Sudan

National name

Jamhuryat as- Sudan

Government

Military government.

Geography

Sudan, in northeast Africa, is the largest country on the continent. The Red Sea washes about 500 mi of the eastern coast. It is traversed from north to south by the Nile, all of whose great tributaries are partly or entirely within its borders.

Historical Background

Military regimes favoring 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. 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.

Name

Sudan

Capital

Khartoum

Language

Arabic, English

Area

Total 2,505,813 km2 (10th) 967,500 sq mi-Water (%) 6

Population

2009 estimate 43,939,598 (31st)-Density 16.9/km2 43.7/sq mi

Currency

Sudanese pound (SDG)