View source for Kassala

{{Short description|Town in Kassala State, Sudan}}
{{Infobox settlement
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<!-- Basic info  ---------------->| official_name      = Kassala
| native_name        = {{lang|ar|كسلا}}
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<!-- Location ------------------>| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = [[Image:Flag of Sudan.svg|25px]] [[Sudan]]
| subdivision_type1  = [[States of Sudan|State]]
| subdivision_name1  = [[Kassala State]]
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| population_total   = 957,000<ref name="GeoHive">{{cite web |url=http://www.geohive.com/cntry/sudan.aspx?sub=y&diacrit=1 |access-date=2007-02-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061021022644/http://www.geohive.com/cntry/sudan.aspx?sub=y&diacrit=1 |archive-date=2006-10-21 |title=GeoHive |url-status=dead }}</ref>
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| coordinates        = {{coord|15|27|N|36|24|E|region:SD|display=inline}}
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'''Kassala''' ({{langx|ar|كسلا}}) is the capital of the state of [[Kassala (state)|Kassala]] in eastern [[Sudan]].  In 2002 its population was recorded to be 957,000.<ref name="GeoHive">{{cite web |url=http://www.geohive.com/cntry/sudan.aspx?sub=y&diacrit=1 |access-date=2007-02-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061021022644/http://www.geohive.com/cntry/sudan.aspx?sub=y&diacrit=1 |archive-date=2006-10-21 |title=GeoHive |url-status=dead }}</ref> Built on the banks of the [[Mareb River|Gash River]], it is a market city and is famous for its fruit gardens. Many of its inhabitants are from the [[Hadendoa|Hadendawa]] sub-tribe of the [[Beja people|Beja]] ethnic group.
The city was formerly a railroad hub, however, as of 2006 there was no operational railway station in Kassala and much of the track leading to and from the city has been salvaged or fallen into disrepair. Kassala's location along the main [[Khartoum]]-[[Port Sudan]] highway makes it an important trade center.
== History ==
=== Neolithic ===
The ancient settlement of [[Gash Group#Mahal Teglinos|Mahal Teglinos]] flourished here during the Early [[Gash Group]] phase (ca. 2800–2500 BC). Egyptian jars dating from this period have been found here.<ref>Manzo, A. (2017). Eastern Sudan in its setting: The archaeology of a region far from the Nile Valley. Oxford: Cambridge Monographs in African Archaeology, p. 35</ref> At that time, the inhabitants at Mahal Teglinos were already trading with [[Egypt]], [[Nubia]], and the southern [[Arabian Peninsula]].<ref name="Winchell Brass Manzo Beldados pp. 483–505">{{cite journal | last1=Winchell | first1=Frank | last2=Brass | first2=Michael | last3=Manzo | first3=Andrea | last4=Beldados | first4=Alemseged | last5=Perna | first5=Valentina | last6=Murphy | first6=Charlene | last7=Stevens | first7=Chris | last8=Fuller | first8=Dorian Q. | title=On the Origins and Dissemination of Domesticated Sorghum and Pearl Millet across Africa and into India: a View from the Butana Group of the Far Eastern Sahel | journal=African Archaeological Review | publisher=Springer Science and Business Media LLC | volume=35 | issue=4 | date=2018-11-10 | issn=0263-0338 | doi=10.1007/s10437-018-9314-2 | pages=483–505| pmid=30880862 | pmc=6394749 }}</ref>
Mahal Teglinos settlement continued after that, and also flourished during the late Gash Group phase (ca. 1900–1700 BC).<ref name="Winchell Brass Manzo Beldados pp. 483–505"/>
=== Modern ===
In the 18th and 19th centuries, the city was a key node in the west–east trade route, linking the coastal ports of [[Massawa]] and [[Suakin]] with the Sudan and farther west.<ref>Miran, Jonathan. "Red Sea Citizens." Indiana University Press, 2009. Page, 87</ref> The city was conquered by [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] soldiers of [[Egypt]]ian [[viceroy]] [[Muhammad Ali of Egypt|Muhammad Ali]] in 1840 during his military offensive into Sudan. In 1885, Kassala was subsequently captured by the [[Mahdist War|Mahdist]]s. In 1894, after the [[Battle of Kassala]] the [[Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946)|Italians]] captured the city from the Mahdists. In 1897, the Kingdom of Italy returned Kassala to the [[Kingdom of Egypt]] in order to get international recognition of the Italian colony of [[Italian Eritrea|Eritrea]]. In 1899, Kassala fell under the purview of [[Anglo-Egyptian Sudan]] until Sudanese independence in 1956.
