Khartoum, Sudan

Mr. Rose

Khartoum, below, is situated at the intersection of the two niles.

Khartoum

• It is the capital city and trading centre of Sudan, in Central East Africa. As of 2002 it had a population of 4.5 million people. The name means “Elephant Trunk” and it is the second largest city in the country.

Blue Nile White and Blue Nile meet near bridge in Khartoum.

Location

• Khartoum is located at the point where the White Nile, flowing north from Uganda, meets the Blue Nile, flowing west from Ethiopia.

• The time in Khartoum is 6 hours ahead of Halifax time.

• Latitude: 15° 35' 17 N, Longitude: 32° 32' 3 E) • Flat, sandy landforms with little vegetation.

Blue and White Nile

History• 1821: Founded by Muhammad, the ruler

of Egypt, as a military post controlling Sudan.

The settlement grew as a regional center of trade, including the slave trade.

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

Climate

• Rainfall occurs infrequently and the weather is hot and humid. There are only 16 wet days a year.

• Khartoum’s average maximum temperature is over 38 degrees C from February to November.

• It can be extremely uncomfortable from April to October due to high temperature and humidity.

• On average it has 10 hours of sunlight each day.

Social Issues

• Khartoum is very poor, with few exclusive areas. Few streets are paved, but the centre is well-planned, with tree-lined streets.

• It is a relatively safe city with a low crime rate.

• Khartoum is home to thousands of refugees fleeing conflicts in neighboring nations such as Chad, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Uganda. They settled in large slums at the outskirts of the city.

A woman in Mayo residential area has poisoned her husband to death simply because the husband decided to marry another lady as a second wife immediately as he received his pension.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/107/291684355_39ee71f60b.jpg

Transportation

• Khartoum is home to the largest airport in Sudan • It has rail lines and paved roads from Egypt, Port

Sudan and El Obeid • Buses run between Khartoum, Kassala, Port Sudan,

and Gedarif. • Many of the locals travel by camel or lorry(truck).

Very few paved roads in the city.• You can travel by Toyota Hilux pick-ups, known to

the locals as 'boxes' (boksi, plural bokasi).

http://img2.travelblog.org/Photos/13981/54595/f/309006-Downtown-Khartoum-1.jpg

http://www.thebackbench.com/issues/13/photo-sudanute.jpg

Cultural Events

• The most common greeting in Arabic used on holidays is Kul sana wa inta tayeb or Kul sana wa inta be kheir-meaning- may each year find you well and prosperous

• Kurban Bairam or Eid al Kabier (the big festival) takes place on the tenth Muslim month of Zu al Hajj (the month of the pilgrimage to Mecca

• Sham Al Nassim (Spring Holiday) is the first Monday following Easter

• Arabic is the official language. English is widely spoken

Famous Residents

• General Mohmaed Talat Fareed – supported first radio station.

Government

• Mayor of Khartoum is Dr. Abdel-Moniem Al-Mutaafi

• Minister for environment and protection of wildlife – Lt-Gen James Loro Siricio

• Minister of agriculture and forestry – Martin Elia Lomuro

ECONOMY

• The official local unit of a currency is the Dinar.• Among the city's industries are printing, glass

manufacturing, food processing, and textiles • Petroleum products are produced in Khartoum,

providing fuel and jobs for the city.

• New projects: two five-star hotels, a new airport, the McNimir Bridge and the Toti Bridge.

Education

• Khartoum has 3 universities, the University of Khartoum, Nilayin University and Sudan University of Science and Technology.

• Kids go to school from 4 years of age until they reach Grade 12.

• Many children do not go to school as a result of the civil war.

Connections to Atlantic Canada

• Some Sudanese civil war refugees have settled in Atlantic Canada.

• Envoy to Khartoum is Sam Hanson from Atlantic Canada