The Nile River is located in northeastern Africa, flowing northward through eleven countries: Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan, Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Egypt. It begins from two main tributaries—the White Nile originating at Lake Victoria in Tanzania and the Blue Nile originating at Lake Tana in Ethiopia. These tributaries meet in Khartoum, Sudan, after which the river continues north through the Nubian Desert, passing major cities like Cairo, Egypt, before emptying into the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile is about 6,650 kilometers (4,132 miles) long and is central to the economy and civilization of the countries it passes through, especially Egypt and Sudan.