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Khar·toum Khar·tum (kär-tūm')  |
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Capital of Sudan.
The Three Towns - Khartoum, Omdurman, and Khartoum North - together comprise the political, commercial, and administrative center for Sudan. Located where the Blue Nile and White Nile join to flow north toward Egypt, the capital city is the largest urban complex in the country. Its population of 850,000 in 1980 swelled to nearly 4 million by 2002, as the result of the influx of migrants from drought areas in the west and displaced persons from the war-torn south. Their immigration has transformed the character of the Three Towns from largely Arab, with Nubian enclaves, into a polyglot mix of peoples and cultures.
Khartoum, the political capital, means "elephant trunk" in Arabic. It was a small village called alJirayf, on the south shore of the Blue Nile, before the Turko-Egyptian conquest of 1821. The invading force established a small garrison near Mogren village, which became the government center in 1826. The government provided free building materials to encourage the residents to replace their straw huts with permanent brick houses; built a dockyard, military storehouse, barracks, and large mosque; and encouraged commerce by steamer on the Nile and overland to the west and east. A telegraph line linked Khartoum to Egypt by 1874 and, later, to the Red Sea coast and the west. The town remained relatively small, however, peaking at 30,000. The Mahdiyya forces captured Khartoum on 26 January 1885, which signaled the demise of Turko-Egyptian rule and was dramatized by the death of the British officer Charles Gordon on the steps of the Turkish governor-general's palace.
Khartoum was sacked by the Mahdists (1885 - 1898), but was restored as the capital after the British forces seized Omdurman and Khartoum on 1 September 1898. During the Anglo-Egyptian condominium (1898 - 1956), the British rebuilt Khartoum and constructed a series of stone government buildings along the Nile waterfront, flanking the imposing governor-general's house. They planned the city streets to resemble Union Jacks, built distinct residential quarters for Europeans and Sudanese, opened Gordon Memorial College in 1903, and established an industrial zone. A railway bridge across the Blue Nile was opened in 1909. The population grew rapidly from 30,000 in 1930 to 96,000 at the time of independence.
Since independence the principal government offices, embassies, European-style hotels, airport, offices, shops, and villas have been located in Khartoum; so has the University of Khartoum (known until independence on 1 January 1956 as Gordon Memorial College). By 1973, a third of a million people lived in Khartoum; in 2003 the total exceeded two million. Wealthy merchants live in palatial houses in al-Riyadh district, just across the highway from impoverished slums and squatter housing.
Omdurman, located on the southern side of the junction of the White and Blue Niles, served as the capital of the Sudan during the Mahdist period. As many as a quarter million people lived there during the 1890s. As the place where the Mahdi died, it had a special sanctity. The British initially emptied the city, but it grew to a sprawling residential area with some one million inhabitants. It has traditional-style housing: The wealthier areas have stone and brick villas with courtyards and gardens hidden from the street by high walls, and the poorer
areas consist of mud-brick huts in walled-off compounds along dirt roads. Different ethnic groups tend to live in distinct quarters, with a large public market serving the entire city. The government periodically razes districts filled with migrants from the west and internally displaced people from the south, in an attempt to force them out of the city. The parliament building, television and radio stations, and major academic institutions such as Omdurman Islamic University and al-Ahfad College for Women are located there. The headquarters of the leading political parties and religious movements, notably the Ansar and its Umma party and the Khatmiyya brotherhood and its Democratic Unionist party, are in Omdurman. The skyline is dominated by the silver-colored dome of the Mahdi's tomb and its adjacent great mosque, destroyed by British gun-boats in 1898 but rebuilt in the 1940s.
Khartoum North (Halfaya, Khartoum Bahri), located on the north bank of the Blue Nile, was the site of two small villages before the Turko-Egyptian occupation. It contained the encampment of the Khatmiyya sufi order during that period. Destroyed by the Mahdists, it was completely rebuilt by the British and contained the terminus for the railway from Egypt, which reached the capital in 1899. Spurs to Port Sudan in the east and to Sennar, farther south, opened in 1909. The railway was extended west to al-Ubayd in 1911. Today, two bridges link Khartoum North to Khartoum and Omdurman. Khartoum North's location at the junction of those lines provided a base for the rapid growth of industry and residential areas. The main manufacturing industries are located there as well as extensive middle-class and squatter housing areas. By 2002, about a half million people lived in Khartoum North, as against 40,000 in 1956 and 151,000 in 1973.
