صلاح ودالطاهر
24-05-2005, 05:32 AM
Major Sudanese Towns and Cities (Alphabetically)
Atbara. Known as the Town of Fire and Iron, Atbara serves as the main workshop base and administrative headquarters for Sudan's Railways Corporation. Located 350 km north of Kharloum, it lies on the eastern bank of the Nile north of Ed Damer, to which it is connected by a narrow old bridge across Atbara River.
Damazeen and Roseires. Damazeen Town lies on the western bank of the Blue Nile. On the opposite bank a few kilometres northeast stands Roseires. The importance of these two towns is inferred from their proximity to the Roseires Dam, located just 2 km south of Damazeen and 4 km south of Roseires, from which the dam derives its name. Roseires Dam was the first to be constructed on the Blue Nile during the national rule, intended to secure Sudan's share of the Blue Nile water and to generate hydro-electrical power. The region is also notable for mechanized agriculture, based on high land fertility and good crop yields. Heavy rainfall provides favorable conditions for the cultivation of sorghum, sesame and sunflower. Furthermore, the abundance of forests in the region gave rise to the timber industry, which supplies Khartoum and other towns of Sudan with wood. The forests also contribute to Sudan's production of Gum Arabic. Damazeen is connected to Khartoum by an asphalt motorway through a distance of 420 km via significant towns such as Wad Medani, Sennar and Sindja.
Dongola. This is a major town of significant historic and commercial importance located half way between Khartoum and the northern borderline with Egypt. Dongola is the capital of the Northern State and the main producer of palm-dates, wheat, cereals and fruits. The region boasts a number of archeological sites pertaining to Nubian and Islamic eras. Historically, Old Dongola was the capital of a Christian kingdom. Dongola is connected to Khartoum by a recently constructed asphalt motorway and by rough land roads to other main towns of the State and Northern Kordofan.
Ed Damer. The capital of Nile State, Ed Damer, is located some 300 km north of Khartoum on the eastern bank of the Nile, at the confluence of Atbara River and the Nile. Ed Damer is renown for its Koranic schools established 300 years ago by Sheikh AI Magzoub, whose burial tomb is a major feature of the town. During the past centuries, Ed Damer was a prosperous town lying at the intersection of caravan trade routes destined for Egypt and the Arabian Peninsula through the Red Sea. The town is still not without economic importance. It is a busy trade center for camel marketing and export to Egypt and the Gulf region.
El Dueim. Situated on the western bank of the White Nile, EI Dueim is one of the most important towns of Sudan in that it played an important role in the promotion of education throughout Sudan. The pedagogical institute of Bakht E Ruda at El Dueim has been preparing educational cadres and pedagogues, many of who have significant contributions to the development of modern Sudan.
El Fasher. Originally built by Sultan Abdel Rahman El Rashid, the town has played an important political and social role in the history of Darfur. It is now the capital of North Darfur State and a busy trade center. The palace of the last sultan of the Fur ruling dynasty, Ali Dinar, built in 1912, is a special tourist attraction.
El Geneina. It is located on the southwestern border that Sudan shares with the neighboring republic of Chad. It is the hometown of the Messalit tribe and a transit and customs outpost for persons traveling overland to Chad, Cameroon, Niger and other countries of western Africa. Accordingly, a prosperous trade exists between the markets of these countries and that of EI Geneina, which acts as an important marketing outlet for local and regional produce.
El Obeid. This is the capital of North Kordofan State and a major crop marketing center, offering cash crops such gum Arabic, sesame, peanuts and others for sale on the international markets. The population of the region consists mainly of farmers practicing rain-fed cultivation and cattle breeders. El Obeid is connected to Khartoum by an asphalt motorway, a railway line and air-flights taking off its airport several times a week.
Gedarif. The capital of Gedarif State lies amid the most fertile lands of the socalled Butana region of Eastern Sudan. The region grows sesame, sorghum and sunflower, the annual produce of which not only covers the needs of the local markets, but is also exported abroad. The irrigation of these crops is wholly dependent on the heavy rainfall, which usually starts as early as May. Since 1954, mechanization has been gradually introduced at the various stages of agriculture. The high productivity of its land has made Gedarif very attractive to investors, in addition to its strategic proximity to local markets, export centers and access to logistic infrastructure such as asphalt motorways and railway lines.
Juba. The capital of Bahr 9 Jebel State is the largest town in southern Sudan. it is connected to the northern states by means of river transport and land routes passable only during the dry season. Its airport accommodates all types of aircraft. Due to insecurity, there is a high dependency on it at present for the transport of goods and passengers from Khartoum and Nairobi to other regions of Equatoria.
