Wad Madani () or Madani is the capital of the Al Jazirah state in east-central Sudan. Wad Madani lies on the west bank of the Blue Nile, nearly 85 miles (136 km) southeast of Khartoum. It is linked by rail to Khartoum and is the center of a cotton-growing region. The city is also the center of local trade in wheat, peanuts, barley, and livestock. It is also headquarters of the Irrigation Service. In 2008, its population was 345,290. It is the home of the Al Jazirah University, the second biggest public university in Sudan. Further, there is Wad Medani Ahlia University, a private university. History In the early 19th century, a district governor of Wad Madani (Madani) was Daf ʿAllah Muhammad, who was married to the Funj noblewoman Nasra bint ʿAdlan; they built a palace close to Madani, with a village called Suriba. It became a small Turko-Egyptian outpost, which grew rapidly following the 1925 Gezira Scheme of irrigation to stimulate local economic development. Wad Madani is a commercial centre of the Gezira agricultural district and is mostly residential. Wad Madani has lively commercial activities with well-stocked souqs. The river banks of Wad Madani lie East the Blue Nile, which flows into Sudan from Ethiopia. The city's facilities are more modern than most places in Sudan, except in the Khartoum area. Famous people from Wad Madani include the popular Sudanese singers Insaf Madani, Abdel Aziz El Mubarak, Mohammed Al Ameen and Ibrahim Al Kashif. Further, the renowned human rights lawyer and President of the Sudan Human Rights Monitor, Dr. Amin Mekki Medani, and the Chairman of the National Consensus Forces, Farouk Abu Issa. The center of the town is made up of the souq, Al Daraga, Al Gism Al Awal, Wad Azrag and the Sudanese District (formerly known as the British District). Geography Climate Wad Madani has a hot arid climate (Köppen climate classification BWh), despite receiving over of rain per year, owing to the exceedingly high potential evapotranspiration. Education Wad Madani provides for a range of educational institutions on four levels of education. Starting from kindergarten and day-care centres, on to primary or elementary schools, and until secondary schools. For higher education, there are two universities, the University of Gezira and Wad Medani Ahlia University. Cultural life In an article about the rise and decline of cinema in the city of Wad Madani, the popularity of "going to