Khartoum, Sudan
Khartoum is the capital of Sudan, sited at the confluence of the Blue and White Niles. Its tri-city metropolitan area also includes Omdurman and Bahri (North Khartoum). The city has been at the heart of Sudan's recent political upheaval and the 2023-onwards civil conflict.
Highlights
- Confluence of the Blue Nile and White Nile ('Al-Mogran')
- Sudan National Museum (Nubian antiquities)
- Tuti Island and the Mahdi's Tomb in Omdurman
- Khartoum Souq and the camel market in Omdurman
History
Founded in 1821 as an Egyptian military outpost, Khartoum became the capital of British-Egyptian Sudan and then of independent Sudan in 1956. The city has lived through the Mahdist War, two civil wars, the secession of South Sudan in 2011, the 2019 revolution and the devastating 2023-present civil conflict.
Economy
Khartoum hosts Sudan's main industries, banks and government — though the 2023-present war has severely disrupted economic activity. Petroleum, gum arabic, livestock and Nile agriculture have historically anchored the broader economy.
Neighborhoods
Khartoum proper holds the government district; Omdurman across the Nile is the cultural and traditional heart; Bahri (North Khartoum) is the industrial zone; Tuti Island sits at the rivers' meeting point.
Distances from Khartoum
Calculate distance and flight time from Khartoum to other major African cities: