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Bara City Home Page

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Introduction : 

The Province of Bara is one of the North Kordufan Region's four Provinces, extending from the east to the west with it's capital in Bara. 

Location : 

Bara province is located between latitudes 18-13 N and longitudes 58-45 and 48-31 E and is bordered by Um Ruwaba province, white Nile and Khartoum regions on the east, Al-Nuhud province on the west, Sodari province on the north and Shikan province on the south.. 

Area And Population : 

The area of Bara province is 54580 Sq. Km. Population : 265,000 . 
Bara area is located amid an area historically known as a meeting point between western and Northern Sudan as camel caravans heading towards Egypt and Al-Hijaz ( western Sudia Arabia ) . that location had had it's impact on the immigration of population , as Bara became the residence of many tribes since ages . 

Consequently the civilization of northern Sudan was transferred to the area , particularly the introduction of the irrigated cultivation in northern kordufan oases ( Al-Bashiri and Al-khairan ) with all practices and products . 

Verbal Accounts : 

Oral heritage indicates that Bara town was founded early in the 8th Hejiri Century ( Hijera is the year of the Muslims era beginning with the prophet Mohammed - peace be upon him - immigration ) before the Funj Sultanate . the name of the town was first mentioned in records in accounts about a war fought between Sultan Hashim Al-Mussabawi against the Sultans of Fur Tribe and wars between Sultan Hashim and Sultan Tairab . 

Chief amongst historical incidents that occurred in Bara Town were the death and burial of Sultan Tairab in 1768 and the birth of Sultan Mohammed Al-Fadul . 

the arrival of Sherif Al-Makki Mohammed Osman Al-Merghani in 1718 who married Sayda Ruqayyah Bint Jallab wad wadidi ( Arqayyah ) who gave birth to Sayed Mohammed Al-Hassan Al-Merghani who was buried in Kassala , eastern Sudan . the Merghani's are the founder of the famous Khatmiyyah sect which spread widely in the north and eastern Sudan . 

Administrative Development : 

This part of the greater Kordufan province was known as north Kordufan center which used to extend from north of Al-Obeid , the capital of Kordufan region , to the borders of the northern region and the white Nile and Khartoum to the East and the province of Dar Fur to the west , it includes the Dar Hamid and Kababish nazarates . 

When local governments were established in 1947, rural council of Dar Hamid was seated in Bara town and afterwards the rural council of Kababish was established in Sodari, located to the north west of Bara. The area was named the northern area. 

This administrative situation remained unchanged until the local governments law was enacted in 1981 when the Kababish area was separated and Bara area was consequently named the central area . 

The area constituted eight administrative units which were rural council which had been merged into two administrative units : 

1- Bara council ( comprising the councils of Bara town , Bara rural council. Jereijikh rural council, Umm Qarfa rural council and Umm Sayyala rural council). 

2 - Umm Kereidim rural council : ( comprising. the council of Umm Kereidim , rural Tayba council and Al-Mazroub rural council). 

The central area was later named Bara province to include eight local councils : 

Bara town local council, Bara rural area counil , Tayba rural council , Umm Kereidim rural council, Al-Mazroub rural council , Jereijikh rural council, Umm Qarfa rural council and Umm Sayyala rural council ). 

Demographic Structure: 

The province of Bara is generally inhabited by a rural population (95%) . they belong to varying branches of Dar Hamed tribes and Majaneen, Jawamaa, Baza?a , Bani Jarrar, Jawabra, Rikabiyya, Jamou?iya and Ja?aliyeen tribes. 

All these ethnic groups along with tribes of northern and central Sudan are represented in the province?s capital, the town of Bara, in a homogenous urban environment . 

The Environment : 

The province is situated in the poor Savannah area where rainfall average is around 300mm per year without even distribution but in some seasons it goes down to 150mm. Some valleys traverse the north eastern area which flow in times of heavy rainfall. 

Soil : 

The provinces soil is mostly sandy in the form of permanent and shifting sand dunes . however some muddy areas , called khors, exist at khors and the banks of valleys. 

The area is mostly covered by Savannah trees of acacia species which is an important source for grazing, in addition to shrubs and grass , which density is governed by the level of annual rainfall and protection against fire. 

Since the advent of the century, the area suffered repeated waves of drought . literature about the deterioration of resources and the beginning of what is now termed as desertification , appeared since 1926. The situation exacerbated as the climate changed towards drought due to a drop in rainfall levels, the abuse of agricultural resources , overgrazing , deforestation and removal of the greenery. The area suffered severe drought and desertification especially in 1974,1984 and the early years of the 1990s. the natural environment deteriorated, production collapsed and consequently the socio-economic situation exacerbated leading to the emigration of the population from most parts of the province to Khartoum , the northern region, central kordufan and abroad. The province began to seek relief aid from other areas in the country and abroad , for an area noted for its high productivity of grains, milk and dairy products, and wild life. 

Resources And Economic Activities In The Province :

Despite deterioration of the natural environment and the scarcity of rain in the province , the province is still boast of important natural resources including underground water basins in the central and northern parts of the province. The climate is also appropriate for the breeding of livestock especially sheep, goats and camels as well as irrigated agriculture particularly gardens.

These resources had not been exploited in an optimum way. The population still depend on seasonal rain-fed agriculture, animal husbandry, tiny and depleting plantation of vegetables in oases based on this agricultural activities, local trade was limited due to the decreasing production and the poor transportation which created difficulties in carrying production and marketing .

The province lost its active markets of gum Arabic at Mazroub and livestock in the eastern area following the deterioration of the natural resources. In stead small markets emerged in sub-districts affecting the major market in bara . in addition the whole province departed from the production of rain-fed agricultural products which had been vital to trade.

The economic situation deteriorated further after the Khartoum-El obeid highway was constructed which led to deserting of bara-Omdurman rough road which pass through jabra, umm garfa and jereijikh.

The province is rich in raw materials necessary for the manufacture of glass, as well as for the production of salt and lime in addition to potential availability of other minerals which are yet to be proved.

Services :

Education : 

The province of bara enjoyed education since the rule of the funj sultanate . famous khalwas ( irregular schools for teaching qur?an, Islamic studies, principles of writing and reading and mathematics ) like wad doulib?s in khorsi, masseed of faki musa abu janazeer , massid of mohammad kunya and masseed of faki awad in bara. In addition to khalwas of haj al-layyin ,the khalwa of wad kaddam in mazroub , khalwas of umm saadoun al-sharif , abu nuwwar, al-shuwak, al riyadh and al-hashaba.

As for regular education it began with the opening of bara elementary school in 1912 and bara girls school in 1939. Bara eastern elementary school , formerly masseed of Mohammed Saleh, was opened in 1945. Sub-grade schools (which provides education up to grade three) spread in northern kordufan after the year 1945. Because the province did not had its satisfying share of schools, considerable effort was made by citizens to open private elementary schools followed by intermediate schools during the rule of president Ibrahim Abboud ( 1958-1964). Until recently there was only one boys? secondary school in the province. Girls education has been so weak as the only relatively complete school is Taha al-Sayed Al-Roubi school in bara. Later umm garfa girls? school was established. As education is the main tool of development and progress on all levels, great efforts should be exerted by the province?s citizens to spread education and to eradicate illiteracy.

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Copyright © 1997 [Ehab Mohamed Nour Abdalla]. All rights reserved.
Last revised: 23/9/1997.