|
Geographical Location:
Sudan is situated in North East Africa. It is the largest country in Africa and the region of the Middle-East. It shares common borders with nine countries - Egypt and Libya in the North, Chad and Central African Republic in the West, Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and Kenya in the South, Ethiopia and Eritrea in the East. It also neighbours the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia across the Red Sea. With an area of one million square miles, Sudan is among the ten largest countries in the world.
Capital:
Khartoum. It lies at the confluence of two great rivers, the Blue Nile and the White Nile.
Climate:
Sudan lies within the African tropical zone. Its climate varies from equatorial in its most southern parts, Savanna in the centre, and continental in the northern parts. The period from March to June is the hottest part of the year with temperatures of up to 42 degrees Celsius during the day and 27 degrees Celsius at night. But the temperature gradually begins to decline when it starts raining from July to October. From November to February, which is the best time of the year in the country, temperatures range between 16 to 30 degrees Celsius with beautiful warm sunshine during daytime hours.
The People:
The Sudanese people are descendants of various ethnic groups, which settled or migrated to Sudan in different historical eras and intermingled to create a multifaceted heritage, Afro-Arab cultures.
According to the 1998 census, the population of Sudan is 33 million. Seventy percent of the country's people are engaged in the agricultural sector.
|
SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE: SUDAN
|
FERTILITY AND
CONTRACEPTION
|
|
Crude birth rate (births per 1,000
of a population in a given year):
|
27
|
|
Total Fertility Rate (Sum of the
age-specific fertility rates in a given year):
|
5
|
|
Women aged 15-19 giving live births
each year (%):
|
6
|
|
Women aged 15-49 using
contraception (all methods) (%):
|
10
|
|
Women aged 15-49 using
contraception (modern methods) (%):
|
7
|
MORTALITY
|
|
Crude Death Rate (deaths per 1,000
of a population in a given year):
|
14
|
|
Average Life expectancy in years
(men):
|
50
|
|
Average Life expectancy in years
(women):
|
52
|
|
Infant Mortality Rate (Number of
deaths to infants under one year of age per 1,000 live
births in a given year):
|
73
|
|
Maternal Mortality Rate (Number of
deaths to women due to pregnancy or childbearing
complications per 100,000 live births in a given
year):
|
660
|
HEALTH
|
|
Access to Services (%):
|
70
|
|
Access to safe water (%):
|
50
|
|
Literacy Rate (men) (%):
|
58
|
|
Literacy Rate (women) (%):
|
35
|
|
Workforce (men) (%):
|
47
|
|
Workforce (women) (%):
|
43
|
(Information courtesy United Nations
Population Information Network.)
| Health Care |
|
Items |
1995 |
1999 |
|
No. of
hospitals |
253 |
304 |
|
No. of health
centers |
571 |
849 |
|
No. of
dispensaries |
1478 |
1438 |
|
No. of dressing
stations |
1558 |
1253 |
|
No. of primary H.C.
Units |
2916 |
2652 |
|
Ratio of specialists per
(100.000) of Pob. |
2.2 |
2.4 |
|
Ratio of
nurses |
17182 |
18292 |
|
No. of
pharmacies |
732 |
779 |
Health expenditure as a percentage of GDP (%)
|
|
|
|
Source: Central Bureau of
statistics |
| Labor force
and unemployment |
|
Items |
1996 |
1998 |
|
Labor
force(million) |
7912 |
8375 |
|
Number of employees
(million) |
6520 |
6812 |
|
Year |
1996 |
1997 |
1998 |
|
Unemployment rate
(%) |
16.6 |
18.1 |
18.7 |
|
Source: Central Bureau of
statistics |
Economy
G.D.P. at current prices according
to economic activities during the period
1994-2000 |
|
Sector |
1994 |
1995 |
1996 |
1997 |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
|
Agriculture |
41.1 |
43.0 |
45.0 |
47.6 |
48.7 |
49.8 |
46.4 |
|
Industry &
Mining |
7.6 |
6.7 |
7.4 |
8.3 |
8.1 |
9.1 |
15.0 |
|
Electricity &
Water |
2.6
|
2.0
|
2.0
|
1.9
|
1.8
|
1.8
|
1.7
|
|
Construction |
5.6 |
5.5 |
5.0 |
4.9 |
5.1 |
4.9 |
4.7 |
|
Governmental
Services |
7.6 |
8.4
|
7.5
|
5.9
|
6.5
|
6.2
|
5.8
|
|
Other Services |
35.5
|
34.4
|
33.1
|
31.4
|
29.8
|
28.2
|
26.4
|
|
Source: Bank of Sudan, Annual
report |
| Economics
indicators (L.S. Million) 1994/1995-2000
|
| Item/
Year
|
G.D.P.
