Area Code 187 – Omdurman

Geographic Overview

The area code 187 is designated for Omdurman, the largest city in Sudan by population and the national capital of the country's cultural and historical heritage. Omdurman is located on the western bank of the Nile River, opposite the capital Khartoum, and forms part of the greater Khartoum metropolitan area, which also includes Khartoum North (Bahri). Administratively, Omdurman falls under the jurisdiction of Khartoum State. The code serves the city's fixed-line telephone subscribers, including residential, commercial, and government lines.

Dialing Formats

When calling an Omdurman landline from within Sudan, the national trunk prefix 0 is used, followed by the area code and the subscriber's local number. The complete national format is 0 187 XXX XXX, where the local number typically consists of seven digits. For example, a local Omdurman number might be dialed as 0187 123 456 from any other location within Sudan.

For international callers, the country calling code for Sudan is +249. The international format omits the leading trunk zero, resulting in +249 187 XXX XXX. Thus, a caller from abroad would dial +249 187 123 456 to reach the same Omdurman number.

Calling Instructions

• Local callers within Omdurman: If you are calling from another landline within the same area code, you may dial the local number directly without the area code, depending on the local exchange configuration. However, for clarity and consistency, it is recommended to always use the full national format.
• National callers from other regions: Dial 0 followed by 187 and the subscriber's number (e.g., 0187 123 456).
• International callers: Dial your country's exit code (e.g., 00 from most countries, or 011 from the US/Canada), then 249, then 187, and the seven-digit subscriber number. Do not include the leading '0' of the national trunk prefix.

Overlay and Numbering Considerations

As of the latest ITU-T E.164 national numbering plan for Sudan, there is no overlay code for Omdurman; the 187 code is dedicated exclusively to this geographic area. However, due to the rapid growth of the Khartoum metropolitan area, the telecommunications regulator may introduce additional area codes or overlay plans in the future to meet demand. Subscribers should be aware that number portability is not widely implemented for fixed lines in Sudan, so the area code generally indicates the physical location of the line.

Technical and Regulatory Notes

The Sudanese fixed-line network is operated by Sudatel (Sudan Telecom) and other licensed operators. The numbering plan follows the ITU-T E.164 recommendation, with a maximum total length of 12 digits for international numbers, including the country code. The area code 187 is classified as a geographic code, meaning that the tariff for calls to this number is based on the distance and the operator's pricing policy. For VoIP and mobile users, calls to Omdurman landlines are typically charged at a higher rate than on-net mobile calls.