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(opens in new window) Military regimes favouring Islamic-oriented governments have dominated
national politics since independence from the UK in 1956. Sudan was
embroiled in two prolonged civil wars during most of the remainder of the
20th century. These conflicts were rooted in northern economic, political,
and social domination of largely non-Muslim, non-Arab southern Sudanese.
The first civil war ended in 1972, but broke out again in 1983. The second
war and famine-related effects resulted in more than 4 million people
displaced and, according to rebel estimates, more than 2 million deaths
over a period of two decades. Peace talks gained momentum in 2002-04 with
the signing of several accords; a final Naivasha peace treaty of January
2005 granted the southern rebels autonomy for six years, after which a
referendum for independence is scheduled to be held. A separate conflict
that broke out in the western region of Darfur in 2003 has resulted in at
least 200,000 deaths and nearly 2 million displaced; as of late 2005,
peacekeeping troops were struggling to stabilize the situation. Sudan also
has faced large refugee influxes from neighboring countries, primarily
Ethiopia and Chad, and armed conflict, poor transport infrastructure, and
lack of government support have chronically obstructed the provision of
humanitarian assistance to affected populations. Northern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Egypt and Eritrea
15 00 N, 30 00 E
total: 2,505,810 sq km total: 7,687 km 853 km territorial sea: 12 nm tropical in south; arid desert in north; rainy season varies by region
(April to November)
generally flat, featureless plain; mountains in far south, northeast and
west; desert dominates the north lowest point: Red Sea 0 m petroleum; small reserves of iron ore, copper, chromium ore, zinc,
tungsten, mica, silver, gold, hydropower arable land: 6.78% 18,630 sq km (2003)
dust storms and periodic persistent droughts
inadequate supplies of potable water; wildlife populations threatened by
excessive hunting; soil erosion; desertification; periodic drought largest country in Africa; dominated by the Nile and its tributaries
41,236,378 (July 2006 est.)
0-14 years: 42.7% (male 8,993,483/female 8,614,022) total: 18.3 years 2.55% (2006 est.)
34.53 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
8.97 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
-0.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female total: 61.05 deaths/1,000 live births total population: 58.92 years 4.72 children born/woman (2006 est.)
2.3% (2001 est.) 400,000 (2001 est.) 23,000 (2003 est.) degree of risk: very high noun: Sudanese (singular and plural) black 52%, Arab 39%, Beja 6%, foreigners 2%, other 1%
Sunni Muslim 70% (in north), indigenous beliefs 25%, Christian 5% (mostly
in south and Khartoum)
Arabic (official), Nubian, Ta Bedawie, diverse dialects of Nilotic,
Nilo-Hamitic, Sudanic languages, English definition: age 15 and over can read and write conventional long form: Republic of the Sudan Government of National Unity (GNU) - the National Congress Party (NCP) and
Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) formed a power-sharing government
under the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA); the NCP, which came to
power by military coup in 1989, is the majority partner; the agreement
stipulates national elections for the 2008 - 2009 timeframe. Khartoum 26 states (wilayat, singular - wilayah); A'ali an Nil (Upper Nile), Al Bahr
al Ahmar (Red Sea), Al Buhayrat (Lakes), Al Jazirah (El Gezira), Al Khartum
(Khartoum), Al Qadarif (Gedaref), Al Wahdah (Unity), An Nil al Abyad (White
Nile), An Nil al Azraq (Blue Nile), Ash Shamaliyah (Northern), Bahr al
Jabal (Bahr al Jabal), Gharb al Istiwa'iyah (Western Equatoria), Gharb Bahr
al Ghazal (Western Bahr al Ghazal), Gharb Darfur (Western Darfur), Gharb
Kurdufan (Western Kordofan), Janub Darfur (Southern Darfur), Janub Kurdufan
(Southern Kordofan), Junqali (Jonglei), Kassala (Kassala), Nahr an Nil
(Nile), Shamal Bahr al Ghazal (Northern Bahr al Ghazal), Shamal Darfur
(Northern Darfur), Shamal Kurdufan (Northern Kordofan), Sharq al
Istiwa'iyah (Eastern Equatoria), Sinnar (Sinnar), Warab (Warab)
1 January 1956 (from Egypt and UK)
Independence Day, 1 January (1956)
12 April 1973; suspended following coup of 6 April 1985; interim
constitution of 10 October 1985 suspended following coup of 30 June 1989;
new constitution implemented on 30 June 1998 partially suspended 12
December 1999 by President BASHIR; under the CPA, Interim National
Constitution ratified 5 July 2005; Constitution of Southern Sudan signed
December 2005 based on English common law and Shari'a law; as of 20 January 1991, the now
defunct Revolutionary Command Council imposed Shari'a law in the northern
states; Shari'a law applies to all residents of the northern states
regardless of their religion; some separate religious courts; accepts
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations; the southern legal system
is still developing under the CPA following the civil war; Shari'a law will
not apply to the southern states
17 years of age; universal, but noncompulsory
bi-cameral body comprising the National Assembly and Council of States
(replaced unicameral National Assembly of 360 seats); pending elections and
National Election Law, the Presidency appointed 450 members to the National
Assembly according to the provisions of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace
Agreement: 52% NCP; 28% SPLM; 14% other Northerners; 6% other Southerners;
2 representatives from every state constitute the Council of States; terms
in each chamber are five years following the first elections Constitutional Court of nine justices; National Supreme Court; National
Courts of Appeal; other national courts; National Judicial Service
Commission will undertake overall management of the National Judiciary
Sudan has turned around a struggling economy with sound economic policies
and infrastructure investments, but it still faces formidable economic
problems, starting from its low level of per capita output. From 1997 to
date, Sudan has been implementing IMF macroeconomic reforms. In 1999, Sudan
began exporting crude oil and in the last quarter of 1999 recorded its
first trade surplus, which, along with monetary policy, has stabilized the
exchange rate. Increased oil production, revived light industry, and
expanded export processing zones helped sustain GDP growth at 8.6% in 2004.
