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El-Obeid
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{{Short description|City in North Kordofan, Sudan}} {{For|the prehistoric Mesopotamian culture|Ubaid period}} {{Infobox settlement <!-- See Template:Infobox settlement for additional fields and descriptions --> <!-- Basic info ---------------->| official_name = El-Obeid | native_name_lang = ar | native_name = الأبيض | settlement_type = <!--For Town or Village (Leave blank for the default City)--> | image_skyline = SudanCamels.jpg | imagesize = 250px | image_caption = Camels in El-Obeid (early 1960s) | pushpin_map = Sudan | pushpin_image = Locator map Sudan North Kurdufan (CPA).png | pushpin_map_caption = Location in Sudan (North Kurdufan state highlighted) | pushpin_label = <br/>'''El-Obeid''' | pushpin_label_position = bottom | coordinates = {{coord|13|11|N|30|13|E|region:SD|display=inline,title}} <!-- Location ------------------>| subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = [[Image:Flag of Sudan.svg|25px]] [[Sudan]] | subdivision_type1 = [[States of Sudan|State]] | subdivision_name1 = [[North Kordofan]] | population_as_of = 2025 | population_total = 560,471<ref>{{cite web |title=Wad Medani Population 2025 |url=https://worldpopulationreview.com/cities/sudan/wad-medani#:~:text=Wad%20Medani's%202025%20population%20is,the%20UN%20World%20Urbanization%20Prospects. |website=worldpopulationreview.com}}</ref> | population_density_km2 = auto | timezone = GMT + 3 | elevation_m = 609 | name = }} '''El-Obeid''' ({{langx|ar|[[:wikt:أبيض|الأبيض]]}}, ''al-ʾAbyaḍ'', <small>lit.</small>{{nbsp}}"the White"), also [[romanization of Arabic|romanized]] as '''Al-Ubayyid''', is the [[capital city|capital]] of the [[States of Sudan|state]] of [[North Kordofan]], in [[Sudan]]. == History and overview == El-Obeid was founded by the [[pasha]]s of [[History of Ottoman Egypt|Ottoman Egypt]] in 1821. It was attacked by the [[Muhammad Ahmad|Mahdist]]s in September 1882, and, after capitulation, was subsequently destroyed in 1883. It was then rebuilt on a modern plan in 1898, following the fall of the Mahdist empire.<ref name="EB1911">{{Cite EB1911|wstitle=El Obeid|volume=9|page=297}}</ref> In 2008, its population was 340,940. It is an important transportation hub: the terminus of a [[railroad|rail line]], the junction of various national roads and [[camel]] [[Camel train|caravan]] routes, and the end of a [[pilgrim]] route from [[Nigeria]]. As regional commercial centre, it is known for products such as [[gum arabic]], [[millet]], oilseeds, and livestock.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Al-Ubayyiḍ {{!}} Sudan|url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Al-Ubayyid|access-date=2020-12-23|website=Encyclopedia Britannica|language=en}}</ref> The population of El-Obeid today is majority Muslim, with a small Christian presence. The town is the site of an [[El Obeid Airport|airport]] and an oil refinery. El-Obeid is home to the [[University of Kordofan]], one of the largest universities in [[Sudan]], established in 1990.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.fuiw.org/en/universites_membres.php |title = Member Universities |publisher = Federation of the Universities of the Islamic World |access-date = 2011-09-17 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110930125830/http://www.fuiw.org/en/universites_membres.php |archive-date = 2011-09-30 }}</ref> Since 1989, the city also has been home to a French Association ([[Alliance française]]) that serves as a Sudanese-French cultural centre in cooperation with the university's French language department.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Hassan|first=Faiz|title=The French Center in El Obeid: 30 Years of Cultural Programming|url=https://www.andariya.com/post/the-french-center-in-el-obeid-30-years-of-cultural-programming|access-date=2020-12-25|website=Andariya}}</ref> The [[United Nations Mission in Sudan]] established its Logistics Base there.