Omdurman

City (pop., 2005 est.: urban agglom., 4,518,000), east-central Sudan. It is situated on the left bank of the Nile River just below the confluence of the Blue and White Niles. It was an insignificant village until the victory of al-Mahd over the British in 1885. It grew rapidly after al-Mahdi and his successor, , made it their capital. It was captured by Anglo-Egyptian forces in 1898 but continued to develop into the cultural, religious, and commercial centre of The Sudan. Sites of interest include 'Abd Allah's house (now a museum) and the tomb of al-Mahdi.

Find more information on Omdurman. Upgrade to Britannica Online for more on Omdurman.