The Nile is the longest river in the world. For much of its route through eastern Africa, it travels through desert, and farmers have been using its water for thousands of years. The ancient Egyptians farmed the land beside the Nile and built great temples and pyramids on its banks. European explorers searched for the river's source, and the troubled histories of Sudan and Ethiopia have been played out around it. The Nile is home to a fascinating range of wildlife, including hippos and crocodiles. In the 1960s, the Aswan High Dam was built across the Nile, putting an end to the river's flooding but bringing other problems to the region. Now, the rapidly growing countries along the Nile compete for a share of its water. Book jacket.