Bibliography
Hall, Marjorie, and Ismail, Bakhita Amin. Sisters under theSun: The Story of Sudanese Women. London: Longman, 1981.
Holt, P. M., and Daly, M. W. The History of the Sudan. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1979.
Lobban, Richard A., Jr.; Kramer, Robert S.; and Fluehr-Lobban, Carolyn. Historical Dictionary of the Sudan, 3d edition. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, 2002.
Simone, T. Abdou Maliqalim. In Whose Image? Political Islam and Urban Practices in Sudan. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1994.
— ANN M. LESCH
| Geography: Khartoum |
| Weather: Khartoum, Sudan |
| Dialing Code: The telephone dialing code for: Khartoum, Sudan |
The country code is: 249
The city code is: 11
| Local Time: Khartoum, Sudan |
| Wikipedia: Khartoum |
| Khartoum الخرطوم al-Kharṭūm |
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| Nickname(s): The Triangular City | |||
  Khartoum
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| Coordinates: 15°37′59″N 32°31′59″E / 15.63306°N 32.53306°E | |||
| Country |  Sudan |
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| State | Khartoum State | ||
| Government | |||
| - Governor | Abdul Rahman Alkheder | ||
| Population (2005) | |||
| - Urban | 2,207,794 | ||
| - Metro | 8,000,000 Agglomeration | ||
Khartoum (الخرطوم al-Kharṭūm) is the capital of Sudan and of Khartoum State. It is located at the confluence of the White Nile flowing north from Lake Victoria, and the Blue Nile flowing west from Ethiopia. The location where the two Niles meet is known as "al-Mogran". The main Nile continues to flow north towards Egypt and the Mediterranean Sea.
Divided by the Niles, Khartoum is a tripartite metropolis with an estimated overall population of over a million people consisting of Khartoum proper, and linked by bridges to Khartoum North called (al-Khartūm Bahrī) and Omdurman (Umm Durmān) to the west.
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The word 'Khartoum' is derived from Arabic for "end of an elephant’s trunk", probably referring to the narrow strip of land extending between the Blue and White Niles.[1] Captain J. A. Grant, who reached Khartoum in 1863 with Captain Speke’s expedition, thought that the derivation was most probably from the safflower (Carthamus Tinctorius L.) which is called 'Gartoon,' and which was cultivated extensively in Egypt for its oil, used in burning. This explanation is ingenious but has no support.
Others believe Khartoum is derived from kier-tuom in the Dinka language or karetum in the Nuer language, both meaning river-junction, denoting the confluence of White Nile and Blue Nile.[citation needed]
Ibrahim Pasha, the ruler of Egypt, founded Khartoum in 1821 as an outpost for the Egyptian army. The settlement grew as a regional center of trade, including the slave trade. Troops loyal to the Mahdi Muhammad Ahmad began a siege of Khartoum on 13 March 1884 against the defenders led by British General Charles George Gordon. The siege ended in a massacre of the Anglo-Egyptian garrison.
The heavily damaged city fell to the Mahdists on 26 January 1885. Omdurman was the scene of the bloody battle on 2 September 1898, during which British forces under Horatio Kitchener defeated the Mahdist forces defending the city.
In 1899, Khartoum became the capital of Anglo-Egyptian Sudan. Several explanations have been offered for the design of the new, Anglo-Egyptian Khartoum. One is that Kitchener laid out the city's streets in a Union flag pattern as a symbol of British dominance. Another is that the grid system and diagonal streets of the city were designed to converge in a way that would allow machine-guns to sweep the town. However, there is no contemporary evidence to support either of these suggestions.[2]
When Sudan became independent in 1956, Khartoum became the capital of the new country.
