It begins in the suburbs of Cairo, about 175 km (109 mi) south of the Mediterranean coastline. At Cairo, the Nile splits into two arms:
- Damietta - the eastern branch with a length of 240 km (149 mi).
- Rosetta - western branch with a length of 325 km (202 mi).
Areas of the Nile Delta are very well managed and cultivate many crops such as wheat, rice, cotton and sugar cane.
