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Ancient Egypt was located on the continent of Africa along the fertile Nile River Valley which was the source of sustenance due to the rivers natural flooding, it made the soil rich for farming. Egypt stretched from the first cataract at Aswan in southern Egypt to the Mediterranean shore of the northern delta. Nubia to the south along the Nile was between the first and second cataracts was controlled by Egypt but culturally and geographically distinct. Memphis was the capitol beginning in the Dynastic period and to the west was Saqqara, many pyramids were built there by Old Kingdom pharaohs. Ancient Egypt was divided into administrative districts along the Nile Valley with land on both sides of the river (Bard 49-52).
The annual flooding of the river made up for the lack of rainfall in Egypt and created a fertile valley which became the economic base of pharaonic Egypt. Crops included emmer wheat, barley, onions, radishes, cucumber, figs, watermelons and pomegranates. Flax and Papyrus were extremely useful as they were used to make linen and paper (Bard 61-62).