Sudan today

Facts and figures

Sudan is the third-largest country in Africa. Its southern part belongs to the Sahel zone; the regions in the north are the southeasternmost part of the Sahara. The country has 38 million inhabitants.

Despite Arabic being the main language and Islam the main religion, the Sudanese society is multiethnic, multicultural and multireligious. Reportedly, the country has 600 ethnic groups that speak over 400 different languages and dialects. There is much to be learnt about Sudan.

Geography

Sudan is the sixteenth-largest country in the world and the third-largest in Africa, after Algeria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its southern part belongs to the Sahel zone; the regions in the north are the southeasternmost part of the Sahara. Read more ...

Climate

Sudan lies within the tropics. Its climate is primarily dictated by the dry northeasterly trade winds from the Arabian Peninsula and the moist southwesterly monsoon winds from the Congo river basin, which bring the typical summer rains. Read more ... 

Population

Of the estimated 38 million Sudanese, more than 5 million live in Greater Khartoum. About 40% of the population are younger than 15 years old. Despite Arabic being the main language and Islam the main religion, the Sudanese society is multiethnic. Read more ...

Economy and infrastructure

Historically, agriculture was the main source of income and employment in Sudan. Since the early 2000s, oil has been the backbone of the economy. The oil sector aside, the country's most important industries are agricultural processing and various light industries. Read more ...

Politics and society

Officially, Sudan is a democracy, organised as a federal republic with a directly elected president. Omar al-Bashir came to power after a military coup in 1989. He also won the first multi-party presidential election in 2010 as well as the most recent election in 2015. Read more ...

Islam in Sudan

97% of Sudan's population are Muslim, with the vast majority adhering to the Sunni denomination. An important aspect of Sudanese Islam is Sufism, which is considered to be a very tolerant persuasion. Divorced from personal beliefs, Islam has become deeply politicised in Sudan. Read more ...