Kosti (also Kusti, Arabic: كوستي) is one of the major cities in Sudan that lies south of Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, and stands on the western bank of the White Nile river opposite Rabak, the capital of the White Nile state and is connected to it by a bridge. The city is served by Kosti Railway Station and Rabak Airport. The population of Kosti as of 2012 was estimated at 345,068 people.
Kosti
كوستي | |
|---|---|
 Kosti Residential Area | |
  Kosti Location in Sudan (White Nile state highlighted) | |
| Coordinates: 13°10′N 32°40′E / 13.167°N 32.667°E | |
| Country |  Sudan |
| State | White Nile |
| Elevation | 1,250 ft (380 m) |
| Population (2012) | |
| • Total | 345,068[1] |
History
editKosti was founded shortly after 1899 by the Greek merchant Konstantinos "Kostas" Mourikis, who arrived in Sudan along with his brother following the Anglo-Egyptian victory over the indigenous Mahdist state.[2] He set up a store on the White Nile, where pilgrims from West Africa to Mecca and Southern trade routes crossed. The settlement soon grew to a town and was named after "Kostas", illustrating the important role played by the Greeks in Sudan, especially in the field of trade.[3]
Economy
editThe large Kenana sugar refinery is located in Rabak east of the city.
Kosti is home to the El Imam El Mahdi University, established in 1994 as a public university funded by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. It is named in honor of Muhammad Ahmad, the leader of the Mahdia revolution in Sudan (1885-1898).[4]
Climate
editKosti, like most of Sudan, has a very dry climate. The climate stays hot throughout the year, even into November temperatures still break 100 degrees.[5][6]
| Climate data for Kosti (1991–2020, extremes 1961–2020) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 42 (108) |
44 (111) |
45.8 (114.4) |
46.5 (115.7) |
46.8 (116.2) |
46 (115) |
43.5 (110.3) |
40 (104) |
42 (108) |
42.6 (108.7) |
42 (108) |
41.5 (106.7) |
46.8 (116.2) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 32.8 (91.0) |
35.3 (95.5) |
38.7 (101.7) |
41.6 (106.9) |
41.2 (106.2) |
39.0 (102.2) |
34.9 (94.8) |
33.2 (91.8) |
35.3 (95.5) |
38.0 (100.4) |
36.6 (97.9) |
33.7 (92.7) |
36.7 (98.1) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 24.9 (76.8) |
27.0 (80.6) |
30.1 (86.2) |
33.0 (91.4) |
33.8 (92.8) |
32.5 (90.5) |
29.6 (85.3) |
28.3 (82.9) |
29.6 (85.3) |
31.2 (88.2) |
29.2 (84.6) |
26.1 (79.0) |
29.6 (85.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 17.1 (62.8) |
18.7 (65.7) |
21.4 (70.5) |
24.5 (76.1) |
26.5 (79.7) |
25.9 (78.6) |
24.3 (75.7) |
23.4 (74.1) |
23.9 (75.0) |
24.5 (76.1) |
21.8 (71.2) |
18.5 (65.3) |
22.5 (72.5) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 8.4 (47.1) |
8 (46) |
11.2 (52.2) |
14 (57) |
17.3 (63.1) |
18.5 (65.3) |
16.2 (61.2) |
18.5 (65.3) |
3.4 (38.1) |
14.5 (58.1) |
13.1 (55.6) |
7.5 (45.5) |
3.4 (38.1) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 0.1 (0.00) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.5 (0.02) |
18.3 (0.72) |
31.4 (1.24) |
118.6 (4.67) |
135.4 (5.33) |
56.6 (2.23) |
7.4 (0.29) |
0.1 (0.00) |
0.0 (0.0) |
368.4 (14.50) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 1.8 | 3.3 | 8.5 | 10.1 | 4.1 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 29.3 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 37 | 30 | 25 | 24 | 35 | 47 | 63 | 72 | 65 | 51 | 37 | 39 | 44 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 297.6 | 271.6 | 285.2 | 279.0 | 260.4 | 231.0 | 195.3 | 195.3 | 225.0 | 275.9 | 294.0 | 310.0 | 3,120.3 |
| Source: NOAA[7] | |||||||||||||
Gallery
edit-
Railway Station -
Kenana sugar -
Kosti aerial view in 1936
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ "Kosti, Sudan". Retrieved 7 September 2023.
- ^ Chaldeos, Antonios (2017). "Sudanese toponyms related to Greek entrepreneurial activity". Dotawo: A Journal of Nubian Studies. 4, Art. 1. – via DigitalCommons@Fairfield.
- ^ Kramer, Robert; Lobban, Richard; Fluehr-Lobban, Carolyn (2013). Historical Dictionary of the Sudan (4th ed.). Lanham / Toronto / Plymouth (UK): The Scarecrow Press. pp. 191–192. ISBN 978-0-8108-6180-0.
- ^ "Historical Overview". El Imam El Mahdi University. Archived from the original on 2012-03-31. Retrieved 2011-09-17.
- ^ "Kosti Weather Forecast".
- ^ "Weather in Kosti (Sudan) - 15 days".
- ^ "World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991-2020 — Kosti". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved January 21, 2024.