Islamic countries

Islamic countries

REPUBLIC OF THE SUDAN
JUMHURIYAT AS-SUDAN

General Information

Total Land Area:	2,376,000 km²
Land boundaries:	7,687 km
Coastline:	853 km
Capital:	Khartoum
Other Large Cities:	Port Sudan, Omdurman, Khartoum North
Official Language:	Arabic
National Currency Unit:	Sudanese Dinar (SDD)
National Day:	January 1

Location and Geography

Sudan is the largest country in Africa. It is bordered by Egypt and Libya in the North, Chad and Central African Republic in the West and South-west, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and Kenya in the South, and Ethiopia and Eritrea in the East. The country is located in an immense basin sloping gently down towards the North plateau and mountains, while the North-eastern part is characterised by mountains and hills sloping towards the Red Sea coast. The principal physical feature of Sudan is the river Nile and its tributaries. The Nile system runs through from South to North. The huge water flow of the river Nile comes from the Blue Nile, Sobat and Atbora rivers, while the White Nile contributes only about thirty percent of its annual flow because it loses a large amount of its water due to evaporation. Meadows and pastures take up a quarter of the land area and forests and woodlands about one fifth. Sudan is a hot country. The central region has the highest mean annual temperatures of the world. The North of the country is arid and semiarid.

Demography

Population:	32.77 million (2002)
Crude Birth Rate:	33 per thousand people (2002)
Crude Death Rate:	10 per thousand people (2002)
Infant Mortality Rate:	64 per thousand (2002)
Life Expectancy:	Male: 57 years, Female: 60 years (2002)
Urban Population:	38.0 percent (2002)
Adult Literacy:	50.00 percent (2001)

Economy

Sudan is primarily an agricultural and pastoral country with the majority of the population engaged in agriculture and livestock activities. The main crops raised are cotton, groundnuts, sesame, sugarcane, coffee, gum arabic, and dates. Fruits and vegetables are grown for local consumption. The manufacturing sector remains relatively small. The industrial base is dominated by food processing, beverages and tobacco products. Sudan’s main natural resources are crude oil, iron ore, copper, chromium ore, zinc, tungsten, mica, and silver. Cotton production and mining have gained importance in recent years.

GDP at Current Market Prices:	12525 million US$ (2001)
Per Capita GDP:	393 US$ (2001)
Share of Sectors in GDP:	39.0% Agriculture, 18.0% Industry, 43.0% Services, (2002)
Total Exports:	1902 million US$ (2002)
Total Imports:	2177 million US$ (2002)
Major Exports Items:	Cotton, groundnuts, sorghum, millet, wheat, gum arabic, hides, sesame and live animals
Major Imports Items:	Foodstuffs, petroleum products, manufactured goods, machinery and transportation equipment
Major Trading Partners:	Saudi Arabia, UK, China, Germany and Italy