Sudan - Introduction 2015
top of pageBackground:
Military regimes favoring Islamic-oriented governments have dominated national politics since independence from Anglo-Egyptian co-rule in 1956. Sudan was embroiled in two prolonged civil wars during most of the remainder of the 20th century. These conflicts were rooted in northern economic political and social domination of largely non-Muslim non-Arab southern Sudanese. The first civil war ended in 1972 but another broke out in 1983. Peace talks gained momentum in 2002-04 with the signing of several accords. The final North/South Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) signed in January 2005 granted the southern rebels autonomy for six years followed by a referendum on independence for Southern Sudan. The referendum was held in January 2011 and indicated overwhelming support for independence. South Sudan became independent on 9 July 2011. Sudan and South Sudan have yet to fully implement security and economic agreements signed in September 2012 relating to the normalization of relations between the two countries. The final disposition of the contested Abyei region has also to be decided.
Since South Sudan's independence conflict has broken out between the government and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile states which has resulted in 1.2 million internally displaced persons or severely affected persons needing humanitarian assistance. A separate conflict which broke out in the western region of Darfur in 2003 displaced nearly two million people and caused an estimated 200,000 to 400,000 deaths. Violence in Darfur in 2013 resulted in an additional estimated 6,000 civilians killed and 500,000 displaced. The UN and the African Union have jointly commanded a Darfur peacekeeping operation known as the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) since 2007. Peacekeeping troops have struggled to stabilize the situation and have increasingly become targets for attacks by armed groups. Sudan also has faced refugee influxes from neighboring countries primarily Ethiopia Eritrea Chad Central African Republic and South Sudan. Armed conflict poor transport infrastructure and government denial of access have impeded the provision of humanitarian assistance to affected populations.
Climate: hot and dry; arid desert; rainy season varies by region (April to November)
Terrain: generally flat featureless plain; desert dominates the north
Natural resources: petroleum; small reserves of iron ore copper chromium ore zinc tungsten mica silver gold; hydropower
top of pageEthnic groups: Sudanese Arab (approximately 70%) Fur Beja Nuba Fallata
Languages: Arabic (official) English (official) Nubian Ta Bedawie Fur
Note: program of 'Arabization' in process
Religions: Sunni Muslim small Christian minority
Drinking water source:
urban: 66% of population
rural: 50.2% of population
total: 55.5% of population
urban: 34% of population
rural: 49.8% of population
total: 44.5% of population (2012 est.)
Sanitation facility access:
urban: 43.9% of population
rural: 13.4% of population
total: 23.6% of population
urban: 56.1% of population
rural: 86.6% of population
total: 76.4% of population (2012 est.)
top of pageGovernment type: federal republic ruled by the National Congress Party (NCP) which seized power by military coup in 1989; the CPA-mandated Government of National Unity which between 2005 and 2011 provided a percentage of leadership posts to the southern Sudan-based Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) was disbanded following the secession of South Sudan
Administrative divisions: 18 states (wilayat singular - wilayah); Al Gazira Al Gedaref Blue Nile Central Darfur East Darfur Kassala Khartoum North Darfur North Kordofan Northern Red Sea River Nile Sennar South Darfur South Kordofan West Darfur Western Korodfan White Nile
Constitution: previous 1998; latest adopted 6 July 2005 effective 9 July 2005 (interim constitution); amended 2015; note - in 2011 the Government of Sudan initiated a process for drafting a new constitution (2015)
Legal system: mixed legal system of Islamic law and English common law
Executive branchChief of state: President Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR ; First Vice President BAKRI Hassan Salih Second Vice President Hasabu Mohamed ABDEL RAHMIN (both since 3 December 2013); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR ; First Vice President BAKRI Hassan Salih Second Vice President Hasabu Mohamed ABDEL RAHMAN (both since 9 December 2013)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president; note - the NCP formerly the National Islamic Front or NIF dominates al-BASHIR's cabinet
Electionsappointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in two rounds if needed; last held on 13-16 April 2015
Election results: Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR reelected president; percent of vote - Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR 94.1% other (15 candidates) 5.9%
Legislative branchDescription: bicameral National Legislature consists of the Council of States or Majlis Weleyat and the National Assembly or Majlis Watani (426 seats; 213 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote 128 for women only directly elected by proportional representation vote and 85 directly elected by proportional representation vote; members serve 6-year terms)
Elections: last held on 13-15 April 2015
Election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NCP 323 DUP 25 Democratic Unionist Party 15 other 44 independent 19
Note: the mandate of the members from the south was terminated upon independence by the Republic of South Sudan effective 9 July 2011 and membership in Sudan's National Assembly was reduced to 354; it is unclear whether this total will be retained for the next election or whether the previous total of 450 will be reconstituted
Judicial branchHighest court: National Supreme Court ; Constitutional Court (consists of 9 justices including the court president); note - the Constitutional Court resides outside the national judiciary
Judge selection and term of office: National Supreme Court and Constitutional Court judges appointed by the president of the republic upon the recommendation of the National Judicial Service Commission an independent body chaired by the chief justice of the republic and members including other judges and judicial and legal officials; Supreme Court judge tenure NA; Constitutional Court judges appointed for 7 years
