’s natural resources for themselves and trading them with others, early Egyptians also used the river for bathing, drinking, recreation, and transportation.
几千年来，埃及的大部分食物都生长在尼罗河三角洲地区。古埃及人发明了灌溉方法，以增加耕地面积，养活不断增长的人口。尼罗河三角洲也是纸莎草的理想种植地。古埃及人把纸莎草用在很多方面，比如做布、盒子和绳子，但到目前为止，它最重要的用途是造纸。除了利用尼罗河的自然资源为自己所用和与他人进行交易外，早期的埃及人还利用这条河沐浴、饮用、娱乐和运输。
Today, 95 percent of Egyptians live within a few kilometers of the Nile. Canals bring water from the Nile to irrigate farms and support cities. The Nile supports agriculture and fishing. The Nile also has served as an important transportation route for thousands of years. Today, some residents of Cairo have begun using private speed boats, or water taxis, to avoid crowded streets. Dams, such as the Aswân High Dam in Egypt, have been built to help to control the river and provide a source of hydroelectric (水力发电的) power.
今天，95%的埃及人生活在离尼罗河几公里的范围内。运河从尼罗河引水灌溉农田和支持城市。尼罗河支撑着农业和渔业。几千年来，尼罗河一直是重要的运输路线。今天，开罗的一些居民开始使用私人快艇或水上出租车来避开拥挤的街道。大坝，如埃及的Aswân高坝，已经建成，以帮助控制河流和提供水力发电的来源。
However, the silt and sediment (淤泥和沉积物) that used to flow north are now building up behind the dam instead. In addition, routine annual flooding no longer occurs along parts of the Nile. These floods were necessary to flush the water of human and agricultural waste. As a result, the water is becoming more polluted.
然而，过去流向北方的淤泥和沉积物现在却在大坝后面堆积起来。此外，尼罗河部分地区每年例行的洪水也不再发生。这些洪水是冲洗人类和农业废水所必需的。结果，水变得更加污染。
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