Overview
Sudan is the largest and one of the most diverse countries in Africa, home to deserts, mountain ranges, swamps and rain forests. It emerged from a two-decade civil war between the mainly Muslim north and the Animist and Christian south, only to see fighting break out in the western region of Darfur in early 2003. The north-south civil war is said to have cost the lives of 1.5 million people. In Darfur, the UN says more than two million people have fled their homes and more than 200,000 have been killed.
Map
Facts
| Full name | Republic of Sudan |
|---|---|
| Population: | 39,4 million (UN, 2008) |
| Capital: | Khartoum |
| Area: | 2.5 million sq km (966,757 sq miles) |
| Major languages: | Arabic; Nubian, others |
| Major religions: | Islam, Christianity |
| Life expectancy: | 57 years (men), 60 years (women) (UN) |
| Monetary unit: | Sudanese dinar |
| Main exports: | Oil, cotton, sesame, livestock and hides, gum arabic |
| GNI per capita | US $960 (World Bank, 2007) |
| Internet domain: | .sd |
| International dialling code: | +249 |
BBC iPlayer
TV
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HARDtalk - Meles Zenawi, Prime Minister, EthiopiaMeles Zenawi, Prime Minister, Ethiopia, 09 Apr 09Zeinab Badawi talks to Meles Zenawi, prime minister of Ethiopia, host to the African Union. Does Meles Zenawi think his domestic record justifies taking a lead on the continent?
Watch "HARDtalk - Meles Zenawi, Prime Minister, Ethiopia" now -
HARDtalk - Lam Akol, Sudan People's Liberation MovementLam Akol, Sudan People's Liberation Movement, 14 Apr 09Stephen Sackur talks to newsmakers and personalities from across the globe.
Watch "HARDtalk - Lam Akol, Sudan People's Liberation Movement" now -
HARDtalk - Omar Al-Bashir - President of SudanOmar Al-Bashir - President of Sudan, 14 May 09In an exclusive interview, Zeinab Badawi talks to Omar Al-Bashir, President of Sudan and the first serving head of state to be indicted for alleged war crimes.
Watch "HARDtalk - Omar Al-Bashir - President of Sudan" now -
Heir Hunters - 13. Lee/Allen13. Lee/Allen, 15 Jul 09The team casts its net across the world in search of heirs for Elfie Lee, who left behind a 300,000 pound estate, and Dorothea Allen, a millionairess with a double life.
Watch "Heir Hunters - 13. Lee/Allen" now
Knowledge
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Radio 4 Empire - Mesopotamia and the Balfour DeclarationRadio 4 Empire
Parts of the Middle East including Egypt, Sudan, some sub-Saharan African and the Indian sub-continent were all British controlled territories.
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History - Lord Kitchener of Khartoum (1850 - 1916)History
In September 1911 he became the proconsul of Egypt, ruling there and in the Sudan until August 1914.
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History - Slavery and the 'Scramble for Africa'History
What were the motives behind the European colonisation of Africa at the end of the 19th century? Did the stamping out of slavery really play a part? By Dr Saul David. 10 July 2009 Topics Resources ...
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Religion & Ethics - Coptic Orthodox Church: StatisticsReligion & Ethics
In Libya there are three churches, in Sudan two bishops, as well as churches in Lebanon, Jordan, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Iraq.
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Religion and Ethics - In The Footsteps Of MuhammadReligion and Ethics
And of course those texts are then used to justify the ill-treatment of, of, of people in Zafor, in, in the Sudan or, or, or um er, people like the Nuba er people in the, in the Sudan.
Around the web
News From Other Sources
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Tribal violence in S Sudan undermines peace...17 Jul 09 | People's Daily Online
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Sudan reports first H1N1 flu case17 Jul 09 | Reuters Africa
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Sudan reports first two A/H1N1 flu cases17 Jul 09 | Xinhua News Agency
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Intelligence agencies track path of arms from...17 Jul 09 | Haaretz
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US military deaths in Afghanistan region at 66617 Jul 09 | Salon
Coming Up
TV
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Lee/AllenBBC One, 23 Jul 09 02:35
The heir hunters hit the road again as they seek out people entitled to inherit money from long-forgotten relatives. Elfie Lee died aged 92 in 2005, leaving behind an unclaimed estate of 300,000 ...
News
News Articles
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Wanted Bashir 'drops Uganda trip'16 Jul 09 | Africa
Sudan leader Omar al-Bashir reportedly cancels a trip to Uganda, after claims he may be arrested under an ICC warrant..
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Poor countries 'need to change'16 Jul 09 | BusinessThe commodity-dependent African less developed countries (LDCs) will be hardest hit, it says.
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Israel's military message to Iran16 Jul 09 | Middle EastAnalysts believe that much of the weaponry travels by sea from Iran to Sudan and then on to Egypt.
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UN 'open to Uganda rebel talks'16 Jul 09 | Africa
He said military operations launched by Uganda against the LRA had uprooted and disrupted the rebels. But he said there had been "vicious" LRA reprisals in DR Congo and South Sudan.