Subordinate courts: National Court of Appeals; other national courts ; township and rural (peoples') courts
International organization participation: ABEDA ACP AfDB AFESD AMF AU CAEU COMESA FAO G-77 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC (NGOs) ICRM IDA IDB IFAD IFC IFRCS IGAD ILO IMF IMO Interpol IOC IOM IPU ISO ITSO ITU LAS MIGA NAM OIC OPCW PCA UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO UNWTO UPU WCO WFTU (NGOs) WHO WIPO WMO WTO (observer)
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top) white and black with a green isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; colors and design based on the Arab Revolt flag of World War I but the meanings of the colors are expressed as follows: red signifies the struggle for freedom white is the color of peace light and love black represents Sudan itself (in Arabic 'Sudan' means black) green is the color of Islam agriculture and prosperity
top of pageEconomy overview: Sudan is an extremely poor country that has experienced protracted social conflict civil war and in July 2011 the loss of three-quarters of its oil production due to the secession of South Sudan. The oil sector had driven much of Sudan's GDP growth since 1999. For nearly a decade the economy boomed on the back of rising oil production high oil prices and significant inflows of foreign direct investment. Since the economic shock of South Sudan's secession Sudan has struggled to stabilize its economy and make up for the loss of foreign exchange earnings. The interruption of oil production in South Sudan in 2012 for over a year and the consequent loss of oil transit fees further exacerbated the fragile state of Sudan’s economy. Sudan is also subject to comprehensive US sanctions. Sudan is attempting to develop non-oil sources of revenues such as gold mining while carrying out an austerity program to reduce expenditures. The world’s largest exporter of gum Arabic Sudan produces 75-80% of the world’s total output. Agriculture continues to employ 80% of the work force. Sudan introduced a new currency still called the Sudanese pound following South Sudan's secession but the value of the currency has fallen since its introduction. Khartoum formally devalued the currency in June 2012 when it passed austerity measures that included gradually repealing fuel subsidies. Sudan also faces rising inflation which reached 47% on an annual basis in November 2012 but subsided to 37% in 2014. Ongoing conflicts in Southern Kordofan Darfur and the Blue Nile states lack of basic infrastructure in large areas and reliance by much of the population on subsistence agriculture keep close to half of the population at or below the poverty line.
Agriculture products: cotton groundnuts (peanuts) sorghum millet wheat gum arabic sugarcane cassava (manioc tapioca) mangoes papaya bananas sweet potatoes sesame seeds; sheep and other livestock
Industries: oil cotton ginning textiles cement edible oils sugar soap distilling shoes petroleum refining pharmaceuticals armaments automobile/light truck assembly
Exports:
$4.35 billion (2014 est.)
$4.79 billion (2013 est.)
Rank: 117
Commodities: gold; oil and petroleum products; cotton sesame livestock peanuts gum arabic sugar
Partners: Macau 30.2% UAE 30.2% Saudi Arabia 14.6% Egypt 4.9% (2014)
Imports:
$8.106 billion (2014 est.)
$8.728 billion (2013 est.)
Rank: 111
Commodities: foodstuffs manufactured goods refinery and transport equipment medicines chemicals textiles wheat
Partners: Macau 20.1% UAE 10.2% India 8% Malaysia 7.4% Egypt 5.3% Saudi Arabia 4.5% (2014)
Debt external:
$48.17 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
$45.56 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
Rank: 65
Exchange rates:
Sudanese pounds (SDG) per US dollar -
5.74 (2014 est.)
5.74 (2013 est.)
3.57 (2012 est.)
2.68 (2011 est.)
2.31 (2010 est.)
top of pageSudan - Communication 2015
top of pageTelephone systemGeneral assessment: well-equipped system by regional standards and being upgraded; cellular communications started in 1996 and have expanded substantially with wide coverage of most major cities
Domestic: consists of microwave radio relay cable fiber optic radiotelephone communications tropospheric scatter and a domestic satellite system with 14 earth stations
International: country code - 249; linked to the EASSy and FLAG fiber-optic submarine cable systems; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat 1 Arabsat (2010)
Broadcast media: the Sudanese Government directly controls TV and radio requiring that both media reflect government policies; TV has a permanent military censor; a private radio station is in operation (2007)
top of pageMilitary service age and obligation: 18-33 years of age for male and female compulsory or voluntary military service; 1-2 year service obligation; a requirement that completion of national service was mandatory before entering public or private sector employment has been cancelled (2012)
Sudan - Transportation 2015
top of pagePipelines: gas 156 km; oil 4,070 km; refined products 1613 km (2013)
Waterways: 4,068 km (1723 km open year round on White and Blue Nile Rivers) (2011)
Rank: 24
Sudan - Transnational issues 2015
top of pageDisputes international: the effects of Sudan's almost constant ethnic and rebel militia fighting since the mid-20th century have penetrated all of the neighboring states; Chad wishes to be a helpful mediator in resolving the Darfur conflict and in 2010 established a joint border monitoring force with Sudan which has helped to reduce cross-border banditry and violence; as of mid-2013 Chad Egypt Ethiopia Israel the Central African Republic and South Sudan provided shelter for more than 600,000 Sudanese refugees; during the same period Sudan in turn hosted about 115,000 Eritreans 32,000 Chadians and smaller numbers of Ethiopians and Central Africans; Sudan accuses Eritrea of supporting Sudanese rebel groups; efforts to demarcate the porous boundary with Ethiopia proceed slowly due to civil and ethnic fighting in eastern Sudan; Sudan claims but Egypt de facto administers security and economic development of the Halaib region north of the 22nd parallel boundary; periodic violent skirmishes with Sudanese residents over water and grazing rights persist among related pastoral populations along the border with the Central African Republic; South Sudan-Sudan boundary represents 1 January 1956 alignment final alignment pending negotiations and demarcation; final sovereignty status of Abyei Area pending negotiations between South Sudan and Sudan
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