[[File:ETH-BIB-Volksstamm der Fasi-Wadi vor Fokker in Kassala-Abessinienflug 1934-LBS MH02-22-0158.tif|thumb|left|Kassala locals photographed during [[Walter Mittelholzer]]'s visit in February 1934. His [[Swissair]] [[Fokker F.VII]]b-3 m (CH-192) is in the background.]]
In July 1940, during the [[East African Campaign (World War II)|East African Campaign]], Italian forces advancing from [[Italian East Africa]] forced the local British garrison to withdraw from Kassala.  The Italians then occupied the city with brigade-sized units:<ref>[http://www.centrorsi.it/notizie/images/stories/casssa/cassa%20nastro%20azzurro117.jpg Map showing in detail the Kassala occupation by Italians (within a green line)]</ref> on July 4, 1940 the Italians started their offensive with 2,500 men (and one brigade of cavalry) supported by 24 tanks, while to defend Kassala for Britain there were 1,300 colonial soldiers with their British officers who -after some initial heavy fighting- were easily defeated. The Italians later appointed as mayor of Kassala the future hero of Eritrean independence, [[Hamid Idris Awate]]. In mid-January 1941, the Italians withdrew from the city and a British garrison returned.
==Climate==
[[File:نهاية الخريف في كسلا - السودان.jpg|alt=Tree in Kassala|thumb|End of Rainy Seasons in Kassala]]
Kassala has a [[hot desert climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification]] ''BWh'') characterized by high temperatures, low precipitation, and abundant sunshine. April through June marks the hottest period of the year, followed by the [[wet season]] from July through September, marked by higher humidity levels and intermittent rainfall. The rest of the year is very dry, with nearly no precipitation from November to March.<ref name="WMONormals"/>
{{Weather box
| width       = auto
| collapsed   = yes
| metric first = yes
| single line = yes
| location    = Kassala (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1901–present)
| Jan record high C = 41.7
| Feb record high C = 44.5
| Mar record high C = 45.5
| Apr record high C = 46.5
| May record high C = 47
| Jun record high C = 47.6
| Jul record high C = 43
| Aug record high C = 41.6
| Sep record high C = 43
| Oct record high C = 47
| Nov record high C = 42.7
| Dec record high C = 40.5
| year record high C =
| Jan high C = 33.9
| Feb high C = 36.0
| Mar high C = 38.6
| Apr high C = 41.0
| May high C = 41.7
| Jun high C = 40.0
| Jul high C = 36.6
| Aug high C = 34.6
| Sep high C = 36.9
| Oct high C = 38.9
| Nov high C = 37.5
| Dec high C = 35.1
| year high C = 37.6
| Jan mean C = 25.7
| Feb mean C = 27.4
| Mar mean C = 29.9
| Apr mean C = 32.8
| May mean C = 34.2
| Jun mean C = 33.2
| Jul mean C = 30.4
| Aug mean C = 28.9
| Sep mean C = 30.6
| Oct mean C = 31.9
| Nov mean C = 30.0
| Dec mean C = 27.1
| year mean C = 30.2
| Jan low C = 17.4
| Feb low C = 18.8
| Mar low C = 21.1
| Apr low C = 24.5
| May low C = 26.7
| Jun low C = 26.3
| Jul low C = 24.2
| Aug low C = 23.3
| Sep low C = 24.3
| Oct low C = 24.9
| Nov low C = 22.4
| Dec low C = 19.1
| year low C = 22.7
| Jan record low C = 5.0
| Feb record low C = 5
| Mar record low C = 8.9
| Apr record low C = 11.1
| May record low C = 16.2
| Jun record low C = 18.5
| Jul record low C = 17
| Aug record low C = 17.2
| Sep record low C = 17.5
| Oct record low C = 15.7
| Nov record low C = 11.1
| Dec record low C = 6.4
| year record low C = 5
| precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation mm = 0.0
| Feb precipitation mm = 0.0
| Mar precipitation mm = 0.1
| Apr precipitation mm = 2.1
| May precipitation mm = 12.9
| Jun precipitation mm = 19.2
| Jul precipitation mm = 68.6
| Aug precipitation mm = 88.0
| Sep precipitation mm = 42.4
| Oct precipitation mm = 5.4
| Nov precipitation mm = 0.2
| Dec precipitation mm = 0.0
| year precipitation mm = 238.9
| unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm
| Jan precipitation days = 0.0
| Feb precipitation days = 0.0
| Mar precipitation days = 0.0
| Apr precipitation days = 0.6
| May precipitation days = 2.0
| Jun precipitation days = 1.9