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Uganda 'will not arrest Bashir'15 Jul 09 | Africa
This would have contradicted a decision by the African Union, of which Uganda is a member, not to honour the warrant. The ICC accuses Mr Bashir of organising attacks on civilians in Darfur.
News Clips
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Sudan 'allows aid agencies back'12 Jun 09Sudan has authorised four aid agencies expelled from the country in March to return to troubled Darfur.
Watch "Sudan 'allows aid agencies back'" now -
Sudan Uni backs women's education18 May 09Muslim women can encounter tough opposition to going to school, but one university in the Sudan aims to give them greater access to education.
Watch "Sudan Uni backs women's education" now -
Sudan's diplomatic isolation14 May 09Zeinab Badawi asks the President of Sudan if he sees any prospect of ending Sudan's diplomatic isolation.
Watch "Sudan's diplomatic isolation" now -
Sudan president denies war crimes12 May 09The Sudanese president has given his first international interview since being indicted for war crimes in Darfur, denying all the charges against him.
Watch "Sudan president denies war crimes" now -
UN aid chief sees hope in Darfur10 May 09Two months after key international aid agencies were expelled from Sudan, the UN is cautiously optimistic about the humanitarian situation in Darfur.
Watch "UN aid chief sees hope in Darfur" now
Blogs
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China in the driving seat over North Korea26 May 09 | ADMIN USE ONLY - Newsnight: Mark Urban
China was a central party in the Six Nation agreement to de-nuclearise North Korea that Kim is now flouting. ...
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Brown's free trade message04 Mar 09 | Justin Webb - The Reporters: Justin Webb
Forgive me for not getting that excited about the Brown visit - the truth is that the special relationship or special partnership or whatever we call it now is not that important to the modern ... ...
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Thursday, 27 November, 200827 Nov 08 | Ian Lacey - Newsnight: From the web team
Sudan Gulf rich nations are ploughing money into Sudan - using their fertile land to grow food for their people. ...
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Wednesday, 26 November, 200826 Nov 08 | Ian Lacey - Newsnight: From the web team
Sudan Gulf rich nations are ploughing money into Sudan - using their fertile land to grow food for their people. ...
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China and Darfur: the Spielberg factor26 Feb 08 | Robin Lustig - World Tonight
Five years ago today, the crisis in Darfur was ignited by a rebel attack. Five years ago today, the crisis in Darfur was ignited by a rebel attack. ...
Weather
Weather for Khartoum
| Friday | Saturday | Sunday | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conditions |  heavy showers |  light showers | heavy showers |
| Max Temperature | Max:38°C/100°F | Max:37°C/99°F | Max:36°C/97°F |
| Min Temperature | Min:27°C/81°F | Min:27°C/81°F | Min:27°C/81°F |
Sport
Sport Articles
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Newcomers dominate Champs League16 Jul 09Sudan's Al Hilal are the only other team to have played in the league phase of the tournament. The potential winners could come from the other two sides in Group A, who are both from Sudan.
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Atraco, Mathare into Cecafa semis09 Jul 09
Rwanda's Atraco and Mathare United of Kenya join TP Mazembe of DR Congo and Sudan's El Merreikh in the semi-finals of the Cecafa Club Championship..
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Muntari fights for favour of fans06 Jul 09He sat out the qualifiers against Mali and Sudan because of an injury, and backed it up with a medical report, but that was not the end of the story.
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El Merreikh top Group A in Cecafa05 Jul 09
Sudan's El Merriekh top Group A in the Cecafa Club Championships with victory over Mathare United of Kenya..
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KCC make Cecafa quarters05 Jul 09
There was another thrashing in Group C where Kenya's Tusker hit six goals past Miembieni of Zanzibar. The other Group C game between Hay el Arab of Sudan and Burundi's Inter Stars ended 1-1.
Sport Clips
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Tribute to founding father of African football21 Apr 09Abdul Shattar Hussein, director of football development at Caf, pays tribute to one of one of the founding fathers of African football, Dr Abdel Mohamed Halim of Sudan.
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Worgu on adjusting to life in Khartoum21 Apr 09Nigerian scoring sensation Stephen Worgu says that he is finding it difficult to settle at Sudanese club Al Merreikh.
Listento "Worgu on adjusting to life in Khartoum" now -
Tanzania's CHAN team returns home15 Dec 08The BBC's Emmanuel Muga with Tanzania's CHAN team as they return home to a heroes' welcome after qualifying for next year's finals in the Ivory Coast with a win over Sudan.
Listento "Tanzania's CHAN team returns home" now -
Enyimba's Agwu hits out at African refs21 Jul 08Chairman of Nigerian club Enyimba, Felix Agwu, talks to Mark Gleeson about African refereeing standards after his side's 3-2 defeat to Al Hilal in Sudan in the African Champions League.
Listento "Enyimba's Agwu hits out at African refs" now
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