Karima. It is the busy commercial and transportation center of the Northern State. Situated on the eastern bank of the Nile, the town is the terminal station for northbound railway trains from Khartoum. Furthermore, Karima serves as the main Nile harbour for downstream river transport. It is connected to Dongola by surface tracks. Lying at the foot of the massive Barkal Mountain, the abode of Napatan gods and kings, Karima is an outstanding historic landmark of pyramids and bugrounds of the Nubian kings and queens.
Kassala. The capital of Kassala State and a border town, just 30 km off the Eritrean border, it is famed for its breed of the Bushari camel, a fancy of the Gulf region's racing grounds. It is also known for its fruit orchards, tended along the Gash seasonal rivulet. Located some 620 km north-east of Khartoum, Kassala is connected to it by an asphalt motorway and a railway line, the later presently used only for goods transportation.
Kerma AI Nuzul. This small town lies almost 60 km north of Dongola on the eastern bank of the Nile. Kerma derives its importance from being the historic site of the ancient kingdom of Kerma and its necropolis. it is connected to the towns Wadi Halfa, Dongola and Karima by land roads.
Kosti. Located 280 km south of Khartoum on the western bank of the White Nile, Kosti is a transit point on the Khartoum-El Obeid motorway. The waterway of the White Nile connects Kosti to the southern towns of Malakal and Juba. Accordingly, before the eruption of the civil war in Southern Sudan, Kosti Town was the major Nile transportation venue for travelers to the Upper Nile and Equatoria region. It still enjoys a significant economic importance as the interlocutor for business and trade with southern states. The gigantic multi-national project of Kenana sugar refinery is located some 50 km east of Kosti.
Malakal. The capital of Upper Nile State serves as an important river port. It is connected to Juba and other towns of the South by a regular navigation line, which was formerly used to transport both goods and passengers. Presently, due to the 54, on-going civil war, travel by river is not possible. However, there is an airport, which links Malakal to Khartoum, and other states.
Nyala. It is the c.apital of South Darfur State. It is the terminal station of the railway line that connects it to Khartoum via EI Obeid, Rahad, Abuzabad and El Daein. There are also regular air-flights from Nyala to Khartoum via El Obeid.
Port Sudan. Established in 1905 during the colonial era as a port town, Port Sudan is Sudan's major port and sea-outlet to the outside world. It is joined to other major towns by a railway and a motorway, while its airport is second only to that of Khartoum.
Shendi. This lies some 170 km to the north of Khartoum and connected to it by an asphalt motorway. The traditional hometown of the Ja'aliyin Arab tribe, it is also a major market for crops and cereals. The archeological site of ancient kingdom of Merce is located some few kilometers north of Shendi at AI Bagrawiya village and features pyramids and the royal palace of the Meroitic kings and queens. Several other Meroitic monuments are found a few kilometers to the east. To the southeast of Shendi stands a mystical sandstone construction and nearby, the restored temple of Amun.
Sindja. The capital of Sennar State, Sindja, lies on the west bank of the Blue Nile. It gained in strategic importance since the construction of the Khartoum-Damazeen motorway. The majority of Sindja's population are engaged in cultivation and cattle breeding. Its cattle markets in particular attract merchants from Khartoum and other regions of Sudan.
Suakin. in the pre-colonial era, Suakin was both Sudan's main port and the most renowned port on the Red Sea. Ships and vessels destined to the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea and the Arabian Gulf sailed in and off Suakin. West African pilgrims travelling to Mecca gathered at Suakin before crossing over the Red Sea to the Arab Peninsula. The town lost its importance when, in 1905, the port was moved 50 km northward to Port Sudan. Suakin was abandoned and consequently disintegrated into ruins. Presently, efforts are being exerted to revitalize the historical port. The active life is being gradually reclaimed as more and more passenger ships have began to moor at Suakin. Wad Medani. One of Sudan's major towns, it is also the capital of the rich agrarian state of EI Gezira and the base of the Gezira Scheme Board, which administers the large cotton and wheat plantations. Located 186 km south of Khartoum on the western side of the Blue Nile, Wad Medani is host to representatives of many Sudanese tribes, who are attracted by cultivation work offered by the vast Gezira Project.
Wadi Halfa. Located in the northernmost part of Sudan, Wadi Halfa is one of the oldest Sudanese towns. During the early sixties, the town was disastrously affected by the construction of the Egyptian Aswan High Dam and the ensuing flood. Its residents were relocated in 1964 to a region renamed New Wadi Halfa in mid-eastern Sudan. However, another town bearing the old name of Wadi Halfa now exists beside Lake Nasser and serves as a Nile harbour for people and goods transport between Sudan and Egypt.
