Nubia, region, north-eastern Africa, roughly occupying both sides of the Nile valley between Aswān, Egypt, and Khartoum, Sudan. The area of the region in north-eastern Sudan is called the Nubian Desert. In ancient times Nubia was called Cush and ruled by Egypt for some 1,800 years (see Cushite Kingdoms). In the 8th century bc the Nubians achieved independence and subjugated Egypt. After maintaining some degree of independence for more than 2,000 years, Nubia was conquered by the Arabs in the 14th century and by Egypt in 1820. In the late 19th century the region was controlled by the Sudanese Muslim revolutionary leader known as the Mahdi.