Map of Nile Delta

The Nile Delta is a delta located in northern Egypt (the Delta region), where the Nile branches into two arms flowing into the Mediterranean Sea. The Damietta branch is in the east, terminating at the city of Damietta, while the Rosetta branch is in the west, ending at the city of Rosetta.

It is one of the largest deltas in the world, stretching from Port Said in the east to Alexandria in the west, and is named the delta because it resembles a triangle. It covers a distance of 240 kilometers along the Mediterranean coast.

The delta is characterized by fertile agricultural land suitable for cultivation at any time. The length of the delta from north to south is approximately 160 km. It begins in the south near Cairo at the Qanater Khalili area.

The Nile Delta region consists of five main governorates: Dakahlia, Damietta, Kafr el-Sheikh, Menoufia, and Gharbia. The Nile Delta is located in northern Egypt, where the Nile River reaches the Mediterranean Sea.

The name delta is attributed to the Greek historian Herodotus, who visited Egypt around 450 BC. He gave this name to the triangular shape of the Nile River Delta because of its resemblance to the Greek letter delta. All other deltas in the world derive their name from the Nile River Delta.

The delta was formed by the silt of the Nile, which came with the floods from the sources of the Nile and ultimately settled at the Mediterranean Sea, where the silt accumulated to create dry land. With the floods and the abundance of silt, the delta was formed; the Nile Delta takes on a triangular shape when viewed from above.

The northern boundaries of the delta have eroded due to the decrease in the amount of Nile silt from which the delta was formed and because of the Mediterranean Sea. More importantly, the main reason has been the fluctuations in global sea levels, which have been observed to have risen by about 30 centimeters over the past two centuries. As a result, coastal lakes have formed, the most significant being Lake Manzala in Dakahlia and Lake Burullus in Kafr el-Sheikh.

Agricultural land has become less fertile since the construction of the High Dam, leading farmers to use chemical fertilizers to compensate for the soil’s nutrient deficiency. The surface soil in the delta reaches a depth of 70 feet. The fertility of the soil gradually decreases from south to north, with the northern region experiencing reduced fertility due to increased salinity.

The Egyptians lived for thousands of years in the Delta region and built the first state in history, establishing an advanced agricultural civilization and a culture superior to the cultures of the neighboring desert regions. Throughout history, the Egyptian Delta has been an area of attraction for the desert Bedouins surrounding Egypt from the east and west.

 The Delta region is home to many plants, including papyrus, from which the Egyptians made papyrus paper that contributed to the publication of books spreading knowledge and culture in the Mediterranean region during the Hellenistic period. Hundreds of thousands of birds live in the area, and it is home to many types of fish. In ancient times, crocodiles and Sir Aashata also lived in the delta.

The Crusaders also attacked Egypt from the northern borders of the delta, where battles took place between the Egyptians and the Crusaders in the delta cities. The most significant of these battles were the Battle of Mansoura and Fariskur, in which the Egyptians were victorious, and King Louis IX of France was captured in the house of Ibn Luqman in Mansoura.

The seven branches of the Nile in ancient times, the Nile River branched in the delta into seven branches. Only two branches remain today as a result of flood control and soil erosion. These branches are (from east to west): the Pelusiac, the Tanitic, the Mendesian, the Phatnitic (the Damietta branch now), the Sebennytic, the Bolbitinic, and the Canopic (the Rosetta branch now).

The Rosetta Stone was discovered in 1799 in the coastal city of Rosetta, located in the west of the delta. It is the stone that deciphered the mysteries of ancient Pharaonic civilization.

The Rosetta Stone is a slab of granite inscribed with a royal decree from 196 BC and its primary purpose is that it is the key to deciphering the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics. It was discovered by French soldiers in 1799 near the city of Rosetta and was transported to London by British forces in 1801.

The text is written in three languages, hieroglyphic, demotic (ancient Egyptian) and ancient Greek which allowed the French scholar Jean François Champollion to decipher hieroglyphics in 1822. The text includes three different writings of the same royal decree:

– Hieroglyphic: the sacred script for the elite.

– Demotic: the popular script.

– Ancient Greek: the language known at that time. 

It is 113 cm tall, 75 cm wide and 27.5 cm thick. Thanks to the comparison of the texts written in the three languages, the understanding of ancient Egyptian civilization was fully realized after hieroglyphics had been mysterious for over 1,600 years.

The French scholar Jean François Champollion played a key role in deciphering hieroglyphics in 1822, after comparing the royal names such as Ptolemy and Cleopatra between the texts.

It has been permanently displayed at the British Museum in London since 1802. Its discovery: it was discovered by a French officer named Pierre François Bouchard while restoring a fortress in the city of Rosetta at a site called Fort Julian.

During the autumn, parts of the Nile River are covered in red, characteristic of the lotus flowers. The Nile River is also distinguished by the plants from which papyrus leaves are made which are no longer as abundant as they once were.

