DRAFT Environmental Profile the Democratic Republic of Sudan Prepared by the Arid Lands Information Center Office of Arid Lands
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Draft Environmental Profile of The Democratic Republic of Sudan Item Type text; Book; Report Authors Speece, Mark; University of Arizona. Arid Lands Information Center. Publisher U.S. Man and the Biosphere Secretariat, Department of State (Washington, D.C.) Download date 11/10/2021 07:17:31 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/228233 DRAFT Environmental Profile of The Democratic Republic of Sudan Prepared by the Arid Lands Information Center Office of Arid Lands Studies University of Arizona Tucson, Arizona 85721 AID RSSA SA /TOA 77 -1 National Park Service Contract No. CX- 0001 -0 -003 with the U.S. Man and the Biosphere Secretariat Department of State Washington, DC September 1982 Mark Speece, Compiler THE UNITED STATES NAT1O C MI , - MAN ANO THE BIOSPHERE Department of State, IO /UCS wAS1-41NGTOW. O. C. 20520 An Introductory Note on Draft Environmental Profiles: The attached draft environmental report has been prepared under a contract between the U.S. Agency for International Development (AID), Office of Forestry, Environment, and Natural Resources (ST /FNR) and the U.S. Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Program.It is a preliminary review of information available in the United States on the status of the environment and the natural resources of the identified country and is one of a series of similar studies now underway on countries which receive U.S. bilateral assistance. This report is the first step in a process to develop better information for the AID Mission, for host country officials, and others on the environmental situation in specific countries and begins to identify the most critical areas of concern. A more comprehensive study may be undertaken in each country by Regional Bureaus and /or AID Missions. These would involve local scientists in a more detailed examination of the actual situations as well as a better definition of issues, problems and priorities. Such "Phase II" studies would provide substance for the Agency's Country Development Strategy Statements as well as justifications for program initiatives in the areas of environment and natural resources. Comments on the attached draft report would be welcomed by USMAB and ST /FNR and should be addressed to either: James Corson Molly Kux MAB Project Coordinator Office of Forestry, Environment, and IO /UCS /MAB OR Natural Resources SA -5 Rm 410 U.S. AID Department of State Washington, D.C. 20523 Washington, D.C. 20520 A COMMITTEE OF THE UNITED STATES NATIONAL_ COMMISSION FOR UNESCO Commission EstablisMd by Ant of Coniisi .iwy 30.1946 Table of Contents List of Figures iii List of Tables v Summary vii 1.0 Introduction 1 2.0 General Description 3 2.1 Geography and Climate 3 2.2 opulation Characteristics 7 2.2.1 Distribution 2.2.2 Composition 2.2.3 Migration and Urbanization 2.2.4 Public Health 2.3 Economic Characteristics 24 3.0 Environmental Resources 29 3.1 Geology and Mineral Resources 29 3.1.1 Geology - 3.1.2 Mineral Resources 3.1.3 Minerals Policy 3.1.4Energy 3.2Water Resources 39 3.2.1 Surface Water 3.2.2Ground Water 3.2.3Water Quality 3.2.4Water Use and Management 3.3 Soils and Agricultural Land Use 64 3.3.1 Soils 3.3.2 Agriculture 3.4 Vegetation 88 3.4.1Native Flora 3.4.2Forestry and Wood Use 3.4.3 Range Use and Livestock 3.5 Fauna and Conservation Measures 94 3.5.1 Zoogeography of Native Terrest'.kal Fauna 3.5.2Mammals 3.5.3 Birds 3.5.4 .Reptiles and Amphibians 3.5.5 Fish and Invertebrate Fauna 3.5.6National Parks and Existing Legislation 3.5.7Conservation Status of Game Reserves and Game Sanctuaries 3.5.8 Problems in Sudan's National Parks 3.5.9 Future of Sudan's Wildlife 4.0 Major Environmental Problems 113 4.1 Desertification 113 4.1.1 Factors Behind Desertification 4.1.2Effects of Desertification 4.2 Soil Salinization 126 4.3 Public Health Issues 132 4.4 Water Hyacinth and Other Weeds 138 4.5 Pest Infestations 140 4.6 Flooding 141 4.7 Miscellaneous 141 Literature Cited 143 Appendices I. Geography and Climate 155 U. Population and Public Health 167 III. Economic Characteristics 181 IV. Minerals and Water Resources 189 V. Soils Data 209 VI. Vegetation 227 VII. Fauna 243 VIII Sudan Sections in: Environmental Policies in Developing Countries 267 IX. U.S. AID Projects in Sudan 273 X. Supplemental Bibliography 283 ii List of Figures 2.1 Climate Zones in the Sudan 5 2.2 Physical and General Locality Map 6 2.3 Mean Annual Rainfall (in mm.) 8 2.4 