<ref>[http://www.unmis.org UNMIS homepage]</ref> Due to the repair and paving of asphalt roads and the emergence of several private bus companies, transport became easier between the town and the Sudanese capital Khartoum. The {{convert|500|km}} journey takes about nine hours by tourist coach, and another three hours from El-Obeid to [[Um Kadada District|Um Kadada]] in [[Darfur]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Khartoum to Darfur – a road trip of rediscovery for Radio Dabanga|url=https://www.dabangasudan.org/en/all-news/article/khartoum-to-darfur-a-road-trip-of-rediscovery-for-radio-dabanga|access-date=2020-12-25|website=Radio Dabanga|language=en}}</ref> During the [[Sudanese civil war (2023–present)|Sudanese civil war]], the [[Siege of El Obeid (2023)|city has been under siege]]. In early September 2023, the [[Sudanese Army]] recaptured the city. Tensions remain high at the grand market<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-06-14 |title=Sudan: North Kordofan's El Obeid Besieged but Electricity Restored |language=en |work=Dabanga |url=https://allafrica.com/stories/202306140111.html |access-date=2023-06-17}}</ref> ==Geography== ===Climate=== El-Obeid has a [[hot semi-arid climate|hot semi-desert climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]]: ''BSh''), bordering upon a [[desert climate#Hot desert climates|hot desert climate]] (''BWh''), despite receiving over {{convert|400|mm|in|0|disp=or}} of rain, owing to the extremely high potential evapotranspiration. Temperatures are coolest in December and January and are hottest from April to June. A [[wet season]] lasts from June to September with moderate rainfall and relatively high humidity. The period from November to April is almost completely dry, with very low humidity.<ref name="WMONormals"/> {{Weather box | width = auto | collapsed = yes | metric first = yes | single line = yes | location = El-Obeid ([[El Obeid Airport]]) (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1961–2020) | Jan record high C = 40.5 | Feb record high C = 43 | Mar record high C = 44.5 | Apr record high C = 45.8 | May record high C = 45 | Jun record high C = 43.7 | Jul record high C = 41 | Aug record high C = 40 | Sep record high C = 40 | Oct record high C = 42.3 | Nov record high C = 40 | Dec record high C = 38 | year record high C = 45.8 | Jan high C = 30.0 | Feb high C = 32.7 | Mar high C = 36.1 | Apr high C = 39.1 | May high C = 39.3 | Jun high C = 37.7 | Jul high C = 34.1 | Aug high C = 32.3 | Sep high C = 34.7 | Oct high C = 36.8 | Nov high C = 34.0 | Dec high C = 30.9 | year high C = 34.8 | Jan mean C = 21.8 | Feb mean C = 24.4 | Mar mean C = 27.8 | Apr mean C = 31.0 | May mean C = 32.0 | Jun mean C = 31.1 | Jul mean C = 28.6 | Aug mean C = 27.4 | Sep mean C = 28.5 | Oct mean C = 29.7 | Nov mean C = 26.4 | Dec mean C = 22.9 | year mean C = 27.6 | Jan low C = 13.7 | Feb low C = 16.1 | Mar low C = 19.6 | Apr low C = 22.9 | May low C = 24.7 | Jun low C = 24.5 | Jul low C = 23.0 | Aug low C = 22.5 | Sep low C = 22.3 | Oct low C = 22.6 | Nov low C = 18.7 | Dec low C = 14.9 | year low C = 20.4 | Jan record low C = 4 | Feb record low C = 5 | Mar record low C = 9.7 | Apr record low C = 12.7 | May record low C = 16 | Jun record low C = 16 | Jul record low C = 11.5 | Aug record low C = 13.7 | Sep record low C = 14.9 | Oct record low C = 12.5 | Nov record low C = 8 | Dec record low C = 4.7 | year record low C = 4 | precipitation colour = green | Jan precipitation mm = 0.2 | Feb precipitation mm = 0.0 | Mar precipitation mm = 0.1 | Apr precipitation mm = 4.8 | May precipitation mm = 17.2 | Jun precipitation mm = 39.0 | Jul precipitation