Facts About Sudan

Location:
Northern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Egypt and Eritrea

Geographic coordinates:
15 00 N, 30 00 E

Area:
Total: 2,505,810 sq km
Land: 2.376 million sq km
Water: 129,810 sq km

Area—comparative:
slightly more than one-quarter the size of the US

Land boundaries:

Total: 7,687 km
Border countries: Central African Republic 1,165 km, Chad 1,360 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 628 km, Egypt 1,273 km, Eritrea 605 km, Ethiopia 1,606 km, Kenya 232 km, Libya 383 km, Uganda 435 km

Coastline:
853 km

Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone: 18 nm
Continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate:
Tropical in south; arid desert in north; rainy season (April to October)

Terrain:
Generally flat, featureless plain; mountains in east and west

Elevation extremes:
Lowest point: Red Sea 0 m
Highest point: Kinyeti 3,187 m

Natural resources:
Petroleum; Iron ore, Copper, Chromium ore, Zinc, Tungsten, Mica, Silver, Gold

 Natural hazards:
dust storms

Geography—note:
largest country in Africa; dominated by the Nile and its tributaries

Population:
42,000,000 (est. 2007)

Population Growth Rate:
2.51% (est. 2007)

Projected Population:
in 2025 61,400,000 (est. 2007)

Projected Population:
in 2050 84,200,000 (est. 2007)

Population Density:
18 persons per sq. Km (est. 2007)
46 persons per sq. Mile (est. 2007)

Urban /Rural distribution

Urban Share:
59% (2005 Est.)

Rural Share:
41% (2005 Est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 45% (male 7,941,909; female 7,614,225)
15-64 years: 53% (male 9,094,712; female 9,061,194)
65 years and over: 2% (male 423,389; female 340,261)  

Population growth rate:
2.71%

Birth rate:
39.34 births/1,000 population

Death rate:
10.6 deaths/1,000 population

Sex Ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.24 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
70.94 deaths/1,000 live births  

Life expectancy at birth:
Total population: 56.4 years
Male: 55.41 years
Female: 57.44 years

Total fertility rate:
5.58 children born/woman

Languages:
Arabic (official), Nubian, Ta Bedawie, diverse dialects of Nilotic, Nilo-Hamitic, Sudanic languages, English

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of the Sudan
conventional short form: Sudan
local short form: As-Sudan

Data code: SU

Administrative divisions:
26 states (wilayat, singular—wilayah); A'ali an Nil, Al Bahr al Ahmar, Al Buhayrat, Al Jazirah, Al Khartum, Al Qadarif, Al Wahdah, An Nil al Abyad, An Nil al Azraq, Ash Shamaliyah, Bahr al Jabal, Gharb al Istiwa'iyah, Gharb Bahr al Ghazal, Gharb Darfur, Gharb Kurdufan, Janub Darfur, Janub Kurdufan, Junqali, Kassala, Nahr an Nil, Shamal Bahr al Ghazal, Shamal Darfur, Shamal Kurdufan, Sharq al Istiwa'iyah, Sinnar, Warab

Capital: Khartoum besides Omdurman and Khartoum North

Important Towns:
Wad Medani, Hassa Hesa, El Managel , El Kamlien, Port Sudan, Sawakin, Kasala, Gedarif, New Halfa, El Fasher, Neyala, El Gineaina, Zalingie, Kosti, Rabbak, Sennar, Singa, El Obeid, Dongola, Atbara, Shendi, El Damer, Marawi, Karima, Juba, Waw, Malakal, Jungla, Maridi,

Independence:
1 January 1956 (from Egypt and UK)

National holiday:
Independence Day, 1 January (1956)

International organization participation:
ABEDA, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

Flag description:
Three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with a green isosceles triangle based on the hoist side

Economy—overview:

Currency Sudanese Pound

GDP per Capita U.S. $1,400

GDP—composition by sector:
Agriculture: 33%
Industry: 17%
Services: 50%

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

Sudan Information and History

Africa's largest country in land area, Sudan is dominated by the Nile and its tributaries, with mountains rising along its Red Sea coast and along the western border with Chad. 

1. The Domestic Economy:
   
   
1. Industry: oil, cotton ginning, textiles, cement, edible oils, sugar, soap distilling, shoes, petroleum refining.
   Agriculture: cotton, groundnuts (peanuts), sorghum, millet, wheat; sheep.
2. Gum Arabic is one of the most important cash-generating export crop in Sudan. It is one of the best of its type in the world. The project aims at processing gum Arabic, locally, to improve exports and benefit from the value-added.
3. Exports: oil and petroleum products, cotton, sesame, livestock, groundnuts.
4. Oil prices remain high, and Sudan looks set to increase its oil output considerably, with production projected to reach 1m barrels/day by 2010.
5. Increased output will come as Malaysia, China and India continue to invest heavily in the country.
2. Economic policy:


1. The onset of peace was to bring a considerable dividend to Sudan, although the Darfur crisis looks to have put in doubt.
2. The government is committed to privatization (Sudan Airways)
3. Oil was discovered in Sudan in the 1970's, but it has only recently become a significant part of the country's economy.
4. A pipeline connecting the Heglig oil fields with Port Sudan was completed and began operation in 1999, and in 2000 Sudan became an oil exporter.
5. Sudan to adopt new method on sharing of oil revenue
6. Sudan oil output to surge to 650,000 bpd

Sudan Investments:


Sudan is rich with its abundant resources which are represented in vast areas of land, and various climates. It is special with its fertile agricultural lands, large amounts of fresh water, and a variety in its animal resources. The extraction of petroleum gave Sudan an important economic dimension. This is besides the distinguished geographic locations of Sudan which makes Sudan a passage to other African countries which qualifies it as one of the commercial and investment inlets of those countries.

The importance of Sudan has increased in the field of investment during the last period due to its increasing economic importance from one side and its abundant economic resources from another. It has become the target businessmen from all around the globe who come to start investments in Sudan, supported by the fact that Sudan ranked second in the list of the worlds most attractive countries for investment according to the reports of regional and international organizations. The investment opportunities will grow after the establishment of the peace process which adds an effective third dimension to the attractive investment climate. It will also allow investors to utilize natural resources abundant in Sudan's states more efficiently.