In 1973, the city was the site of an anomalous hostage crisis in which members of Black September held ten hostages at the Saudi embassy, five of whom were diplomats. The US ambassador, the US deputy ambassador, and the Belgian chargé d'affaires were murdered. The remaining hostages were released (see 1973 Khartoum diplomatic assassinations). A 1973 United States Department of State document, declassified in 2006, concluded "The Khartoum operation was planned and carried out with the full knowledge and personal approval of Yasser Arafat."[3]
The first oil pipeline between Khartoum and Port Sudan was completed in 1977.
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Khartoum was the destination for hundreds of thousands of refugees fleeing conflicts in neighboring nations such as Chad, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Uganda. The Eritrean and Ethiopian refugees assimilated into society which some of the other refugees settled in large slums at the outskirts of the city. From the mid-1980s onward, large numbers of south Sudanese and Darfuri internally displaced from the violence of the Second Sudanese Civil War and Darfur conflict have settled around Khartoum.
Following the 1998 U.S. embassy bombings, the United States accused Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda group of responsibility and launched cruise missile attacks (20 August) on the al-Shifa pharmaceutical factory in Khartoum North. The destruction of the factory produced diplomatic tension between the U.S. and Sudan. The ruins of the factory are a tourist attraction.
After the sudden death of SPLA head and vice-president of Sudan John Garang at the end of July 2005, there were violent riots in the capital for three days which died down after southern Sudanese politicians and tribal leaders sent strong messages to the rioters. The situation could have been chaotic with mass killings and reprisals however the death toll was at least 24 as youth from South Sudan attacked North Sudanese and clashed with security forces.[4]
The Organisation of African Unity summit of July 18–22, 1978 was held in Khartoum, during which Sudan was awarded the OAU presidency. The African Union summit of January 16–24, 2006 was held in Khartoum.
The Arab League summit of March 28–29, 2006 was held in Khartoum, during which the Arab League awarded Sudan the Arab League presidency.
On 10 May 2008 the Darfur rebel group of the Justice and Equality Movement moved into the city where they engaged in heavy fighting with Sudanese government forces. Their soldiers included minors and their goal was the toppling of Omar Hassan al-Bashir's government, though the Sudanese government succeeded in beating back the assault[5][6].[7]
Khartoum features a hot arid climate, with only the months of July and August seeing significant precipitation. Khartoum averages a little over 155 mm (6 in.) of precipitation per year. Based on average annual temperatures, Khartoum is quite possibly the hottest major city on the planet. Its average annual high temperature is 38°C (100°F), with seven months of the year seeing an average monthly high temperature of at least 38°C (100°F). Furthermore, none of its monthly average high temperatures falls below 32°C (90°F). This is something not seen in other major cities with hot arid climates such as Riyadh, Baghdad and Phoenix. Temperatures cool off considerably during the night, with Khartoum's lowest average low temperatures of the year hovering around the 16°C (60°F) mark.
| Weather data for Khartoum | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 40 (104) |
44 (111) |
45 (113) |
47 (117) |
47 (117) |
48 (118) |
47 (117) |
43 (109) |
45 (113) |
45 (113) |
42 (108) |
40 (104) |
48 (118) |
| Average high °C (°F) | 32 (90) |
34 (93) |
38 (100) |
41 (106) |
42 (108) |
41 (106) |
38 (100) |
37 (99) |
39 (102) |
40 (104) |
36 (97) |
33 (91) |
38 (100) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 15 (59) |
16 (61) |
19 (66) |
22 (72) |
25 (77) |
26 (79) |
25 (77) |
24 (75) |
25 (77) |
24 (75) |
20 (68) |
17 (63) |
22 (72) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 5 (41) |
7 (45) |
9 (48) |
12 (54) |
16 (61) |
19 (66) |
18 (64) |
18 (64) |
16 (61) |
17 (63) |
13 (55) |
7 (45) |
5 (41) |
| Precipitation mm (inches) | 0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
2.5 (0.1) |
7 (0.28) |
53 (2.09) |
71 (2.8) |
18 (0.71) |
5 (0.2) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
156.5 (6.16) |
| Source: BBC Weather [8] 2009-08-21 | |||||||||||||
| Year | Population[9] | |
|---|---|---|
| City | Agglomeration | |
| 1907[10] | 69,349 | k. A. |
| 1956 | 93,100 | 245,800 |
| 1973 | 333,906 | 748,300 |
| 1983 | 476,218 | 1,340,646 |
| 1993 | 947,483 | 2,919,773 |
| 2007 Estimate | 2,207,794 | 8,363,915 |
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After the signing of the historic Comprehensive Peace Agreement between the government of Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLA), the Government of Sudan has begun a massive development project[11][12]. The biggest projects taking place right now in Khartoum are the Al-Mogran Development Project, two five-star hotels, a new airport, Mac Nimir Bridge (finished in October 2007) and the Tuti Bridge that links Khartoum to Tuti Island.
