GEOGRAPHY

Ancient Egypt is located in northeast Africa. Geography greatly influenced Egyptian life. The greatest influence on Egyptian society was the Nile River valley. The Nile flooded every year which allowed the Egyptians to produce good crops. The Nile flows north from mountains of east-central Africa to the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile helped make Egypt the world's first unified state; it linked Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt. 3. The Nile served as a trade route and as a highway for travel. (Because the land would be a desert without Nile waters, the ancient Greek historian Herodotus called Egypt "the gift of the Nile.")

Natural Boundaries. Egypt was partially protected against invasion by natural barriers: deserts, mountains, and seas. Thus sheilded, the early Egyptians devoted themselves chiefly to peaceful pursuits.