It is the Nile -- the Father of Rivers -- that, more than any other feature of the country, characterizes Egypt. The Nile emanates from the Sudan, flowing north through the country for 1,545km (960mi), emptying into the Mediterranean Sea and all along its course provides Egypt and her people with life and sustenance.

    Throughout history the Egyptian Nile Valley has been defined as two distinct regions -- Upper Egypt which extends south of Cairo to the Sudanese border, and Lower Egypt, which encompasses the Nile Delta, which begins north of Cairo.