DONGOLA, a town of the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, which gives its name to a mudiria. It-is situated on the west bank of the Nile, about 45 m. above the third cataract, in 19° 10' N., 3o° 29' E. It is 1,082 m. S. of Cairo by river and 638 m. N. of Khartum by the same route. It is a thriving, well-built town; an im portant agricultural and trading centre. Lignite is found on the east bank of the Nile opposite the town. Founded c. 1812 by Mamelukes who fled to Nubia from the persecutions of Mo hammed Ali, the town is called Dongola Makara (New Dongola) to distinguish it from Dongola Agusa (Old Dongola), which it supplanted. The Mandi Mohammed Ahmed was a native of Dongola. In 1884-1885 the town was the base of the British troops in their advance on Khartum.
Dongola Agusa, 75 m. upstream from New Dongola, now a heap of ruins, was the capital of the Nubian state usually called the Christian kingdom of Dongola. An Arab historian of the 11th century describes it as a large city with many churches, fine houses and wide streets. It is said to have been finally destroyed by the Mamelukes.