Nile River Delta, Egypt
Agriculture
Cities
Deserts
Water
These images show the dramatic urban growth within the Nile River Delta and the expansion of agriculture into adjoining desert areas. The Nile is the world's longest river at 4,160 miles. It flows south to north, bringing fresh, nutrient-rich water to Egypt.
In these images, red indicates vegetation. The contrast is clear between the lush vegetation of irrigated fields and the white or tan barren desert.
Location
Aug. 31, 1972, Landsat 1 (path/row 190/39) — Nile River Delta, Egypt
July 18 and 27, 1987, Landsat 5 (path/row 176,177/39) — Nile River Delta, Egypt
July 23 and 30, 2003, Landsat 5 (path/row 176,177/39) — Nile River Delta, Egypt
Aug. 3 and 10, 2013, Landsat 8 (path/row 176,177/39) — Nile River Delta, Egypt
July 26 and Aug. 4, 2019, Landsat 8 (path/row 176,177/39) — Nile River Delta, Egypt
Nile River Delta, Egypt Additional Imagery & Stories
Agriculture
The area of vegetation just outside the delta northwest of Cairo is new agricultural development, with some of the crops irrigated through center-pivo...
Urban Growth
Cairo, shown as the large gray expanse in these images, increased in population from 1.5 million to 6 million between 1947 and 1986. Its 2019 populati...
References
Abercrombie, T.J., 1977, Egypt—change comes to a changeless land: National Geographic, v. 151, no. 3, p. 312–343.
CIA, 2012, Egypt: The World Factbook, available only online at https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/eg.html. (Accessed October 29, 2012.)
Cunningham, E., 2012, Egypt is losing its grip on the Nile: Globalpost, available online at https://www.pri.org/stories/2012-04-09/egypt-losing-its-grip-nile. (Accessed October 29, 2012.)
Cunningham, E., 2012, Egypt's next revolution: Globalpost, available online at https://www.pri.org/stories/2012-04-09/egypt-s-next-revolution. (Accessed October 29, 2012.)
Ellis, W.S., and Parks, W., 1972, Cairo—Troubled Capital of the Arab World: National Geographic, v. 141, no. 5, p. 639–667.
Fox, R.W., and Carroll, A., 1984, The urban explosion: National Geographic, v. 166, no. 2, p. 179–185.
Helen, C.M. (ed.), 1991, Egypt—a country study: Federal Research Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D. C., 425 p.
Theroux, P., 1993, Cairo—clamorous heart of Egypt: National Geographic, v. 183, no. 4, p. 38–68.
U.S. Bureau of the Census, 1994, Statistical Abstract of the United States—1994: Washington, D.C., 1011 p.
World Almanac Books, 2012, The World Almanac Book of Facts: New York, World Almanac Books.