The Nile is the name of the famous waterway in Egypt, known as one of the longest rivers in the world. Flowing over 4,100 miles (6,650 kilometers), it has been vital for agriculture, trade, and transportation since ancient times. The Nile is usually considered to have two major tributaries: the White Nile and the Blue Nile, which converge near Khartoum, Sudan, before continuing northward through Egypt to the Mediterranean Sea. The river's annual flooding historically deposited nutrient-rich silt along its banks, making the surrounding lands fertile and supporting the development of one of history's great civilizations.