Khartoum or Khartum is the capital of Sudan. With a population of 5,274,321, its metropolitan area is the largest in Sudan. It is located at the confluence of the White Nile, flowing north from Lake Victoria, and the Blue Nile, flowing west from Lake Tana in Ethiopia. The place where the two Niles meet is known as al-Mogran or al-Muqran. From there, the Nile continues north towards Egypt and the Mediterranean Sea.
The Nile is a major north-flowing river in northeastern Africa. It flows into the Mediterranean Sea. The longest river in Africa, it has historically been considered the longest river in the world, though this has been contested by research suggesting that the Amazon River is slightly longer. The Nile is amongst the smallest of the major world rivers by measure of cubic metres flowing annually. About 6,650 km (4,130 mi) long, its drainage basin covers eleven countries: Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea, South Sudan, Republic of the Sudan, and Egypt. In particular, the Nile is the primary water source of Egypt, Sudan and South Sudan. Additionally, the Nile is an important economic river, supporting agriculture and fishing.
Omdurman is a city in Sudan. It is the most populated city in the country, and thus also in Khartoum State. Omdurman lies on the west bank of the River Nile, opposite and northwest of the capital city of Khartoum.
The Blue Nile is a river originating at Lake Tana in Ethiopia. It travels for approximately 1,450 km (900 mi) through Ethiopia and Sudan. Along with the White Nile, it is one of the two major tributaries of the Nile, and supplies about 80% of the water in the Nile during the rainy season.
The White Nile is a river in Africa, one of the two main tributaries of the Nile, the other being the Blue Nile. The name comes from colouring due to clay carried in the water.
Khartoum State is one of the eighteen states of Sudan. Although it is the smallest state by area (22,142 km2), it is the most populous. It contains the country's second largest city by population, Omdurman, and the city of Khartoum, which is the capital of the state as well as the national capital of Sudan. The capital city contains offices of the state, governmental and non-governmental organizations, cultural institutions, and the main airport.
The Mahdist State, also known as Mahdist Sudan or the Sudanese Mahdiyya, was a state based on a religious and political movement launched in 1881 by Muhammad Ahmad bin Abdullah against the Khedivate of Egypt, which had ruled the Sudan since 1821. After four years of struggle, the Mahdist rebels overthrew the Ottoman-Egyptian administration and established their own "Islamic and national" government with its capital in Omdurman. Thus, from 1885 the Mahdist government maintained sovereignty and control over the Sudanese territories until its existence was terminated by the Anglo-Egyptian forces in 1898.
Khartoum North or Khartoum Bahri is a city in Khartoum State, lying to the north of Khartoum city, the capital of Sudan. It is located on the north bank of the Blue Nile and the east bank of the River Nile, near the confluence of the Blue Nile with the White, and bridges connect it with both Khartoum to its south and Omdurman to its west.
The National Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the Republic of the Sudan.
The National Assembly is the lower house of the National Legislature of Sudan. The Legislature was unicameral until 2005. The upper house is the Council of States.
Omdurman Ahlia University (OAU) is a community non-profit university in Omdurman, Sudan. It was opened on 1 November 1986 as Omdurman Ahlia College, and was upgraded to University status on 7 May 1995.
Omdurman Islamic University (OIU) is built on an area of size about 800 feddans in Omdurman, Sudan. While the school is primarily oriented toward Islamic studies, it serves other fields of studies as well, such as engineering, agriculture and medicine. Omdurman Islamic University is a member of the Federation of the Universities of the Islamic World.
Tuti Island is an island in Sudan where the White Nile and Blue Nile merge to form the main Nile. It is surrounded by the "Three Towns": Khartoum, Omdurman, and Khartoum North. Despite this, Tuti is home to only one small village, with grassland being the main makeup of the island. In the past the only approach to Tuti Island was via several ferries that cross the river intermittently, but the Tuti Bridge, a modern suspension bridge, was completed in 2008 and can be used instead.
The Tuti-Khartoum Bridge is a modern suspension bridge linking between Tuti Island and the City of Khartoum that was completed in February 2008. In the past the only approach to Tuti Island was via ferries but thanks to the Tuti-Khartoum Bridge, easy access to the island is possible.
Railway stations in Sudan include:
The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Khartoum, Sudan.
St. Matthew's Cathedral is a Christian religious building in Khartoum, which is the capital of Khartoum State and Sudan. The cathedral is located on the bank of the Blue Nile, next to the Mac Nimir Bridge. It is the seat of the Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Khartoum, under the patronage of Saint Matthew the Apostle. This building resembles a fairy-tale castle with its various turrets, slender spires and a large rose window.
The Anglo-Egyptian conquest of Sudan in 1896–1899 was a reconquest of territory lost by the Khedives of Egypt in 1884 and 1885 during the Mahdist War. The British had failed to organise an orderly withdrawal of Egyptian forces from Sudan, and the defeat at Khartoum left only Suakin and Equatoria under Egyptian control after 1885. The conquest of 1896–99 defeated and destroyed the Mahdist state and re-established Anglo-Egyptian rule, which remained until Sudan became independent in 1956.
The Hosh el-Kab fort is a fort in Sudan. Ruins of a stone fort located on the left bank of the Nile, in Khartoum State (Sudan), at a distance of 40 km from the place where the waters of the White Nile meet with the Blue Nile. The enclosure was erected in the 2nd half of the 6th century AD. At that time, the region was under the Alwan rule.
The architecture of Sudan mirrors the geographical, ethnic and cultural diversity of the country and its historical periods. The lifestyles and material culture expressed in human settlements, their architecture and economic activities have been shaped by different regional and environmental conditions. In its long documented history, Sudan has been a land of changing and diverse forms of human civilization with important influences from foreign cultures.
