The Nile River is a north flowing river in Africa from the relatively wet tropics in the south to the desert region to the north. In the south lie the water-producing countries, Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Kenya, Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, South Sudan, Ethiopia, and Eritrea. In the north lie Sudan and Egypt that are water-consuming countries. When population were low and upstream water demand from the Nile was negligent, downstream flourished with flow variation being the only concern, droughts, and floods. Since the beginning of the twentieth century, commodity production, population growth, and rise in food demand have resulted in water control infrastructure development in Sudan and Egypt. The British control of Egypt and Sudan was the cause of the legalization of unilateral ownership of Nile waters by Egypt first and then by Egypt and Sudan. Ethiopia, that was left out of water sharing agreements, is the source of more than 82% of the Nile water. The right for share of Nile water has come forward in direct conflict to the interests of the water dependent north creating the environment for water conflict. Currently, Ethiopia’s Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile has become the lightning rod for Nile water conflict. The race for unilateral Nile water appropriation continues especially by downstream countries. This chapter provides the background introduction and overview of the Nile basin.