Sudan contains the ancient royal pyramids of Meroe.
Meroe was a major city and royal cemetery of the Kingdom of Kush in present-day Sudan. The Meroe pyramid fields lie near the Nile, northeast of Khartoum, and contain more than 200 pyramids built mainly between the 3rd century BC and the 4th century AD. They served as burial monuments for Kushite kings, queens, and nobles.
The pyramids are narrower and steeper than the largest pyramids at Giza, reflecting distinct Nubian architectural traditions. Meroe was also an important centre of iron production, trade, and political power. The Kingdom of Kush ruled parts of the Nile Valley and controlled Egypt for a period during the 25th Dynasty.
Meroe is often mistaken for an Egyptian site because Kushite rulers once governed Egypt and the pyramids share a broad Nile Valley tradition. The archaeological sites of the Island of Meroe became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011.