Nile and Egyptian desert, satellite image. Along the Nile River in Egypt, farmland (green) is maintained on the river's floodplain in stark contrast to the surrounding arid desert. The ability to farm along this river has sustained civilisations in this area for thousands of years. This region of the river includes the city of Luxor and many of the famed structures and buildings of Ancient Egypt. Image data obtained by the Landsat 8 satellite on 15 August 2014.