Today, the Nile is still a major transportation route. Cruise ships bring holidaymakers. Barges haul building materials. Large vessels ship cars, washing machines, tractors and cranes.The Nile remains the lifeblood of the countries through which it courses. The Nile is vital for farmers to produce a wide variety of crops, including citrus fruits, cotton, wheat, sugarcane, legumes and sorghum. Despite a relatively successful agriculture program, the countries through which the Nile flows remain poor and have ever-increasing populations. The Nile is also being used to further hydroelectric power capabilities. Although plans are still underway to continue developing electricity production in the area, several dams have already been built to control flooding and generate hydroelectric power.
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