The Republic of the Sudan is located in the Northeast region of Africa; bordering the Red Sea, between Egypt and Eritrea

Total area: 2,505,810 sq. km (land: 2.376 million sq. km water: 129,810 sq. km) The largest country in Africa

Bordering countries: Central African Republic over 1,165 km, Chad over 1,360 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo over 628 km, Egypt over 1,273 km, Eritrea over 605 km, Ethiopia over 1,606 km, Kenya over 232 km, Libya over 383 km, Uganda over 435 km

Coastline: 853 km

Population: 35,079,814 (July 2000); 38,114,160 (July 2003 est.). Population growth rate: 2.84% (2000); 2.71% (2003 est.)

Ethnic groups: black 52%, Arab 39%, Beja 6%, foreigners 2%, other 1%

Religions: Sunni Muslim 70% (in north), indigenous beliefs 25%, Christian 5% (mostly in south and Khartoum)

Capital: Khartoum

Independence from Egypt and UK : January 1, 1956
National holiday: Independence Day: January 1
Constitution: April 12, 1973, suspended following coup of April 6, 1985; interim constitution of October 10,1985 suspended following coup of June 30, 1989; new constitution implemented on June 30, 1998 partially suspended December 12, 1999 by President BASHIR

Natural resources: petroleum; small reserves of iron ore, copper, chromium ore, zinc, tungsten, mica, silver, gold, hydropower

Agricultural productions: cotton, groundnuts, sorghum, millet, wheat, Arabic gum, sesame; sheep

Industrial productions: cotton ginning, textiles, cement, edible oils, sugar, soap distilling, shoes, petroleum refining

This is a country, which could have acted - decades ago - as one of the economic driving force of Africa. In the contrary, it is listed among the poorest countries of the world in spite of producing crude oil since 1999.

Indeed, the relentless effort of successive Sudan's governments, dominated by the Sunni Muslim of the North, to imposing to the Southern region's inhabitants (Christians or animists) the Muslim law of Sharia, fueled a civil war between Khartoum Government's troops and rebels movements in the South - particularly the one led by John Garang: the Sudan People's Liberation Movement / Army.

The civil war, which started in 1983, claimed to date more than 2 million people. It also has caused more than 4 million people to flee their homes; the majority of them from the Southern region.

The war is also, in many ways, hampering the economic development of the country.

For instance, there are chronic shortages for almost all categories of skilled employment because education and training have not been developed accordingly; and bulk of industrial investment and infrastructure - except for the new oil sector - dated back to the 1980's. The private sector's main areas of activity are agriculture and trading.

The government worked with foreign partners (Malaysia and China national petroleum companies and some western countries companies) to develop the oil sector, and the country is now producing approximately 250,000 barrels per day (2002) See Graph at the left side courtesy of: USA's Energy Information Administration

WEALTH AND POWER SHARING AGREEMENT

Beginning of year 2004, Government and Rebels reached a wealth sharing Agreement. The agreement stated the southern Sudan oil revenues will be shared between the government and the southern rebels, during a transitional period of 6 years following the signing of a comprehensive peace agreement.

Finally, on July 9, 2005 the Sudanese (Northern) Government led by Umar al-Bashir and John Garang' Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army (S.P.L.M./A.) signed a Comprehensive Peace Agreement (C.P.A.). A consecration for John Garang fight for the dignity and economic sovereignty of Southerners. John Garang, was sworn in as First Vice President, while Umar al-Bashir retained the presidency of Africa’s largest country in a new Sudanese government of national unity.

During the ceremony, the leaders of the National Congress Party and the SPLM/A signed the new interim constitution, which provides for a government based on a transitional constitution and a six-year interim period. Following this interim period, a referendum would decide whether the south was to remain part of the country or become independent.

THE DARFUR CRISIS

Western countries media are full of reports about the situation in Darfur and the ambivalent role the Sudanese government is playing - to put an end to the "atrocities" exercised by the janjaweed fighters against innocent civilians.

Sudan government adamantly refused to give clearance to an UN force to patrol the Darfur region and only accept an African Union force, that lacks resources and equipment to confront fighting parties, rebels and the Janjaweeds.

The European Union and the United States's representatives in the UN Security Council are trying to obtain UN resolutions to put pressure on the Sudanese government to comply with their political views. For no avail till now. Watch the following video (courtesy of the New York Times) to have an idea why curbing the back of the Sudanese government won't be an easy task:

Click here for dynamic news headlines on Sudan.

