HOW THE LONGEST RIVERS GOT THEIR NAMES
The longest river in the world has more than one part and more than one
name—the Nile, the Bine Nile, and the White Nile.
One part of the river, called the Blue Nile, starts at Lake Tana in
Ethiopia. The Blue Nile travels so fast that the clay and sand it picks
up do not settle to the bottom of the river. So the river is a
brownish-blue color. And that’s why it’s called the Blue Nile.
Another part of the river, called the White Nile, starts near Lake
Victoria. The White Nile picks up no sand or clay, so the water is
clear. And that’s why it’s called the White Nile.
The Blue Nile and the White Nile join at Khartoum, Sudan, where their
waters become dark blue and continue their journey to the Mediterranean
Sea. The word “Nile” means “dark blue. “
The second longest river in the world is in South America. It was named
after a band of women warriors known as Amazons in a Greek legend. When
Spanish explorers discovered this river, they were attacked by a group
of Indians wearing headdresses and grass skirts. The Indians reminded
the explorers of the women warriors in the legend. So, they named the
river the Amazon.
The falls of the Blue Nile in Africa