Hundreds of birds come from all over the world to the Nile Delta in winter. 

 

The most notable are large flocks of gulls which come in huge numbers, and some birds such as the heron and the sandpiper, make the delta their home. Frogs, sea turtles and mosquitoes are also common in the delta and the Nile crocodiles, which once existed, have completely disappeared from the Nile Delta along with many river fish.The main crops in the Nile Delta include rice, wheat, cotton, corn, clover, fruits and other crops from temperate regions.

The climate in the Nile Delta is Mediterranean with rain falling in winter but not in large amounts. July and August are among the hottest months in the delta with an average temperature of about 30 degrees Celsius and a maximum temperature of 48 degrees Celsius. In winter, the temperature usually ranges between 5 degrees and 15 degrees Celsius.

The rate of soil erosion in the Nile Delta is 50 km each year and according to estimates, the Nile Delta will completely disappear by the year 2550.

Agriculture in the Nile Delta leads to numerous negative environmental impacts, most notably soil degradation and increased salinity due to the excessive use of untreated irrigation water, fertilizers and pesticides which reduces crop productivity. Climate change exacerbates the problem with rising sea levels and the intrusion of saline water threatening to flood parts of the delta and degrade soil quality as well as increasing evaporation rates.  

Negative Environmental Impacts:  

Soil Degradation and Salinity:  

– Degradation occurs due to the increased use of untreated sewage and agricultural wastewater in irrigation.  

– It increases soil salinity through the intrusion of saline water into the soil and groundwater due to rising sea levels.  

– It leads to reduced agricultural productivity, particularly for rice.  

Water Pollution:  

– Increased concentration of heavy metals such as cadmium and lead in water and soil due to the use of wastewater and chemicals.  

– Deterioration of the quality of water used for drinking and irrigation.  

Climate Change and Its Impact on Agriculture:  

– Rising sea levels threaten to flood large areas in the delta.  

– Increased evaporation rates along with rising temperatures reduce soil moisture.  

– Fluctuating rainfall rates with increased intensity of rainy days or severe drought.  

– Difficulty in cultivating certain crops and an increased need for water.  

Biodiversity Degradation:  

– Ecosystems and their diversity are affected by pollution and climate change.  

Social and Economic Impacts:  

– A shortage of agricultural products increases unemployment rates and migration to cities, thereby increasing population pressure.  

– It threatens the future of agriculture and food security.  

– It impacts the Egyptian national economy as the delta contributes to half of the economic activity in Egypt.

Farmers have begun to abandon the lands they inherited from their ancestors due to the concentration of salt coming from the sea into their fields; the fertile lands have turned white after being abundant with goodness for years.

The Nile Delta region in Egypt, an important agricultural area for Egypt’s food security, faces a significant threat due to the rising sea levels caused by climate change.

This threatens the loss of thousands of acres of the Nile Delta, making them unsuitable for living, farming, or investment; sea levels have been rising by 3.2 mm annually since 2012 in Egypt threatening to flood and erode the northern shore of the delta and pushing saline water into the soil and groundwater that farmers use for irrigation. High temperatures also accelerate the evaporation process, increasing the concentration of salt.

How the Nile Delta Was Formed?

The delta was formed by the silt of the Nile which came with the floods from the sources of the Nile and ultimately settled at the Mediterranean Sea where the silt accumulated to create dry land. With the floods and the abundance of silt, the delta was formed, the Nile Delta takes on a triangular shape when viewed from above.

What is the reason for the erosion of the northern boundaries of the Nile Delta?

The northern boundaries of the delta have eroded due to the decrease in the amount of Nile silt from which the delta was formed and because of the Mediterranean Sea. More importantly, the main reason has been the fluctuations in global sea levels, which have been observed to have risen by about 30 centimeters over the past two centuries. As a result, coastal lakes have formed, the most significant being Lake Manzala in Dakahlia and Lake Burullus in Kafr el-Sheikh.

What are the animals and plants found in the Nile Delta?

The Nile River is also distinguished by the plants from which papyrus leaves are made, which are no longer as abundant as they once were.

Hundreds of birds come from all over the world to the Nile Delta in winter. The most notable are large flocks of gulls which come in huge numbers, and some birds, such as the heron and the sandpiper, make the delta their home. Frogs, sea turtles and mosquitoes are also common in the delta and the Nile crocodiles which once existed, have completely disappeared from the Nile Delta along with many river fish.

The main crops in the Nile Delta include rice, wheat, cotton, corn, clover, fruits and other crops from temperate regions.

Where was the Rosetta Stone found?

The Rosetta Stone was discovered in 1799 in the coastal city of Rosetta, located in the west of the delta. It is the stone that deciphered the mysteries of ancient Pharaonic civilization.

Why is the Nile Delta under threat?

due to the rising sea levels caused by climate change.

This threatens the loss of thousands of acres of the Nile Delta, making them unsuitable for living, farming or investment.