Wad Madani is the capital of the Al Jazirah state in east-central Sudan

Sudan

Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...

.

Wad Madani lies on the west bank of the Blue Nile

Blue Nile

The Blue Nile is a river originating at Lake Tana in Ethiopia. With the White Nile, the river is one of the two major tributaries of the Nile...

, nearly 85 miles (136 km) southeast of Khartoum

Khartoum

Khartoum is the capital and largest city of Sudan and of Khartoum State. It is located at the confluence of the White Nile flowing north from Lake Victoria, and the Blue Nile flowing west from Ethiopia. The location where the two Niles meet is known as "al-Mogran"...

.

It is linked by rail

Rail transport

Rail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on...

 to Khartoum and is the center of a cotton

Cotton

Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....

-growing region. The city is also the center of local trade in wheat

Wheat

Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...

, peanuts

Peanuts

Peanuts is a syndicated daily and Sunday American comic strip written and illustrated by Charles M. Schulz, which ran from October 2, 1950, to February 13, 2000, continuing in reruns afterward...

, barley

Barley

Barley is a major cereal grain, a member of the grass family. It serves as a major animal fodder, as a base malt for beer and certain distilled beverages, and as a component of various health foods...

, and livestock

Livestock

Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...

. It is also headquarters of the Irrigation Service. In 2008 , its population was 345,290.
It is the home of the Wad Medani Ahlia College

Wad Medani Ahlia College

The Wad Medani Ahlia College is a private university based in the town of Wad Madani in the state of Al Jazirah, Sudan....

, a private university.

History

In the early 18th century, Wad Madani was a small Turko-Egypt

Egypt

Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...

ian outpost, and grew rapidly following the 1925 Gezira Scheme

Gezira Scheme

The Gezira Scheme is one of the largest irrigation projects in the world. It is centered on the Sudanese state of Al Jazirah, just southeast of the confluence of the Blue and White Nile rivers at the city of Khartoum. The economy of Sudan was historically based on agriculture prior to the...

 of irrigation

Irrigation

Irrigation may be defined as the science of artificial application of water to the land or soil. It is used to assist in the growing of agricultural crops, maintenance of landscapes, and revegetation of disturbed soils in dry areas and during periods of inadequate rainfall...

 to stimulate local economic development. Wad Madani is a commercial centre of the Gezira agricultural district and is mostly residential. Wad Madani has lively commercial activities with good souqs.

The beaches of Wad Madani are situated on the eastern river bank of the Blue Nile

Blue Nile

The Blue Nile is a river originating at Lake Tana in Ethiopia. With the White Nile, the river is one of the two major tributaries of the Nile...

, which flows into Sudan from Ethiopia

Ethiopia

Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...

. The city's facilities are more modernized than most places in the Sudan (except the Khartoum area).

The University of al-Jazirah

University of al-Jazirah

University of Gezira, or U of G, is a public university located in Wad Madani, Sudan.It is a member of the Federation of the Universities of the Islamic World.- History :...

 is also located in the area.

The popular Sudanese singers Abdel Aziz El Mubarak

Abdel Aziz El Mubarak

Abdel Aziz El Mubarak is a popular Sudanese singer. He is known for leading a large band whose music is based on traditional Arab music but also is influenced by reggae and American rhythm and blues...

, Mohammed Al Ameen and Ibrahim Al Kashif

Ibrahim al Kashif

Ustaz Ibrahim al Kashif was the most popular Sudanese pop singer between the end of World War II and 1956, when independence was granted. His style developed out of Haqibah Music and he is known as the father of modern singing in Sudan.-References:...

were born in Wad Madani. The center of the town's areas are the souq, Al Daraga, Al Gism Al Awal, Wad Azrag and the Sudanese District (formerly known as the British District).