North Kurdufan

North Kurdufan شمال كردفان Shamal Kurdufan
—  State  —
Flag
Location in Sudan.
Coordinates: 14°22′N 29°32′E
Country	Sudan
Region	Kurdufan
No. of counties:
Capital	Al-Ubayyid
Area
• Total	185,302 km2 (71,546 sq mi)
Population (2006 (est.))
• Total	2,529,370
Time zone	EAT (UTC+3)

Towns in the region.

North Kurdufan (Arabic: شمال كردفان‎ Šamāl Kurdufān) is one of the 15 wilayat or states of Sudan. It has an area of 185,302 km² and an estimated population of 2,529,370 (2006). Al-Ubayyid is the capital of the state.

North Kurdufan is generally arid and desert.

History

For centuries, North Kurdufan was inhabited by nomads and pastoralists, including the Yazeed tribes. The area has had almost continuous drought since the mid 1960s. Deforestation led to the destruction of the natural vegetation. NGO's working in the villages of Sudan tried to rectify the damage. They set up women's centres. These centres allowed many women gain an income. Training was introduced and a solar energy system set up. NGOs recognise that a need exists for longer projects requiring the kind of support that only can come from governments and large agencies.

Cities and towns in North Kurdufan

• Al-Ubayyid
• El Gebir
• Er Rahad
• Ruaba
• Taiyara
• Umm Debbi
• Umm Qantur
• Umm Saiyala

See also

• 2007 Sudan floods
• Kurdufan - overall region.