| Jul precipitation days = 5.4
| Aug precipitation days = 7.0
| Sep precipitation days = 3.3
| Oct precipitation days = 1.0
| Nov precipitation days = 0.1
| Dec precipitation days = 0.0
| year precipitation days = 21.4
| Jan humidity = 42
| Feb humidity = 38
| Mar humidity = 29
| Apr humidity = 26
| May humidity = 29
| Jun humidity = 37
| Jul humidity = 53
| Aug humidity = 61
| Sep humidity = 52
| Oct humidity = 40
| Nov humidity = 38
| Dec humidity = 43
| year humidity = 41
| Jan sun = 310.0
| Feb sun = 285.6
| Mar sun = 306.9
| Apr sun = 297.0
| May sun = 297.6
| Jun sun = 276.0
| Jul sun = 241.8
| Aug sun = 238.7
| Sep sun = 276.0
| Oct sun = 303.8
| Nov sun = 303.0
| Dec sun = 313.1
| year sun = 3449.5
| source 1 = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|NOAA]]<ref name="WMONormals">{{cite web
|url = https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/2.2/data/0-data/Region-1-WMO-Normals-9120/Sudan/CSV/Kassala_62730.csv
|title = World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991-2020 — Kassala
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|access-date = January 21, 2024}}</ref><ref name= NOAA>{{cite web
| url = ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/RA-I/SU/62730.TXT
| title = Kassala Climate Normals 1961-1990
| publisher = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]
| access-date = January 18, 2016}}</ref>
|source 2 =  Meteo Climat (record highs and lows)<ref name = meteoclimat>
{{cite web
| url = http://meteo-climat-bzh.dyndns.org/index.php?page=stati&id=1839
| title = Station Kassala
| publisher = Meteo Climat
|language = fr
| access-date = 22 October 2016}}</ref>
}}
== Current status ==
[[File:Khatmiyya Hasan tomb.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Khatmiyya Mosque|Khatmiyya Mosque and Khatmiyya Hasan tomb]]]]
[[File:Kassala,Mukram suburb.jpg|thumb|right|Mukram suburb]]
The Kassala region had a child mortality rate of 62 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2014, slightly higher than the national average of 52 child deaths per 1,000.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://mics.unicef.org/files?job=W1siZiIsIjIwMTYvMDUvMTgvMjEvNTkvNTEvODg3L1N1ZGFuXzIwMTRfTUlDU19FbmdsaXNoLnBkZiJdXQ&sha=32907fc39e6e2e6e|title=MICS survey – Table CM.2}}</ref>
The [[Khatmiyya Mosque]], built in 1840 by the Ottomans and damaged during the [[Mahdist War]], is the city's most important cultural site.  It is an important site for the [[Sufi]] [[Khatmiyya|Khatmiyya order]].
[[File: Kassala city 2029.jpg|thumb|The Eastern side of Kassala]]
== Education ==
The city is home to [[Kassala University]], a public university established in 1990 to replace the East University, and an important institution for development in the east of Sudan.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.sudanvisiondaily.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=17521
|title=Kassala University
|work=Sudan Daily Vision
|access-date=2011-09-17
|archive-date=2011-09-28
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928195143/http://www.sudanvisiondaily.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=17521
|url-status=dead
}}</ref>
Including Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Faculty of Education,Faculty of Economic and Administration, Faculty of Computer science and IT and more.
==Notable people==
* [[Bushara Abdel-Nadief]] (footballer)
* [[Aisha Musa Ahmad]] (singer)
* [[Hassan Al-Turabi]] (politician)
* [[Muhannad El Tahir]] (footballer)
* [[Nizar Hamid]] (footballer)
* [[Noor Uthman Muhammed]]
== See also ==
* [[2007 Sudan floods]]
* [[Railway stations in Sudan]]
* [[Toteil]]
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
== External links ==
{{Wikivoyage|Kassala}}
{{Commons category}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050825165018/http://www.ockenden.org.uk/index.asp?id=802 Kassala program], [[Ockenden International]]
{{Authority control}}
{{Coord|15|27|N| 36|24|E|region:SD_type:city|display=title}}
[[Category:State capitals in Sudan]]
[[Category:Populated places in Kassala State]]