Butana plain

Butana Plain is located in the Kassala and Gedaref states in Eastern Sudan. It is a semiarid clay region with mountainous ranges to the south and the west. Its boundaries include the Main Nile, the Blue Nile, and the Atbara River, but there are also several seasonal rivers which intersect, Ba-Salam, Gash, Rahad, and Seitite. Geological characteristics found here are sandy and stony soils, light non-cracking clay, and dark cracking clay; the superficial clays cover over 70% of the plain. Although there are very limited water resources, seasonal surface water wells and a few deep bore wells are present. A tropical continental climate provides rain in the southern section of the plain. Two vegetation zones feature a semi-desert Acacia shrub, short grasslands, and a low woodland savannah.