Wau. It is the capital of Bahr EI Ghazal State and ranks third after Juba and Malakal in terms of economic and demographic importance. Wau is connected to Khartoum and the north of Sudan by a railway line and several land routes the crossing through Kordofan and Darfur
Atbara. Known as the Town of Fire and Iron, Atbara serves as the main workshop base and administrative headquarters for Sudan's Railways Corporation. Located 350 km north of Kharloum, it lies on the eastern bank of the Nile north of Ed Damer, to which it is connected by a narrow old bridge across Atbara River.
Damazeen and Roseires. Damazeen Town lies on the western bank of the Blue Nile. On the opposite bank a few kilometres northeast stands Roseires. The importance of these two towns is inferred from their proximity to the Roseires Dam, located just 2 km south of Damazeen and 4 km south of Roseires, from which the dam derives its name. Roseires Dam was the first to be constructed on the Blue Nile during the national rule, intended to secure Sudan's share of the Blue Nile water and to generate hydro-electrical power. The region is also notable for mechanized agriculture, based on high land fertility and good crop yields. Heavy rainfall provides favorable conditions for the cultivation of sorghum, sesame and sunflower. Furthermore, the abundance of forests in the region gave rise to the timber industry, which supplies Khartoum and other towns of Sudan with wood. The forests also contribute to Sudan's production of Gum Arabic. Damazeen is connected to Khartoum by an asphalt motorway through a distance of 420 km via significant towns such as Wad Medani, Sennar and Sindja.
Dongola. This is a major town of significant historic and commercial importance located half way between Khartoum and the northern borderline with Egypt. Dongola is the capital of the Northern State and the main producer of palm-dates, wheat, cereals and fruits. The region boasts a number of archeological sites pertaining to Nubian and Islamic eras. Historically, Old Dongola was the capital of a Christian kingdom. Dongola is connected to Khartoum by a recently constructed asphalt motorway and by rough land roads to other main towns of the State and Northern Kordofan.
Ed Damer. The capital of Nile State, Ed Damer, is located some 300 km north of Khartoum on the eastern bank of the Nile, at the confluence of Atbara River and the Nile. Ed Damer is renown for its Koranic schools established 300 years ago by Sheikh AI Magzoub, whose burial tomb is a major feature of the town. During the past centuries, Ed Damer was a prosperous town lying at the intersection of caravan trade routes destined for Egypt and the Arabian Peninsula through the Red Sea. The town is still not without economic importance. It is a busy trade center for camel marketing and export to Egypt and the Gulf region.
El Dueim. Situated on the western bank of the White Nile, EI Dueim is one of the most important towns of Sudan in that it played an important role in the promotion of education throughout Sudan. The pedagogical institute of Bakht E Ruda at El Dueim has been preparing educational cadres and pedagogues, many of who have significant contributions to the development of modern Sudan.
El Fasher. Originally built by Sultan Abdel Rahman El Rashid, the town has played an important political and social role in the history of Darfur. It is now the capital of North Darfur State and a busy trade center. The palace of the last sultan of the Fur ruling dynasty, Ali Dinar, built in 1912, is a special tourist attraction.
El Geneina. It is located on the southwestern border that Sudan shares with the neighboring republic of Chad. It is the hometown of the Messalit tribe and a transit and customs outpost for persons traveling overland to Chad, Cameroon, Niger and other countries of western Africa. Accordingly, a prosperous trade exists between the markets of these countries and that of EI Geneina, which acts as an important marketing outlet for local and regional produce.
El Obeid. This is the capital of North Kordofan State and a major crop marketing center, offering cash crops such gum Arabic, sesame, peanuts and others for sale on the international markets. The population of the region consists mainly of farmers practicing rain-fed cultivation and cattle breeders. El Obeid is connected to Khartoum by an asphalt motorway, a railway line and air-flights taking off its airport several times a week.
Gedarif. The capital of Gedarif State lies amid the most fertile lands of the socalled Butana region of Eastern Sudan. The region grows sesame, sorghum and sunflower, the annual produce of which not only covers the needs of the local markets, but is also exported abroad. The irrigation of these crops is wholly dependent on the heavy rainfall, which usually starts as early as May. Since 1954, mechanization has been gradually introduced at the various stages of agriculture. The high productivity of its land has made Gedarif very attractive to investors, in addition to its strategic proximity to local markets, export centers and access to logistic infrastructure such as asphalt motorways and railway lines.
Juba. The capital of Bahr 9 Jebel State is the largest town in southern Sudan. it is connected to the northern states by means of river transport and land routes passable only during the dry season. Its airport accommodates all types of aircraft. Due to insecurity, there is a high dependency on it at present for the transport of goods and passengers from Khartoum and Nairobi to other regions of Equatoria.