Agricultural production remains Sudan's most important sector, employing
80% of the work force, contributing 39% of GDP, and accounting for most of
GDP growth, but most farms remain rain-fed and susceptible to drought.
Chronic instability - resulting from the long-standing civil war between
the Muslim north and the Christian/pagan south, adverse weather, and weak
world agricultural prices - ensure that much of the population will remain
at or below the poverty line for years. $84.93 billion (2005 est.)
$22.27 billion (2005 est.)
7.7% (2005 est.) $2,100 (2005 est.) agriculture: 38.7% 11 million (1996 est.)
agriculture: 80% 18.7% (2002 est.) 40% (2004 est.)
11% (2005 est.) 15.4% of GDP (2005 est.)
revenues: $6.182 billion 79% of GDP (2005 est.)
cotton, groundnuts (peanuts), sorghum, millet, wheat, gum arabic,
sugarcane, cassava (tapioca), mangos, papaya, bananas, sweet potatoes,
sesame; sheep, livestock oil, cotton ginning, textiles, cement, edible oils, sugar, soap distilling,
shoes, petroleum refining, pharmaceuticals, armaments, automobile/light
truck assembly 8.5% (1999 est.) 3.165 billion kWh (2003)
2.943 billion kWh (2003)
401,300 bbl/day (2005 est.)
70,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)
275,000 bbl/day (2004)
1.6 billion bbl (2005 est.)
84.95 billion cu m (2005)
-$658 million (2005 est.)
$6.989 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
oil and petroleum products; cotton, sesame, livestock, groundnuts, gum
arabic, sugar China 66.9%, Japan 10.7%, Saudi Arabia 4.4% (2004)
$5.028 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
foodstuffs, manufactured goods, refinery and transport equipment, medicines
and chemicals, textiles, wheat China 13%, Saudi Arabia 11.5%, UAE 5.9%, Egypt 5.1%, India 4.8%, Germany
4.5%, Australia 4.1%, Japan 4% (2004) $2.52 billion (2005 est.)
$18.15 billion (2005 est.)
$172 million (2001)
Sudanese dinar (SDD)
calendar year
1,028,900 (2004) 1,048,600 (2004) general assessment: large, well-equipped system by regional
standards and being upgraded; cellular communications started in 1996 and
have expanded substantially AM 12, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998)
3 (1997) .sd 1 (2005) 1.14 million (2005)
86 (2005) total: 14 total: 72 1 (2005) gas 156 km; oil 2,365 km; refined products 810 km (2004)
total: 5,995 km total: 11,900 km 4,068 km (1,723 km open year round on White and Blue Nile rivers) (2005)
Port Sudan
Sudanese People's Armed Forces (SPAF): Army, Navy, Air Force, Popular
Defense Force the effects of Sudan's almost constant ethnic and rebel militia fighting
since the mid-twentieth century have penetrated all of its border states
that provide shelter for fleeing refugees and cover to disparate domestic
and foreign conflicting elements; since 2003, Janjawid armed militia and
Sudanese military have driven about 200,000 Darfur region refugees into
eastern Chad; large numbers of Sudanese refugees have also fled to Uganda,
Ethiopia, Kenya, the Central African Republic, and the Democratic Republic
of the Congo; southern Sudan provides shelter to Ugandans seeking periodic
protection from soldiers of the Lord's Resistance Army; Sudan accuses
Eritrea of supporting Sudanese rebel groups; efforts to demarcate the
porous boundary with Ethiopia have been delayed by civil and ethnic
fighting in Sudan; Kenya's administrative boundary extends into the
southern Sudan, creating the "Ilemi Triangle"; Egypt and Sudan retain
claims to administer triangular areas that extend north and south of the
1899 Treaty boundary along the 22nd Parallel, but have withdrawn their
military presence; Egypt is economically developing the "Hala'ib Triangle"
north of the Treaty Line; periodic violent skirmishes with Sudanese
residents over water and grazing rights persist among related pastoral
populations from the Central African Republic along the border refugees (country of origin): 110,927 (Eritrea) 5,023 (Chad) 7,983
(Uganda) 14,812 (Ethiopia) |
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