Port Sudan (Arabic: بور سودان, romanized: Būr Sūdān, Beja: Bar'uut) is a city and port on the Red Sea in eastern Sudan, and the capital of Red Sea State. Port Sudan is Sudan's main seaport and the source of 90% of the country's international trade.^[2] The population of Port Sudan was estimated in the 2008 Census of Sudan to be 394,561 people.^[3]

Quick Facts بور سودانBar'uut, Country ...

Port Sudan بور سودان Bar'uut
City
Top: Port Sudan Skyline; Middle: Red Sea University, Port Sudan Harbour; Bottom: Port Sudan Post Office, Port Sudan Old Market
Port Sudan Location in Sudan
Coordinates: 19°37′N 37°13′E
Country	Sudan
State	Red Sea
Population  (2024)
• Metro	531,000[1]

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Port Sudan has historically been a center for commercial activity, particularly in the shipping industry.^[4] During the 2023 Sudan war, the military government has largely relocated to Port Sudan as a result of intense fighting in the capital city Khartoum, leading to it being described as a de facto capital of the country. Port Sudan also has emerged as a refuge for internally displaced persons in Sudan.

The city has an oil refinery and handles 90% of the country's international trade.^[5][2] Major exports include oilseed, senna, and hides and skins. Imports include construction materials, heavy machinery, and vehicles.

The city has a modern container port to handle imports and exports.^[5] The port is part of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road that runs from the Chinese coast via the Suez Canal to the Mediterranean, there to the Upper Adriatic region of Trieste with its rail connections to Central and Eastern Europe.^{[17][18][19][20]}

The main airport is Port Sudan New International Airport. There is now a tarred road linking Port Sudan to Khartoum via Atbara. Port Sudan also has a 1067mm gauge rail link with Khartoum. There is also an international ferry from Jeddah.^{[citation needed]}

In 2023 a new seaport was proposed about 200km north of Port Sudan at Abu Amama.^[21] A 450km road to the farming hub at Abu Hamad would also be provided. This new seaport is opposite Jeddah which shortens the ferry trip from Jeddah.

The city is home to the Red Sea University, established in 1994.^[22]

Places of worship are predominantly Muslim mosques,^[23] but there are also Christian churches and temples including the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Khartoum (Catholic Church), Sudan Interior Church (Baptist World Alliance), and Presbyterian Church in Sudan (World Communion of Reformed Churches) and Coptic Orthodox Churches.^{[citation needed]}

Port Sudan has a hot desert climate (Köppen: BWh) with extremely hot summers and moderately hot winters, requiring the acquisition of fresh water from Wadi Arba'at in the Red Sea Hills and from salt-evaporating pans. Temperatures can easily exceed 30 °C (86 °F) in winter and 45 °C (113 °F) in summer. Over 90% of the annual rainfall falls between October and January, mostly in November, with the wettest month on record being November 1947 with 182 millimetres (7.2 in), whilst the wettest year was from July 1923 to June 1924 with 231 millimetres (9.1 in). Average annual rainfall is 76 millimetres (3.0 in), and no rainfall occurred between January 1983 and June 1984.^[24] The mean temperature year round (the average of all daily highs and nighttime lows) is 28.4 °C (83.1 °F).

The population consists mainly of Sudanese Arabs, including the native Beja people, with small Asian and European minorities.^[5]

Hay Al-Arab SC founded in 1928, and Hilal Alsahil SC founded in 1937, both play at the Port Sudan Stadium in the football Sudan Premier League. The city's third team is Al-Merreikh Al-Thagher.

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• Ra'ouf Mus'ad (Playwright)