Sudan

• tropical in south;
• arid desert in north;
• rainy season varies by region (April to November)

• generally flat, featureless plain;
• mountains in far south, northeast and west;
• desert dominates the north

• inadequate supplies of potable water;
• wildlife populations threatened by excessive hunting;
• soil erosion;
• desertification;
• periodic drought

party to:

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection

signed, but not ratified:

none of the selected agreements

at birth:

1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years:

1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

1 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

1.18 male(s)/female

total population:

1.02 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

degree of risk:

very high

food or waterborne diseases:

bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases:

malaria, dengue fever, African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) are high risks in some locations

water contact disease:

schistosomiasis

respiratory disease:

meningococcal meningitis (2004)

noun:

Sudanese (singular and plural)

adjective:

Sudanese

conventional long form:

Republic of the Sudan

conventional short form:

Sudan

local long form:

Jumhuriyat as-Sudan

local short form:

As-Sudan

former:

Anglo-Egyptian Sudan

• authoritarian regime - ruling military junta took power in 1989;
• government is run by an alliance of the military and the National Congress Party (NCP), formerly the National Islamic Front (NIF), which espouses an Islamist platform

• 12 April 1973;
• suspended following coup of 6 April 1985;
• interim constitution of 10 October 1985 suspended following coup of 30 June 1989;
• new constitution implemented on 30 June 1998 partially suspended 12 December 1999 by President BASHIR

• based on English common law and Islamic law;
• as of 20 January 1991, the now defunct Revolutionary Command Council imposed Islamic law in the northern states;
• Islamic law applies to all residents of the northern states regardless of their religion;
• some separate religious courts;
• accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

• the government allows political "associations" under a 1998 law revised in 2000;
• to obtain government approval parties must accept the constitution and refrain from advocating or using violence against the regime;
• approved parties include the National Congress Party or NCP [Ibrahim Ahmed UMAR], Popular National Congress or PNC [Hassan al-TURABI], and over 20 minor, pro-government parties

• Democratic Unionist Party [Muhammed Uthman AL-MIRGHANI];
• National Democratic Alliance [Muhammed Uthman AL-MIRGHANI, chairman];
• Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army [Dr. John GARANG];
• Umma Party [Sadiq al-MAHDI]

chief of mission:

Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires, Ad Interim Khidir Haroun AHMED (since April 2001)

chancery:

2210 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:

[1] (202) 338-8565

FAX:

[1] (202) 667-2406

chief of mission:

Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Gerard M. GALLUCCI

embassy:

Sharia Abdul Latif Avenue, Khartoum

mailing address:

P. O. Box 699, Khartoum; APO AE 09829

telephone:

[249] (11) 774611 or 774700

FAX:

[249] (11) 774137

note: US Consul in Cairo is providing backup service for Khartoum

lowest 10%:

NA

highest 10%:

NA

total:

5,995 km

narrow gauge:

4,595 km 1.067-m gauge; 1,400 km .600-m gauge for cotton plantations (2004)

total:

11,900 km

paved:

4,320 km

unpaved:

7,580 km (1999 est.)

total:

2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 20,466 GRT/26,973 DWT

by type:

cargo 1, livestock carrier 1

registered in other countries:

2 (2005)

• the effects of Sudan's almost constant ethnic and rebel militia fighting since the mid-twentieth century have penetrated all of its border states who provide shelter for fleeing refugees and cover to disparate domestic and foreign conflicting elements;
• since 2003, Janjawid armed militia and Sudanese military have driven about 200,000 Darfur region refugees into eastern Chad;
• large numbers of Sudanese refugees have also fled to Uganda, Ethiopia, Kenya, the Central African Republic, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo;
• southern Sudan provides shelter to Ugandans seeking periodic protection from soldiers of the Lord's Resistance Army;
• Sudan accuses Eritrea of supporting Sudanese rebel groups;
• efforts to demarcate the porous boundary with Ethiopia have been delayed by civil and ethnic fighting in Sudan;
• Kenya's administrative boundary extends into the southern Sudan, creating the "Ilemi Triangle";
• Egypt and Sudan retain claims to administer triangular areas that extend north and south of the 1899 Treaty boundary along the 22nd Parallel, but have withdrawn their military presence;
• Egypt is economically developing the "Hala'ib Triangle" north of the Treaty Line;
• periodic violent skirmishes with Sudanese residents over water and grazing rights persist among related pastoral populations from the Central African Republic along the border

refugees (country of origin):

108,251 (Eritrea) 5,023 (Chad) 7,983 (Uganda)

IDPs:

4.367 million (internal conflict since 1980s; ongoing genocide) (2004)