The Nuba Mountains ( Arabic : جبال النوبة ), also referred to as the Nuba Hills , are an area located in South Kordofan , Sudan . The area is home to a group of indigenous ethnic groups known collectively as the Nuba peoples . They are not the same as the Nubians who are indigenous to north Sudan. Rather their name is derived from the name of the mountains, “Nuba”. In the Middle Ages , the Nuba mountains had been part of the Nubian kingdom of Alodia . In the 18th century, they became home to the kingdom of Taqali that controlled the hills of the mountains until their defeat by Mahdi Muhammad Ahmad . After the British defeated the Mahdi army, Taqali was restored as a client state. Infiltration of the Messiria tribe and Muraheleen of Baggara Arabs has been influential in modern conflicts. Up to 1.5 million people live in the mountains, mostly ethnic Nuba , with a small minority of Baggara .
34-541: The mountains cover an area roughly 64km wide by 145km long (40 by 90 miles), and are 450 to 900 metres (1,500 to 3,000 ft) higher in elevation than the surrounding plain. The mountains stretch for some 48,000 square kilometers (19,000 square miles). The climate is lush and green compared with most nearby areas — typically hot semi-arid with a rainy season extending from mid-May to mid-October, and annual rainfall between 300 and 800 millimetres (12 and 31 in) — allowing grazing animals and seasonal rain-fed agriculture. At
68-656: A desert climate . There are different kinds of semi-arid climates, depending on variables such as temperature, and they give rise to different biomes . A more precise definition is given by the Köppen climate classification , which treats steppe climates ( BSh and BSk ) as intermediates between desert climates (BW) and humid climates (A, C, D) in ecological characteristics and agricultural potential. Semi-arid climates tend to support short, thorny or scrubby vegetation and are usually dominated by either grasses or shrubs as they usually cannot support forests. To determine if
102-462: A tropical savanna climate or a humid subtropical climate . These climates tend to have hot, or sometimes extremely hot, summers and warm to cool winters, with some to minimal precipitation. Hot semi-arid climates are most commonly found around the fringes of subtropical deserts. Hot semi-arid climates are most commonly found in Africa , Australia , and South Asia . In Australia, a large portion of
136-448: A lasting split similar to that of Libya during its civil wars. Port Sudan has been described as becoming a " de facto " capital of Sudan. The city has an oil refinery and handles 90% of the country's international trade. Major exports include oilseed , senna , and hides and skins. Imports include construction materials, heavy machinery, and vehicles. The city has a modern container port to handle imports and exports. The port
170-434: A location has a semi-arid climate, the precipitation threshold must first be determined. The method used to find the precipitation threshold (in millimeters): If the area's annual precipitation in millimeters is less than the threshold but more than half or 50% the threshold, it is classified as a BS (steppe, semi-desert, or semi-arid climate). Furthermore, to delineate hot semi-arid climates from cold semi-arid climates,
204-409: A mean annual temperature of 18 °C (64.4 °F) is used as an isotherm. A location with a BS -type climate is classified as hot semi-arid ( BSh ) if its mean temperature is above this isotherm, and cold semi-arid ( BSk ) if not. Hot semi-arid climates (type "BSh") tend to be located from the high teens to mid-30s latitudes of the tropics and subtropics , typically in proximity to regions with
238-612: A result of the genocidal activities of Sudan in Darfur . Human Rights Watch says that cluster bombs are used in the region. The ongoing war continues as the international community continues to debate a resolution to the issue of the Nuba Mountains. Hot semi-arid climate A semi-arid climate , semi-desert climate , or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration , but not as low as
272-432: Is 76 millimetres (3.0 in), and no rainfall occurred between January 1983 and June 1984. The mean temperature year round (the average of all daily highs and nighttime lows) is 28.4 °C (83.1 °F). The population consists mainly of Sudanese Arabs, including the native Beja people, with small Asian and European minorities. Hay Al-Arab SC founded in 1928, and Hilal Alsahil SC founded in 1937, both play at
306-469: Is a port city on the Red Sea in eastern Sudan , and the capital of Red Sea State . Port Sudan is Sudan's main seaport and the source of 90% of the country's international trade. The population of Port Sudan was estimated in the 2008 Census of Sudan to be 394,561 people. Port Sudan has historically been a center for commercial activity, particularly in the shipping industry. During the 2023 Sudan war ,
340-545: Is also an international ferry from Jeddah . In 2023 a new seaport was proposed about 200km north of Port Sudan at Abu Amama . A 450km road to the farming hub at Abu Hamad would also be provided. This new seaport is opposite Jeddah which shortens the ferry trip from Jeddah . The city is home to the Red Sea University , established in 1994. Places of worship are predominantly Muslim mosques, but there are also Christian churches and temples including