mm = 122.2 | Aug precipitation mm = 139.9 | Sep precipitation mm = 59.9 | Oct precipitation mm = 17.7 | Nov precipitation mm = 0.2 | Dec precipitation mm = 0.0 | year precipitation mm = 401.2 | unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm | Jan precipitation days = 0.0 | Feb precipitation days = 0.0 | Mar precipitation days = 0.1 | Apr precipitation days = 0.5 | May precipitation days = 1.9 | Jun precipitation days = 3.2 | Jul precipitation days = 8.3 | Aug precipitation days = 9.9 | Sep precipitation days = 5.8 | Oct precipitation days = 2.4 | Nov precipitation days = 0.1 | Dec precipitation days = 0.0 | year precipitation days = 32 | Jan humidity = 24 | Feb humidity = 19 | Mar humidity = 15 | Apr humidity = 17 | May humidity = 28 | Jun humidity = 44 | Jul humidity = 61 | Aug humidity = 70 | Sep humidity = 62 | Oct humidity = 40 | Nov humidity = 25 | Dec humidity = 27 | year humidity = 36 | Jan sun = 300.7 | Feb sun = 266.0 | Mar sun = 272.8 | Apr sun = 264.0 | May sun = 241.8 | Jun sun = 228.0 | Jul sun = 195.3 | Aug sun = 192.2 | Sep sun = 225.0 | Oct sun = 272.8 | Nov sun = 303.0 | Dec sun = 310.0 | year sun = 3071.6 | source 1 = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|NOAA]]<ref name="WMONormals">{{cite web |url = https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/2.2/data/0-data/Region-1-WMO-Normals-9120/Sudan/CSV/ElObeid_62771.csv |title = World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991-2020 — El-Obeid |publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |access-date = January 21, 2024}}</ref> }} ==Sports== As of 2015, the [[Sudanese Premier League]] team [[Al-Hilal SC (Al-Ubayyid)]], led by Boushra Adam, plays in El-Obeid. ==Religion== The town is predominantly [[Muslim]]. However, it is also the seat of a [[Roman Catholic Diocese of El Obeid|Roman Catholic Diocese]], which is the only other one in Sudan next to Khartoum since the [[2011 South Sudanese independence referendum|partition]] in 2011,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Pope Francis appoints new Bishop for Sudan's El-Obeid diocese - Sudan Tribune: Plural news and views on Sudan|url=https://sudantribune.com/spip.php?article61689|access-date=2020-12-23|website=sudantribune.com}}</ref> and of an [[Anglican]] [[Bishop]]ric.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Office|first=Anglican Communion|title=Anglican Communion: Diocese|url=http://www.anglicancommunion.org/structures/member-churches/member-church/diocese.aspx|access-date=2020-12-24|website=Anglican Communion Website|language=en}}</ref> The Catholic [[Our Lady Queen of Africa Cathedral, El-Obeid|Cathedral of Our Lady Queen of Africa]] in El-Obeid is considered to be one of the largest and oldest churches in Sudan.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Hassan|first=Faiz|title=Religious Coexistence in Al Obied|url=https://www.andariya.com/post/religious-coexistence-in-al-obied/|access-date=2020-12-23|website=Andariya}}</ref> It was founded in 1872 by [[Daniele Comboni]], an [[Italian people|Italian]] [[Roman Catholic]] [[bishop]], who worked for the [[Catholic missions]] in Sudan between 1858 and his death in Khartoum in 1881. The present building was constructed between 1961 and 1964 in Italian style.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Omer|first=Khaled|title=The Art of Architecture in El Obeid|url=https://www.andariya.com/post/the-art-of-architecture-in-al-obied/|access-date=2020-12-24|website=Andariya}}</ref> == See also == * [[Railway stations in Sudan]] * [[Battle of El Obeid|Battle of El-Obeid]] * [[Giovanni Losi]] == References == {{Reflist|30em}} {{Authority control}} [[Category:El-Obeid| ]] [[Category:Populated places in North Kurdufan|Obeid]] [[Category:State capitals in Sudan]]
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