at current prices
|
G.D.P. at constant
prices |
G.D.P. Growth Rate at constant
prices |
G.D.P. per capita at current
prices |
G.D.P. per capita at constant
prices |
| 94/95 |
55299107.0 |
10140.0 |
6.0 |
204721.1 |
375.4 |
| 1996 |
10330678.5 |
10740.9 |
5.9 |
372317.0 |
387.1 |
| 1997 |
16769372.5 |
11420.8 |
6.3 |
588275.2 |
400.6 |
| 1998 |
23869676.4 |
12154.6 |
6.4 |
815611.2 |
415.3 |
| 1999 |
*29093858.7 |
12970.3 |
6.7 |
968310.5 |
431.7 |
| 2000 |
* 33004554
|
13761.5 |
6.1 |
1061888.4 |
442.8 |
|
Source: Central Bureau of
statistics |
| Inflation
Rates for the period 1997-2000 |
| Year |
1997 |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
| Annual Average |
46.5 |
17.7 |
16.1 |
8.1 |
|
Source: Bank of Sudan, Annual
report |
| Balance of
Payment 1997-2000 (value in $ Million)
|
| |
1997 |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
| Exports |
594.2
|
595.7
|
780.1
|
1806.7
|
| Imports |
1579.7
|
1924.6
|
1415.0
|
1552.7
|
| Trade Balance |
-985.5
|
-328.9
|
-635.0
|
254.0
|
| Services |
0.4 |
179.1
|
45.0 |
- |
| Capital Account |
182.7
|
379.1
|
413.2
|
328.0
|
| Direct Investment (net)
|
97.9 |
370.7
|
370.8
|
392.21
|
| Other Investment |
2.7 |
26.3 |
-31.5
|
17.57
|
| Short-term Capital Movement
(net) |
127.2
|
36.3 |
96.8 |
- |
|
Source: Bank of Sudan, Annual
report |
| Industrial
Products |
|
Item |
Unit |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
| Sugar |
(000)
Tons |
610 |
664 |
662
|
| Molasses |
(000)
Tons |
215 |
225 |
233
|
| Biscuit |
(000)
Tons |
24 |
35 |
39.4
|
| Sweet And Tahnia |
(000)
Tons |
60 |
63 |
65
|
| Jam |
(000)
Tons |
2.8 |
5 |
8 |
| Juices |
(000)
Tons |
3.5 |
9 |
17
|
| Flour |
(000)
Tons |
310 |
532 |
600
|
| Cement |
(000)
Tons |
206 |
266 |
161
|
| Oils |
(000)
Tons |
120 |
100 |
120
|
| Soaps |
(000)
Tons |
61 |
80 |
100
|
| Tyres |
(000)
Tons |
207 |
173 |
211.6
|
| Hides and Skins |
Million Units
|
8.4 |
17.4 |
8.5
|
| Soft Drinks |
Million Boxes
|
17 |
18 |
20
|
| Wearing |
Million Yards
|
26 |
35 |
35
|
| Spinning |
(000)
Tons |
8.6 |
8.5 |
8 |
| Cigarettes |
(000)
Tons |
2.22 |
2.25 |
2.32
|
| Paints |
(000)
Tons |
4.7 |
16.7 |
18
|
| Matches |
(000)
Boxes |
231 |
271 |
204
|
|
Source: Ministry of
Industry |
| Agriculture
- Production (000) M. Ton - Yeild in Kg/Fed)
|
|
Item |
Cotton |
Millet |
Wheat |
Sun Flower |
Sorghum |
Groundnut |
| 1994/95 |
259 |
973 |
448 |
48 |
3648 |
714
|
| 1995/96 |
307 |
383 |
527 |
25 |
2450 |
738
|
| 1996/97 |
297 |
634 |
642 |
20 |
4179 |
815
|
| 1997/98 |
237 |
643 |
535 |
11 |
2870 |
1104
|
| 1998/99 |
165 |
667 |
172 |
10 |
484 |
776
|
| 1999/00 |
147 |
499 |
214 |
8 |
2347 |
1047
|
| Source:
Statistics Division, Ministry of Agriculture
|
| Products
Livestock (000 Tons) |
|
Item |
1995 |
1996 |
1997 |
1998 |
1999 |
2000 |
| Meat |
1287 |
1275 |
1331 |
1422 |
1463 |
1522 |
| Milk |
5955 |
5786 |
6001 |
6230 |
6650 |
6879 |
| Fish |
45 |
47 |
