Kosti (also Kusti) is one of the major city (population as of 1993 was 173,599) in Sudan that lies south of Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, and stands on the western bank of the White Nile river opposite Rabak(the capital of the White Nile state)where there is a bridge. The city is served by Kosti Railway Station and Rabak Airport. The large Kenana sugar refinery is located in Rabak east of the city. Kosti is home to the El Imam El Mahdi University, established in 1994 as a public university funded by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. It is named in honor of Muhammad Ahmad, the leader of the Mahdia revolution in Sudan (1885-1898). Kosti, like most of Sudan, has a very dry climate. The climate stays hot throughout the year, even into November temperatures still break 100 degrees.