ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Problem of the Nile

The Nile is a big river that goes through Egypt and a few other countries in Africa. Many people have lived near the Nile for thousands of years because it's a good source of water for farming and drinking. But sometimes the Nile doesn't give enough water to the people who need it, and that can cause problems.

You know how sometimes you need a drink of water and there's no more water in the cup? It's like that for the people who depend on the Nile. Sometimes there just isn't enough water in the river to go around. This is called the Problem of the Nile.

The problem usually starts when there isn't enough rain in the mountains where the Nile starts. If it doesn't rain enough, then there won't be as much water in the river. And when there isn't enough water in the river, the farmers who live near it can't grow as many crops. When there aren't enough crops, there isn't enough food. And when there isn't enough food, people can get really hungry and sick.

So, the Problem of the Nile is when there isn't enough water in the river to help the people who live near it. People have been trying to solve this problem for a long time by building things like dams and irrigation systems to help control the water. But even with these solutions, the Problem of the Nile still happens sometimes.