50 |
52 |
53 |
56 |
| Eggs |
35 |
25 |
20 |
18 |
20 |
21 |
| Chicken Meat |
29 |
22 |
18 |
15 |
15 |
15 |
| Skin Products |
21793 |
22284 |
22756 |
23033 |
24967 |
26384 |
| Source: Ministry of Animal
Resources |
Population Growth Rate:
2.8% (approx.) Main Economic Activities: Agriculture
& Oil
Main Cash Crop: Cotton
Other
Crops: Sorghum, Wheat, Oil Seeds, Millet, Gum
Arabic
Industries: Sugar,
Textiles, Cement, Edible Oil, Petroleum Refining
G.D.P.: Real growth rate
of 6%
|
Religion:
Islam is the
religion of the majority in Sudan. A portion of the population
is Christian as well as followers of customary creeds.
Main Exports:
Sudan exports
many products, mainly agricultural and processed agricultural
goods, cotton and cotton waste, Gum Arabic and its
semi-processed form - guar gum, sesame seeds, groundnuts,
sunflower, edible oils, oil cakes and meal, sorghum (Dura),
livestock, meat, semi-processed leather, gold, mica, marble,
asbestos, chromium, fruits (mango, grape, guava, lemon,
banana, dates, melon etc), vegetables (onion, garlic, beans),
spices, fresh vegetables, medicinal herbs (senna pods, henna
etc), hibiscus flowers, melon seeds, sugar and molasses
etc.
Major Towns and Cities:
Among the most
important Sudanese towns is Port Sudan. It is the capital of
the Red Sea State and as its name connotes, it is the
country's major seaport as well. Then there is Wad Medani,
capital of Gezire State, Al Obeid in North Kordofan State,
besides Juba, Malakal and Wau in the south. Other important
towns and cities include Dongola, Karima, Nyala, Alfasher.
Language:
Arabic is the
official language. English is also widely used and spoken.
Currency:
The Sudanese
Dinar is the basic currency unit (257 Sudanese Dinar = l US
Dollar).
Form of
Government:
Sudan is a federal union of 26 states
with its capital at Khartoum. It is governed at three levels:
federal, state and district. The country is ruled by a
presidential system and a parliament based on free elections
and a multi-party system.
Time
Zone:
Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) + two hours.
Office Hours:
Government
circles and banks open at 7:30 a.m. and close down at 2:30 p.m
- from Saturday through Thursday. Friday is the official
weekly holiday.
Banking
Hours:
Banks transact business from 8 in the
morning until 12:30 in the afternoon.
Shopping and
Commercial Centres: Shopping and commercial centres usually
open at 8 in the morning and close at 3 p.m. They re-open from
5-9 p.m.
Weights and
Measures:
The metric system (metre, kilogram etc)
is widely used. The feddan is the customary unit of land
measurement. One feddan = 4,200 sq.m. = 1.038 acre = 0.42
hectare.
Entry
Visas:
Entry to Sudan is through visas, which
can be obtained from its embassies or accredited consulates.
The country's Investment Authority may also obtain entry visas
for any investment delegation that wishes to visit Sudan.
|