374-679: Is part of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road that runs from the Chinese coast via the Suez Canal to the Mediterranean, there to the Upper Adriatic region of Trieste with its rail connections to Central and Eastern Europe . The main airport is Port Sudan New International Airport . There is now a tarred road linking Port Sudan to Khartoum via Atbara. Port Sudan also has a 1067mm gauge rail link with Khartoum . There
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#1732766089062408-755: The ABC Islands , the rain shadows of Hispaniola 's mountain ranges in the Dominican Republic and Haiti , parts of the Southwestern United States including California's Central Valley , and sections of South America such as the sertão , the Gran Chaco , and the poleward side of the arid deserts, where they typically feature a Mediterranean precipitation pattern, with generally rainless summers and wetter winters. They are also found in few areas of Europe surrounding
442-599: The Mediterranean Basin . In Europe, BSh climates are predominantly found in southeastern Spain . It can also be found primarily in parts of south Greece but also in marginal areas of Thessaloniki and Chalkidiki in north Greece , most of Formentera , marginal areas of Ibiza and marginal areas of Italy in Sicily , Sardinia and Lampedusa . Cold semi-arid climates (type "BSk") tend to be located in elevated portions of temperate zones generally from
476-603: The Messiria . Additionally, the Sudanese government maintained a heavy military presence in the region and even prospective "popular consultations" were seen likely to be barred. The ambiguous situation and fears of future communal violence invoked concerns that South Kordofan could be the "next Darfur ". As of June 2011, South Kordofan's governor Ahmed Haroun had suspended the process of popular consultations and conflict between Sudan People's Armed Forces and Nuba fighters of
510-523: The Outback surrounding the central desert regions lies within the hot semi-arid climate region. In South Asia, both India and parts of Pakistan experience the seasonal effects of monsoons and feature short but well-defined wet seasons , but are not sufficiently wet overall to qualify as either a tropical savanna or a humid subtropical climate. Hot semi-arid climates can be also found in parts of North America , such as most of northern Mexico ,
544-566: The Red Sea Hills and from salt-evaporating pans. Temperatures can easily exceed 30 °C (86 °F) in winter and 45 °C (113 °F) in summer. Over 90% of the annual rainfall falls between October and January, mostly in November, with the wettest month on record being November 1947 with 182 millimetres (7.2 in), whilst the wettest year was from July 1923 to June 1924 with 231 millimetres (9.1 in). Average annual rainfall
578-532: The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Khartoum ( Catholic Church ), Sudan Interior Church ( Baptist World Alliance ), and Presbyterian Church in Sudan ( World Communion of Reformed Churches ) and Coptic Orthodox Churches . Port Sudan has a hot desert climate ( Köppen : BWh) with extremely hot summers and moderately hot winters, requiring the acquisition of fresh water from Wadi Arba'at in
612-640: The SPLM-N followed (see Sudan–SPLM-N conflict (2011) ). The war in Sudan began in 1983 until the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) signed on 9 January 2005 with independence vote set for 9 July 2011-the vote on 9 July 2011 succeeded the south into Africa's newest country, the Republic of South Sudan . The capital is located in Juba . The Nuba Mountains are geographically in the north in
646-540: The Nuba Mountains supporting relief and security operations. The international community, including a number of celebrities such as actor George Clooney and reporter Nicholas Kristof , have recently travelled to the Nuba Mountains and documented the continued genocidal activities of the Bashir government. President Bashir is an indicted war criminal at the International Criminal Court (ICC) as
680-614: The Nuba Mountains. Samuel Totten described the campaign of the Sudanese government in the Nuba Mountains as a "genocide by attrition" using starvation as a tool of extermination. In 2002, due to the extreme starvation of the people of the Nuba Mountains and under the international pressure from the UN, Khartoum under President Bashir (at that time, the government was termed the National Islamic Front) authorizes an interim cease fire to provide food and medical equipment/support to
714-517: The area called South Kordofan (see Misplaced Pages for in-depth review). The people of the Nuba Mountains (a five mountain chain rising from the desert to 1,000 metres (3,000 feet)) were not aligned with the north under sharia law nor the Arabic language . This cultural dispute was in part the reason for people in Nuba being prosecuted by indiscriminate bombing, attacks on civilians and mines at entry points to
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#1732766089062748-545: The area of the Nuba Mountains as a sea lies a vast area of Cenozoic -aged sedimentary rock known as the "Umm Rawaba sediments". In the Nuba Mountains there are phosphate deposits hosting much uranium , vanadium and phosphorus which may be of economic interest. The largest mountains or hills are found in the central area of the Nuba Mountains, and these are inselbergs . These inselbergs are mostly made up of igneous rock, as metamorphic rock has been more heavily eroded and thus occupies lower ground. The region stayed under
