Lower and Upper Egypt

Terminology - "Upper" and "Lower" Egypt
The confusing terminology describing the lands of "Upper" and "Lower" Egypt derives from the flow of the Nile. The Nile flows from the higher, or upper, lands of Africa in the south of Egypt down to the lower lands to the Mediterranean Sea in the north.
 

	Lower Egypt = Nile Delta region of the north
	Upper Egypt = Nile Valley region of the south

The Nile Delta spans 22015 sq. km (8,500 sq. miles) and is fringed by lagoons, wetlands, lakes and sand dunes.

Border between Lower and Upper Egypt
The ancient Egyptians did not define the exact border between Lower and Upper Egypt, however, its lands around Nile river stretched from the Mediterranean Sea to Aswan and its border with Kush (Nubia), now Sudan.
 

	Lower: The Nile Delta region of Lower Egypt in the north emptied into the Mediterranean Sea
	Upper: The Nile Valley region of Upper Egypt had higher altitudes and terminated at the First Cataract where the lands of Kush, or Nubia, began
	The southern boundary was traditionally held to be the First Cataract

Map of Lower and Upper Egypt
The following map shows the approximate location Lower and Upper Egypt, the southern border of Nubia and the major ancient cities.

Major Ancient Cities of Lower and Upper Egypt
The major ancient cities of Lower Egypt were Memphis, Alexandria, Hermopolis, Giza, Esna (Letopolis), Busiris, Avaris, Crocodilopolis, Tanis, Leontopolis, Sais, Bubastis and Heliopolis. The main cities of Upper Egypt (in the south) were Thebes, Abydos, Thinis, Khmun (Hermopolis), Dendera, Hierakonpolis, Koptos, Edfu, Elephantine and Aswan.

For additional information and interesting facts about the cities
refer to the Ancient Egyptian Cities.

Lower and Upper Egypt - The Inundation of the Nile
The River Nile flowed through both Lower and Upper Egypt and the annual floods, or inundation of the Nile, resulted in lush green, fertile swamps. Every year a torrent of water overflowed on to the banks of the River Nile leaving a thick rich mud (called black silt) and alluvial soil that fertilized the land, making farming possible surrounding the banks of the River Nile, an otherwise desert region.

Lower and Upper Egypt - The River Nile
The River Nile flowed through both Lower and Upper Egypt. The River Nile is 4160 (6,670 km) miles long and is the longest river in the world. The river Nile comes from the meeting of three rivers from Sudan (Nubia), Uganda and Ethiopia. Upper Egypt (the south) bordered on the land known as Kush also referred to as Nubia or Ethiopia and is now called Sudan. In ancient times, the lands of Lower and Upper Egypt extended from the Nile Delta to the first cataract.

Lower and Upper Egypt - The Cataracts of the River Nile
There were six cataracts along the River Nile. Only one cataract was in Egypt, at Aswan. The other treacherous stretches of the Nile were in Nubia (aka Kush or Ethiopia), now Sudan. A cataract consists of rocky islets, waterfalls, whirlpools, or white water rapids. The cataracts were so dangerous that they were impassable except in seasons of high flood. The island called Elephantine, located in the Nile was just north of the first cataract bordering Nubia.

Lower and Upper Egypt - The Yearly Cycle
The annual inundation (flooding) of the Nile was of such importance that the Egyptians of Lower and Upper Egypt based their lives around its yearly cycle:

	Akhet was the time of the River Nile flood (June - September)
	Peret was the sowing time in Lower and Upper Egypt (October - January)
	Shemu was the harvest time (February - May)

Lower and Upper Egypt - The Black Land and the Red Land
The domains of Lower and Upper Egypt consisted of two parts, the Black Land and the Red Land. The area next to the River Nile was called the Black Land, further away from the river was the Red Land. The 'Black Lands' were the farming areas on the banks of the Nile. The 'Red Lands' were the desert areas. Both were extremely important to the economy and civilisation of ancient Egypt.

Lower and Upper Egypt - The Black Land
The Black Land: The 'Black Lands' of Lower and Upper Egypt were the fertile lands surrounding the banks of the River Nile where nearly all ancient Egyptians lived. This was the only land in ancient Egypt that could be farmed because of the layer of rich, black silt and and alluvial soil that was deposited every year following the annual inundation of the Nile. The ancient Egyptians called the Nile river 'Ar or Aur' meaning “Black,” in allusion to the color of the deposits carried by the river when it was in flood. The Black Lands produced crops such as cereals, wheat and barley (for beer). Other vital plants included: Flax which was used to make linen and rope and Papyrus used to make paper, boats and maps. The Nile was also the source of a major supply of food - fish

Lower and Upper Egypt - The Red Land
The Red Land: The 'Red Lands' of Lower and Upper Egypt were the burning deserts on both sides of the Nile which were virtually uninhabited. The red land protected Egypt on two sides and separated ancient Egypt from neighbouring countries and invading armies. The Red Lands were rich in raw materials such as stone and precious metals such as gold, silver and copper and semi-precious stones. The Western Desert, as indicated in the map of Lower and Upper Egypt, stretched westward to the Sahara desert. The Eastern Desert stretched eastward through the Libyan Desert to the Red Sea