OMDURMAN, a town of the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, oppo site Khartum on the west bank of the Nile and immediately north of the junction of the White and Blue Niles. Pop. (1926 census) 78,624 Europeans. The town cov ers a large area, being over 5 m. long and 2 broad. It consists for the most part of mud-huts, but there are some houses built of sun-dried bricks. Save for two or three wide streets which trav erse it from end to end the town is a network of narrow lanes. In the centre facing an open space are the ruins of the tomb of the Mandi and behind is the house in which he lived. The Khalifa's house (a two-storeyed building), the mosque, the Beit el Amana (arsenal) and other houses famed in the history of the town also face the central square, Omdur man is the headquarters of the na tive traders in the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, the chief articles of com merce being ivory, ostrich feathers and gum arabic from Darfur and Kordofan. There is also an important camel and cattle market. The town is connected with
Khartum by a bridge and an electric tramway. The government maintains elementary and technical schools. Mission work is undertaken by various Protestant and Roman Catholic societies. Omdurman, then an insignificant village, was chosen in 1884 by the Mandi Mahommed Ahmed as his capital and so continued after the fall of Khartum in January 1885. Its growth was rapid, the Khalifa (who succeeded the Mandi) compelling large numbers of disaffected tribesmen to live in the town under the eye of his soldiery. Here also were imprisoned the European captive: of the Mandists—notably Slatin Pasha and Father Ohrwalder On Sept. 2, 1898 the Anglo-Egyptian army under Lord Kitchener totally defeated the forces of the Khalifa at Kerreri, 7 m. N. of the town. A marble obelisk marks the spot where the 21st Lancers made a charge. See EGYPT AND SUDAN, CAMPAIGNS IN.