Generic Information
Sudan, also The Sudan, is a country on the south-eastern edge of the Sahara Desert in East Africa, bordered by Chad to the west, Libya to the north west, Egypt to the north, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east and south east, South Sudan to the south and Central African Republic to the south-west. Its climate is desert, semi-desert and dry in the utmost north, semi-desert to rainy in the central and southern regions, and Mediterranean in eastern areas.
Sudan has seen significant periods of internal conflict since the 1970s. Conflict in the western Darfur region in 2003 displaced approximately 2 million people and saw 200,000 to 400,000 deaths. The UN and AU currently conduct a joint peacekeeping mission in the region, though the mission is being scaled down in phases beginning in 2017 and continuing into 2018. Since the independence of South Sudan in July 2011, there has been a rebel movement in South Kordofan and Blue Nile states from the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N). Sudan has received a large number of refugees displaced by insecurity in South Sudan, as well as refugee populations from Eritrea, Chad and Syria.
The secession of South Sudan also negatively affected the economy of Sudan as the south was responsible for most of the country’s oil production, which was the basis for economic growth since oil exportation began in 1999. Economic sanctions imposed by external governments also limited investment, though these were partially lifted in October 2017. The government’s new 2018 budget implemented more austerity measures and the Sudanese pound is seeing significant inflation against the dollar.
Population 39,598,700 (2016 estimate)
Population: 30,894,000 (2008 – last census)
Maternal mortality rate: 750 deaths/100,000 live births (2008)
Birth Rate: 31.7 births/1,000 population (2012 estimate)
Urban population: 40 percent of total population
Life expectancy at birth: 62.57 years
Administrative Divisions: 15 states; Red Sea, Gezira, Khartoum, Gedaref, White Nile, Blue Nile, Northern, Western Darfur, Southern Darfur, Southern Kordofan, Kassala, River Nile, Northern Darfur, Northern Kordofan and Sennar. In addition, the Sudanese Government announced the creation of two new states, Central Darfur (capital Zaleingi) and East Darfur (capital El Daean)
The Sudanese time zone is GMT +2, with a dialling code of +249. The currency is the Sudanese pound. Traffic drives on the right-hand side of the road.
Generic country information can be located from sources which are regularly maintained and reflect current facts and figures. For a generic country overview, please consult the following sources:
Sudan Wikipedia Country Information
Sudan Economist Intelligence Unit Information*
(*note - this is a paid service)
Humanitarian Info
Sudan World Food Programme Information
Sudan UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Information
Facts and Figures
Sudan Wolfram Alpha Information
