Port Sudan

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Port Sudan (Arabic: بورتسودان‎) is the capital of the state of Red Sea in Sudan and has nearly 475,000 residents. Located on the Red Sea, it is the Republic of Sudan's main port city.

1 History
2 Tourism
3 Economy
4 Geography
5 Demographics
6 Transportation

[edit] History

It was founded by the British in 1905 as the terminus of a rail line linking the Red Sea to the River Nile. The railroad was used to transport the nation's cotton and sesame seed, as well as sorghum, from the agriculturally rich areas of the Nile valley to export markets.

[edit] Tourism

Port Sudan is known among tourists for its excellent diving and beaches. Tourists also use Port Sudan as a departure point to cross the Red Sea to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.

[edit] Economy

The harbour is in the mouth of a gulf continuing seaward through a coral-free channel 60–85 feet (18–26 m) deep. Imports include machinery, vehicles, fuel oil, and building materials. Cotton, gum arabic, oilseeds, hides and skins, and senna are the chief exports. Port Sudan has an oil refinery to handle the petroleum from onshore wells, as well as an oil pipeline to Khartoum that was completed in 1977.

[edit] Geography

Port Sudan has a near-desert climate, necessitating the acquisition of fresh water from Wadi Arba'at in the Red Sea Hills and from salt-evaporating pans.