Key Facts about Sudan

About Sudan:

• It is located in northeastern Africa. It is the third largest nation in all of Africa and shares a border with its seven neighbors: South Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Egypt, Libya, Chad, and the Central African Republic. 
• It also has a significant coastline along the Red Sea. This narrow strip of water gives vital access to the Indian Ocean as well as the Mediterranean Sea through the Suez Canal.
• Geography:
  • Sudan is mainly composed of vast plains and plateaus that are drained by the Nile River and its tributaries.
  • Much of Sudan consists of deserts and arid grasslands with little in the way of vegetation. 
  • The northern part of this plain is a primarily rocky desert area called the Nubian Desert.
• Independence:
  • Following Egyptian occupation early in the 19th century, the British established an Anglo-Egyptian Sudan - nominally a condominium, but in effect a British colony.
  • Sudan gained independence from Anglo-Egyptian co-rule in 1956.
  • Military regimes favoring Islamic-oriented governments have dominated national politics since Sudan gained independence.
• The country is dominated by Muslims and identify themselves as “Arabs”.
• Capital: Khartoum, Languages: Arabic, English