<P> The Nile River ( Arabic : النيل ‎ , Egyptian Arabic en - Nīl , Standard Arabic an - Nīl ; Coptic : ⲫⲓⲁⲣⲱ , P ( h ) iaro ; Ancient Egyptian : Ḥ'pī and Jtrw ; Biblical Hebrew : הַיְאוֹר ‬ , Ha - Ye'or or הַשִׁיחוֹר ‬ , Ha - Shiḥor ) is a major north - flowing river in northeastern Africa , and is commonly regarded as the longest river in the world , though some sources cite the Amazon River as the longest . The Nile , which is 6,853 km ( 4,258 miles ) long , is an `` international '' river as its drainage basin covers eleven countries , namely , Tanzania , Uganda , Rwanda , Burundi , the Democratic Republic of the Congo , Kenya , Ethiopia , Eritrea , South Sudan , Republic of the Sudan and Egypt . In particular , the Nile is the primary water source of Egypt and Sudan . </P>
how long is the nile river in miles and kilometers
6,853 km 4,258 miles