History
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 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, with an agreement to use the facility as a Russian naval base in Sudan for at least 25 years. The plan was ultimately suspended, though Sudanese leadership indicated in 2022 that it was possible that the construction could again move forward in the future.
In 2016, it was reported that residents of Port Sudan faced water scarcity. …
Climate
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 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 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).
Economy
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.
Transport
The city has a modern container port to handle imports and exports. The port 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 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) gauge rail link with Khartoum. There is also an international ferry from Jeddah.
In 2023 a new seaport was proposed about 200 kilometres or 120 miles north of Port Sudan at Abu Amama. A 450-kilometre or 280-mile road to the farming hub at Abu Hamad would also be provided. This new seaport would be opposite Jeddah and thus shorten the ferry trip.
Demographics
The population consists mainly of the native Beja people, Nubians, Arabs, and West Africans, with small Asian and European minorities.