Khartoum has a thriving economy. In recent years Khartoum has seen significant development, driven by Sudan's oil wealth. The center of the city is well-planned, with tree-lined streets. However, Khartoum has the highest concentration of economic activity in the country. This is slowly changing as major economic developments take place in other parts of the country, like oil exploration in the South, the Giad Industrial Complex and White Nile Sugar Project in Central Sudan, and the Merowe Dam in the North.
Among the city's industries are printing, glass manufacturing, food processing, and textiles. Petroleum products are now produced in the far north of Khartoum state, providing fuel and jobs for the city. One of Sudan's largest refineries is located in northern Khartoum. Moreover, a number of East-Asian companies have recently shown interest in the realization of a new project which will lead to the creation of new telecommunication services throughout the country.
Khartoum is the main location for most of Sudan's top educational bodies, including but not limited to:
Khartoum is home to the largest airport in Sudan, Khartoum International Airport. It is the main hub for Sudan Airways, Sudan's main carrier. The airport was built at the southern edge of the city; but with Khartoum's rapid growth and consequent urban sprawl, the airport is now located in the heart of the city. A new international airport is currently being built in the city of Omdurman.[citation needed] It will replace the current airport in Khartoum as Sudan's main airport followed by Juba Airport and Port Sudan Airport.
The following bridges cross the Blue Nile and connect Khartoum to Khartoum North:
The following bridges cross the White Nile and connect Khartoum to Omdurman:
the following bridges cross from Omdurman: to Khartoum North:
The following bridges cross to Tuti from Khartoum states three cities
Khartoum has rail lines from Egypt, Port Sudan and El Obeid.
The largest museum in Khartoum, and indeed all of Sudan, is the National Museum of Sudan. Founded in 1971, it contains works from different epochs of Sudanese history. Among the exhibits are two Egyptian temples of Buhen and Semna which were originally built by Queen Hatshepsut and Pharaoh Tuthmosis III respectively but relocated to Khartoum upon the flooding of Lake Nasser.
Another museum in Khartoum is the Palace Museum, located adjacent to the historical Presidential Palace on Blue Nile Street.
Khartoum doesn't have as many open markets or souqs as neighboring Omdurman, but one of the largest is the Souq Arabi. The market is huge and spread over several blocks in the center of Khartoum proper just south of the Great Mosque (Mesjid al-Kabir) and the minibus station. It is divided into separate sections, including one focused entirely on gold.
Al Qasr St. and Al Jamhoriyah St. are considered the most famous high streets in Khartoum State.
Recently Sudan's first medium scale shopping mall opened, located in the southern suburb Arkeweet. The Afra Mall has a supermarket, retail outlets, coffee shops, a bowling alley, movie theaters, and a children's playground.
Khartoum is home to a small botanical garden, in the Mogran district of the city.
Khartoum is home to several clubs such as the Sailing Club, German Club, Greek Hotel, Coptic Club, Syrian Club, International Club etc.
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| Translations: Khartoum |
 | Port Sudan (city of northeast Sudan on the Red Sea) |
| White Nile (section of the Nile River in eastern Africa) |
| Blue Nile (river of northeast Africa) |
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| Does the Nile flow though Khartoum? Read answer... |
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| Why is there a war in khartoum? |
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