Khartoum
Khartoum lies devastated by civil war: the April 2023 conflict between SAF and RSF destroyed the capital that housed 6 million and concentrated Sudan's economy.
Khartoum embodies Sudan's concentration of political and economic power at the confluence of the Blue and White Nile. The capital hosts approximately 6 million residents in its metropolitan area, dominating a nation of 45+ million. Government offices, major businesses, universities, and international organizations concentrate here, creating stark disparities with peripheral regions.
The April 2023 war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces devastated Khartoum's infrastructure and displaced millions. Fighting destroyed residential areas, commercial districts, and public facilities. By late 2025, much of the city remains contested or destroyed, with residents scattered across Sudan and neighboring countries. The humanitarian crisis ranks among the world's worst.
Pre-war Khartoum was Sudan's economic engine, handling most international trade and hosting the financial sector. Agricultural exports, historically including cotton and gum arabic, and oil production (before South Sudan's independence) generated national revenue. The war has halted most economic activity, destroyed years of development, and created uncertainty about the capital's future. Reconstruction will require both conflict resolution and massive investment.