[1] Founded by the Ottoman Empire in 1820, it is at the junction of important roads and camel caravan routes.

[3] Umm Ruwaba lies in southern central Sudan in the semi-arid region of the Sahel.

[5][6] Water is typically extracted from depths of 300 to 400 ft, although some boreholes have been dug as far as 1000 ft.[7] Geologically it lies in the Tertiary-Quaternary Umm Ruwaba Basin, composed mainly of fine-grained lacustrine and fluviatile sediments.

[8][9][10] Lying in this part of the Sahel, Umm Ruwaba is prone to recurring periods of drought, land degradation and famine.

[11] Its principal crops are millet and sorghum for home consumption, and sesame for sale in the local markets, and the city is an important storage area for many farmers in the district.