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Khartoum

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Headline text

Map of Sudan with Khartoum

Khartoum (الخرطوم al-Ḫarṭūm "Elephant Trunk") is the capital of Sudan and of Khartoum State. It is located at the point where the White Nile, flowing north from Uganda, meets the Blue Nile, flowing west from Ethiopia. The merger of the two niles is known as "the Mogran". The merged Nile flows north towards Egypt and the Mediterranean Sea.

The city proper has a population of well over a million inhabitants, making it the second largest city in the country, but forms with its neighbours, linked by bridges, Khartoum North (al-Khartūm Bahrī) and Omdurman (Umm Durmān) a metropolis with a population totaling over four million.

History

Early history

File:Karthoum mosque.jpg
The Mosque of Khartoum.
File:Khartoum - Sudan - 1926 - Building.jpg
The British Embassy in Khartoum in 1926.

Khartoum was founded in 1821 by Muhammad Ali, the ruler of Egypt, as an outpost for the Egyptian army, but grew as a regional center of trade, including the slave trade. Troops loyal to the Mahdi Muhammad Ahmad laid siege to Khartoum starting on March 13, 1884 against the defenders led by British General Charles George Gordon, resulting in the massacre of the Anglo-Egyptian garrison.

The heavily damaged city fell to the Mahdists on January 26, 1885. Omdurman was the scene of the bloody battle (September 2, 1898) in which British forces under Sirdar Horatio Kitchener defeated the Mahdist forces defending the city.

In 1899 Khartoum became capital of Anglo-Egyptian Sudan and, with the independence of Sudan in 1956, the capital of the new country.

Recent history

In 1973, the city was the site of a 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 Khartoum diplomatic assassinations).

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 refugees settled in large slums at the outskirts of the city. From the mid-1980s onward, large numbers of 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 (August 20) on the al-Shifa pharmaceutical factory in Khartoum. The factory, whose destruction had devastating effects on the Sudanese economy, was later proved to have no ties to bin Laden.

The Arab League summit of March 28-29, 2006 was held in Khartoum, during which the Arab League awarded Sudan the Arab League presidency.

Development

After the signing of the historic Comprehensive Peace Agreement between the government of Sudan and the Sudanese Peoples Liberation Movement (SPLA), the Government of Sudan has begun a massive development project. The biggest project taking place right now in Khartoum is "Al-Mogran" Development Project, led by Al-Sunut Development Company. This integrated development is a joint venture developed by the DAL Group Company Ltd, Khartoum State and the National Social Insurance Fund. The project is divided into two main phases:

View of the traffic in the city of Khartoum.
File:Khartoum-Intl-Airport.jpg
Khartoum International Airport Departure Terminal.

Phase I : Almogran Central Business District A brand new 160-acre Central Business District (CBD). This state-of-the-art, prime commercial real estate will act as a hub for Eastern Africa’s modern business market. Almogran is located on the junction between The White and the Blue Nile. The CBD has been carefully master planned to create a dynamic and livable business environment, with pedestrian-friendly tree-lined streets, a river walk, and a mix of business, commercial, and residential properties. All of this comes together at the only place in the world where it is possible to have a spectacular view of the three Niles.

Phase II : Almogran Residential Estate To the south of Almogran CBD, along the banks of the White Nile, lies a 1500-acre residential development featuring a variety of carefully planned neighborhoods of luxurious villas, townhouses, and apartments, complete with supporting neighborhood shops, schools, and recreational and leisure facilities. The development includes an 18-hole signature golf course and resort, public parks and gardens, with preservation of the Sunuut Forest Reserve.


Economy

Among the city's industries are printing, glass manufacturing, food processing and textiles. However, the economy is still progressing. 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.

Education

Khartoum is the main location for most of Sudan's top universities, including but not limited to:

Transportation

Air

Khartoum is home to the largest airport in Sudan, Khartoum International Airport. It is the main hub for Sudan Airways, Sudan's main carrier. It was built in the southern edge of the city, but the rapid growth of the city and through the major urbanization, it has become the heart of the city. A new international airport is currently being built in the city of Omdurman. It will replace the current airport in Khartoum as Sudan's main airport followed by Juba Airport and Port Sudan Airport.

Twin cities

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