MORE ON SUDAN 1- D&B Export Guide To Sudan Digital Delivery by D&B 2- A History of Sudan From the Coming Day of Islam to the Present Day by P.M. Hott 3- Emma's War True Story of Love and Death In Sudan An Aid Worker, A Warlord, Radical Islam and the Politics of Oil / by Deborah Scroggins 4- Prisoners of Rituals An Odissey Into Female Genital Circumcision in Africa by Hanny Lightfoot-Klein 5- War And Slavery In Sudan The Ethnobiography of Political Violence / by Jok Madut

6- Wombs and Alliens Spirits Women, Men and the Zar Cult In Northern Sudan by Jenices Body 7- More News On Sudan by Yahoo! 8- Power And Wealth Sharing Make or Break Time in Sudan's Peace Process by ICG International Crisis Group 18 December 2002 Digital Delivery In PDF Click here to read report online. Right Click here and choose "Save As" to download the Report in PDF. You may need Acrobat Reader available here

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GNP: US$ 9.95 billion (2000); 10.7 billion (2001); 11.4 billion (2002); 12.807 billion (2004)
GNP-real growth rate: 7% (2000); 6.5 % (2001); 5.1 % (2002); 7% (2003); 11% (2005)
GNP-per capita: US$ 283 (2000); 314 (2003); 1,220 (2005); 1,520 (2006)

Click here for the difference between GNP and Parity Purchasing Power

GNP-composition by sector

1. agriculture: 37%
   

2. industry: 18%
   
3. services: 45%

Exports: US$ 580 million (f.o.b., 1999) US $ 2.7 billion (2006)
Commodities: cotton, sesame, livestock, groundnuts, crude oil, Arabic gum
Exports - partners: China 60.7%, Japan 14%, Saudi Arabia 4.9% (2006)

Imports: US$ 2.4 billion (f.o.b., 1999)
Commodities: foodstuffs, petroleum products, manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, medicines and chemicals, textiles.
Imports - partners: China 25.7%, Saudi Arabia 7.4%, Germany 3.5%, India 5.5%, UK 2.4%, Indonesia 4.7%, Australia 2% (2006)

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Entry visas are required by almost all nationalities, and are valid usually for one month.

Evidence of a previous visit to Israel will result in a visa refusal.

Permits are required to travel anywhere outside Khartoum

Visitors arriving in any town or city in the Sudan must register with the police on their arrival, and show the necessary paperwork.

Permits are required to visit archaeological or historical sites. The cost of obtention is often expensive; deliverance is made by the Department of Antiquities in Khartoum.

A curfew operated in most large cities and towns from midnight until 4 AM.

For latest entry information please contact the nearest Sudan's diplomatic representation.

BELGIUM Embassy of Sudan 12 Avenue Franklin D. Roosevelt B1060 Brussels Tel: +(32) 2 647-9494 / 647-5159 Fax: +(32) 2 648-3499 Telex: 24370	AUSTRIA Embassy of Sudan Reisner Str., 29/5, 1030 Vienna, Austria. Tel: +(431) 7102343 / 7102344) Fax: +(431) 7102346) Telex: 114385 E-mail: Click here
CANADA Embassy of Sudan 457, Laurier Avenue East Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1N 6R4 Tel: +(1) 613 235-4000 / 235-4999 Fax: +(1) 613 235 6880.	CHINA Embassy of Sudan Building # 27 San Li Tuin Beijing, China Tel: +(86) 10 532-375/532-3329 Fax: +(86) 10 532-1280 E-Mail: Click here

The international airport of Khartoum had regular connections with Middle East countries and Gulf states. EgyptAir, Ethiopian Airways have regular schedule to and from Khartoum.

The country have one of the lengthier railways track in Africa; 5,311 km of disparate gauging:

a- 4,595 km of of narrow gauge;
b- 1.067 km of 1m gauge
c- and 716 km of 1.6096-m gauge.

The main line linking Khartoum to Port Sudan carries over two-thirds of Sudan's rail traffic

Thanks to the River Nile, Sudan has developed a performing waterways system: 5,310 km navigable with the following ports: Juba, Khartoum, Kusti, Malakal, Nimule.

There is a pipeline network for the transfer of refined petroleum products (815 km) from Port-Sudan to the industrial area around Khartoum.

The main sea ports are Port Sudan and Sawakin located on the coastline of Red Sea.

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There are in the capital-city: Khartoum, hotels of good standard. Some are below listed .