Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam | 10 Feb 2020
Why in News
Ethiopia is building one of the largest dams in the world, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), on the river Nile near the Sudan border.
Key Points
- It is Africa’s biggest dam project and will have lasting impacts on its longest river- Nile.
- The hydroelectric dam is being built on the Nile (north-flowing river in Africa), in the lowlands of Ethiopia.
- Concerns: The Nile is under serious threat of severe pollution, climate change and Egypt’s growing population.
- Egypt is one of the driest countries on earth, with 95% of its people living along the Nile (or its overflowing Delta).
- It relies almost totally on the Nile for its water supply and the construction of this dam will further cut down Egypt’s water supply by 12-25%.