Karima. It is the busy commercial and transportation center of the Northern State. Situated on the eastern bank of the Nile, the town is the terminal station for northbound railway trains from Khartoum. Furthermore, Karima serves as the main Nile harbour for downstream river transport. It is connected to Dongola by surface tracks. Lying at the foot of the massive Barkal Mountain, the abode of Napatan gods and kings, Karima is an outstanding historic landmark of pyramids and bugrounds of the Nubian kings and queens.
Kassala. The capital of Kassala State and a border town, just 30 km off the Eritrean border, it is famed for its breed of the Bushari camel, a fancy of the Gulf region's racing grounds. It is also known for its fruit orchards, tended along the Gash seasonal rivulet. Located some 620 km north-east of Khartoum, Kassala is connected to it by an asphalt motorway and a railway line, the later presently used only for goods transportation.
Kerma AI Nuzul. This small town lies almost 60 km north of Dongola on the eastern bank of the Nile. Kerma derives its importance from being the historic site of the ancient kingdom of Kerma and its necropolis. it is connected to the towns Wadi Halfa, Dongola and Karima by land roads.
Kosti. Located 280 km south of Khartoum on the western bank of the White Nile, Kosti is a transit point on the Khartoum-El Obeid motorway. The waterway of the White Nile connects Kosti to the southern towns of Malakal and Juba. Accordingly, before the eruption of the civil war in Southern Sudan, Kosti Town was the major Nile transportation venue for travelers to the Upper Nile and Equatoria region. It still enjoys a significant economic importance as the interlocutor for business and trade with southern states. The gigantic multi-national project of Kenana sugar refinery is located some 50 km east of Kosti.
Malakal. The capital of Upper Nile State serves as an important river port. It is connected to Juba and other towns of the South by a regular navigation line, which was formerly used to transport both goods and passengers. Presently, due to the 54, on-going civil war, travel by river is not possible. However, there is an airport, which links Malakal to Khartoum, and other states.
Nyala. It is the c.apital of South Darfur State. It is the terminal station of the railway line that connects it to Khartoum via EI Obeid, Rahad, Abuzabad and El Daein. There are also regular air-flights from Nyala to Khartoum via El Obeid.
Port Sudan. Established in 1905 during the colonial era as a port town, Port Sudan is Sudan's major port and sea-outlet to the outside world. It is joined to other major towns by a railway and a motorway, while its airport is second only to that of Khartoum.
Shendi. This lies some 170 km to the north of Khartoum and connected to it by an asphalt motorway. The traditional hometown of the Ja'aliyin Arab tribe, it is also a major market for crops and cereals. The archeological site of ancient kingdom of Merce is located some few kilometers north of Shendi at AI Bagrawiya village and features pyramids and the royal palace of the Meroitic kings and queens. Several other Meroitic monuments are found a few kilometers to the east. To the southeast of Shendi stands a mystical sandstone construction and nearby, the restored temple of Amun.
Sindja. The capital of Sennar State, Sindja, lies on the west bank of the Blue Nile. It gained in strategic importance since the construction of the Khartoum-Damazeen motorway. The majority of Sindja's population are engaged in cultivation and cattle breeding. Its cattle markets in particular attract merchants from Khartoum and other regions of Sudan.
Suakin. in the pre-colonial era, Suakin was both Sudan's main port and the most renowned port on the Red Sea. Ships and vessels destined to the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea and the Arabian Gulf sailed in and off Suakin. West African pilgrims travelling to Mecca gathered at Suakin before crossing over the Red Sea to the Arab Peninsula. The town lost its importance when, in 1905, the port was moved 50 km northward to Port Sudan. Suakin was abandoned and consequently disintegrated into ruins. Presently, efforts are being exerted to revitalize the historical port. The active life is being gradually reclaimed as more and more passenger ships have began to moor at Suakin. Wad Medani. One of Sudan's major towns, it is also the capital of the rich agrarian state of EI Gezira and the base of the Gezira Scheme Board, which administers the large cotton and wheat plantations. Located 186 km south of Khartoum on the western side of the Blue Nile, Wad Medani is host to representatives of many Sudanese tribes, who are attracted by cultivation work offered by the vast Gezira Project.
Wadi Halfa. Located in the northernmost part of Sudan, Wadi Halfa is one of the oldest Sudanese towns. During the early sixties, the town was disastrously affected by the construction of the Egyptian Aswan High Dam and the ensuing flood. Its residents were relocated in 1964 to a region renamed New Wadi Halfa in mid-eastern Sudan. However, another town bearing the old name of Wadi Halfa now exists beside Lake Nasser and serves as a Nile harbour for people and goods transport between Sudan and Egypt.
Wau. It is the capital of Bahr EI Ghazal State and ranks third after Juba and Malakal in terms of economic and demographic importance. Wau is connected to Khartoum and the north of Sudan by a railway line and several land routes the crossing through Kordofan and Darfur