Omdurman (Standard Arabic Umm Durmān أم درمان) is the largest city in Sudan, lying on the western banks of the river Nile, opposite the capital, Khartoum. Omdurman has a population of over 1.2 million (1993) and is the largest city in the country and the national center of commerce. With Khartoum and Khartoum North or Bahri, it forms the cultural and industrial heart of the nation.