782-494: The blockade was lifted. During the 2023 Sudan war , Port Sudan has emerged as a leading destination and refuge for internally displaced persons fleeing war in other parts of the country. Internally-displaced refugees in the city reportedly face extreme heat and shortages of food and water. By late October 2023, Reuters reported that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) controlled most of Khartoum , causing
816-560: The control of the central government and the Comprehensive Peace Agreement did not give the Nuba Mountains the right to join South Sudan in its vote for independence in 2011. Residents of the Nuba Mountains were required to hold ill-defined " popular consultations " to determine their future. Not only the Nuba Mountains but the whole of South Kordofan state would be eligible to vote, essentially to accommodate
850-595: The end of the dry season from February to May there is often a shortage of water. There are almost no roads in the Nuba Mountains — most villages there are connected by ancient paths that cannot be reached by motor vehicle. On a grand scale the rocks of the Nuba Mountains form part of the southwestern fringe of the Arabian-Nubian Shield . The Nuba Mountains are made up chiefly of metamorphic rock of Precambrian age plus some scattered areas of igneous rock of Neoproterozoic and Paleozoic age. Surrounding
884-719: The government led by Abdul Fattah el-Burhan to have largely relocated to Port Sudan. General Abdul Fattah al-Burhan, leader of the Sudanese Armed Forces, "has threatened to establish a cabinet at the Red Sea city of Port Sudan, with the intention of creating an alternative or second capital." Hemedti , leader of the RSF, in turn, warned that this would lead to him declaring his own rival government based in Khartoum or another city he controlled. Analysts have raised concerns of
918-525: The mid-30s to low 50s latitudes, typically bordering a humid continental climate or a Mediterranean climate . They are also typically found in continental interiors some distance from large bodies of water. Cold semi-arid climates usually feature warm to hot dry summers, though their summers are typically not quite as hot as those of hot semi-arid climates. Unlike hot semi-arid climates, areas with cold semi-arid climates tend to have cold and possibly freezing winters. These areas usually see some snowfall during
952-449: The military government has largely relocated to Port Sudan as a result of intense fighting in the capital city Khartoum , leading to it being described as a de facto capital of the country. Port Sudan also has emerged as a refuge for internally displaced persons in Sudan. Port Sudan was built between 1905 and 1909 by the administration of Anglo-Egyptian Sudan to replace Suakin —the historic, coral-choked Arab port. An oil pipeline
986-552: The nation for at least 25 years. The plan was ultimately suspended, though Sudanese leadership has indicated that it is possible for the construction to go ahead in the future. In 2016, it was reported that residents of Port Sudan face water scarcity . Following the October–November 2021 Sudanese coup d'état , the Beja tribal council initiated a weeklong blockade of the city's ports. Following negotiations with military officials,
1020-516: The people of the Nuba Mountains. In exchange, the Sudan People's Liberation Army/SPLA agree not attack the south-north pipeline to Port Sudan on the Red Sea coast. An international group of observers/advisers deployed to South Kordofan Province/ Kadugli with several US advisers deployed directly into the Nuba Mountains, specifically to be co-located with the SPLA. One of the advisers/observers
1054-542: The western US, as well as the Middle East and other parts of Asia. However, they can also be found in Northern Africa, South Africa, sections of South America, sections of interior southern Australia (e.g. Kalgoorlie and Mildura ) and southern New Zealand ( Alexandra ) and sections of Europe. Port Sudan Port Sudan ( Arabic : بور سودان , romanized : Būr Sūdān , Beja : Bar'uut )
Nuba Mountains - Misplaced Pages Continue
1088-796: The winter, though snowfall is much lower than at locations at similar latitudes with more humid climates. Areas featuring cold semi-arid climates tend to have higher elevations than areas with hot semi-arid climates, and tend to feature major temperature swings between day and night, sometimes by as much as 20 °C (36 °F) or more. These large diurnal temperature variations are seldom seen in hot semi-arid climates. Cold semi-arid climates at higher latitudes tend to have dry winters and wetter summers, while cold semi-arid climates at lower latitudes tend to have precipitation patterns more akin to Mediterranean climates , with dry summers, relatively wet winters, and even wetter springs and autumns. Cold semi-arid climates are most commonly found in central Asia and
1122-459: Was Randolph Hampton (US) located in Kauda co-located with the SPLA command element. Reports of indiscriminate bombing of civilians and mining entry points primarily for relief operation was reported and documents (with photos) during this time. Abdel Aziz Adam El Hilu was at that time, the governor of the Nuba Mountains and former military leader for the SPLA. He is currently (as of March 2012) back in
1156-533: Was built between the port and Khartoum in 1977. In 2009, Israel allegedly used naval commandos to attack Iranian arms ships at Port Sudan as part of Operation Birds of Prey . In 2020, Russian president Vladimir Putin announced that the Russian Navy would begin construction on a base with capacity for 300 personnel and four warships in Port Sudan. The facility would provide Russia with a naval base in
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