Quick facts
El Obeid overview
El Obeid (orange) and the other large cities of Sudan
El Obeid lies in North Kordofan in Sudan at 13.18°N, 30.22°E, about 573 m above sea level. The local time zone is Africa/Khartoum (UTC+2); GeoNames classifies it as a regional capital.
It is smaller than Kassala (401,477) and larger than Al Qadarif (363,945). The largest city in Sudan is Khartoum with 1,974,647 people; the capital, Khartoum, has 1,974,647.
The national capital, Khartoum, is about 363 km away; the nearest large city is Umm Ruwaba, 113 km from El Obeid.
Sudan as a whole has a live population of 53,748,453 (+3% a year) and ranks #29 of 238 countries — see the Sudan population page for the full statistics and the Sudan atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near El Obeid
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Umm Ruwaba North Kordofan | 113 km | 56,833 |
| Dilling Southern Kordofan | 140 km | 59,089 |
Largest cities in Sudan
| # | City | Region | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | KhartoumCapital | Khartoum | 1,974,647 |
| 2 | Nyala | Southern Darfur | 565,734 |
| 3 | Port Sudan | Red Sea | 489,725 |
| 4 | Kassala | Kassala | 401,477 |
| 5 | El Obeid | North Kordofan | 393,311 |
| 6 | Al Qadarif | Al Qaḑārif | 363,945 |
| 7 | Kosti | White Nile | 345,068 |
| 8 | Wad Medani | Al Jazirah | 332,714 |
| 9 | El Daein | Eastern Darfur | 264,734 |
| 10 | El Fasher | Northern Darfur | 252,609 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of El Obeid?
El Obeid has about 393,311 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is El Obeid the capital of Sudan?
No. The capital of Sudan is Khartoum (1,974,647 people), about 363 km away. El Obeid is the 5th largest city of the country and a regional capital.
How big is El Obeid compared with the rest of Sudan?
Its 393,311 residents are 0.7% of the 53,748,453 people living in Sudan today. Khartoum is larger with 1,974,647 people.
Where is El Obeid?
In North Kordofan, Sudan, at latitude 13.18 and longitude 30.22, 573 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Umm Ruwaba (113 km), Dilling (140 km).
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Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). El Obeid Population 2026 — Sudan. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/sudan/el-obeid/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/sudan/el-obeid/">El Obeid Population 2026 — Sudan</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-20. More about our data.