The
Aswan Dam is an
embankment dam built across the
Nile at
Aswan,
Egypt between 1898 and 1902. Since the 1960s, the name commonly refers to the
Aswan High Dam. Construction of the High Dam became a key objective of the Egyptian Government following the
Egyptian Revolution of 1952, as the ability to control floods, provide water for irrigation, and generate
hydroelectricity were seen as pivotal to Egypt's
industrialization. The High Dam was constructed between 1960 and 1970, and has had a significant effect on the
economy and
culture of Egypt.