Mean Daily Temperature 9 2.5 Distribution of Population, 1973 13 2.6 Principal Ethnic Concentrations in Sudan, 1972 16 2.7 Main Urban Centers and Growth, 1965 -75 19 2.8 Economic Activity of Sudan, 1970 27 3.1 General Geological Map of Sudan 31 3.2 Major Occurrences of Minerals 33 3.3 The Nile Basin 40 3.4a Slope of the Nile from Lake Victoria to the Mediterranean 41 3.4b Logitudinal Profile of the Blue Nile 41 3.5 Map Showing the Upper Nile Swamp Depression 46 3.6 Standing Water -Level Contour Map and Formations, Kordofan 49 3.7 Standing Water -Level Contour Map, Gezira-Khartoum- Shendi Region 50 3.8 Approximate Yields and Total Depth, Nubian Sandstone Formation Wells, Gezira-Khartoum - Shendi Region 51 3.9 Suspended Load of the Nile at Wadi Halfa 53 3.10 Chemical Properties of Groundwater, Kordofan 56 3.11 Chemical Properties of Groundwater, El- Gezira 57 3.12 Major Irrigation Schemes 63 3.13 Jonglei Canal 68 3.14 Soils 70 3.15 Economic Regions of Sudan 84 3.16 Vegetation Zones 89 4.1 Land Misuse in Sudan 117 4.2 Areas of Water Hyacinth Infestation 139 iii List of Tables 2.1 Population, Urbanization and Growth 11 2.2 Projection of Urban /Rural Population in the Sudan 11 2.3 Urban Centers Ranked by 1973 Population 12 2.4 Major Ethnic Groups in Sudan, 1955/56 Census 14 2.5 Projection of Population in Selected Cities 18 2.6 Birthplace of Migrants in Khartoum By Province 21 2.7 Common Diseases in Sudan, 1972 22 2.8 Gross Domestic Product By Economic Activity at Current Market Prices, 1969 to 1978 25 3.1 Major Geological Formations 30 3.2 Mineral Production 32 3.3 National Grids and Thermal and Hydro Stations Installed Capacity and Energy Created in 1979 -1980 37 3.4 Total Energy Consumption, 1979 -1980 38 3.5 Water Balance of Nile Basin 43 3.6 Summary of Measured Flood Discharges in Jebel Marra Area 45 3.7 Area of Main Swamps 45 3.8 Losses in the Swamps 47 3.9 Chemical Composition of the Dissolved Load of the Nile System 54 3.10 Limnological Characteristics of Standing Waters of the Swamp Region 55 3.11 Chemical Analyses of Some Groundwater Samples from the Gash Basin 58 3.12 Water Supply and Demand from the Nile, 1975 -76 and 1985 -86 59 3.13 Irrigated Crop Production Schemes in the Nile System 61 3.14 Existing Irrigation Schemes 62 3.15 Shadouf and Saqiya Outputs 65 3.16 Minimum Annual Water Requirements for Human and Animal Populations in Rural Areas, 1975 66 3.17 Water Consumption in Selected Towns, 1974 -75 66 3.18 Major Dams 67 3.19 Soils in Sudan 71 3.20 Present and Proposed Land Use in the Sudan 78 3.21 Principal Crops 79 3.22 Trends in Total Area, Production and Yield of Main Crops 80 3.23 Roundwood Removals 93 3.24 Gum Arabic Production 93 3.25 Fuel Wood Supply /Demand Analysis inNSudan up to .the Year 2000 95 3.26 Livestock and Livestock Products 96 3.27 Vertebrates Listed by the IUCN Red Data Books and the U.S. Department of Interior 99 3.28 Status of Selected Large Mammals of Northern Darfur Province 101 v 4.1 Number of Livestock in the Sudan for Selected Years 120 4.2 Sustained -Yield Carrying Capacity and the Number of Livestock at Areas of Animal Concentration at Dar Rezeigat, 1975 120 4.3 Estimates of Total Dry Forage Removed from Range Due to Seasonal Burning 121 4.4 Groundnut and Sesame Production of the Kordofan Province 1961/73 122 4.5 Area, Production, and Average Yield of Crops in Kordofan Province, 1961/73 123 4.6 Chemical Analyses of Saturation Extract in High Terrace Soils 129 4.7 EC and ESP of Virgin and Cultivated Plots 129 4.8 Chemical Analyses of Four Soil Types South of Khartoum 131 4.9 Prevalence Rate of S. mansoni Infection in the Gezira 134 4.10 Snail Species and Parasites in the Gezira 134 4.11 Urban Building Materials, 1973 137 4.12 Housing Characteristics of 1973 Census 137 vi SUMMARY The Democratic Republic of Sudan, situated in northeast Africa, is the largest country on the continent. Sudan spans three major ecological zones,from very arid desertinthe north to savanna in the south. The southernmost highlands even include small patches of rain forest. Three major regions are usually distinguished geographically, also: the northern desert,the plains,andtheSudd orswampy region inthe south. The few highland areas scattered throughout Sudan are sometimes considered a separate region, as is the Nile Valley. Sudan is still in the very early stages of develópment. The economy is heavily oriented toward agriculture,anda very little industrial base has been developed. Accordingly, the major environmental problems concern areas such as agriculture and public health. The most important ofthese are noted below.