COUNTRY IN PERSPECTIVE SUDAN Pyramids of Meroe Flickr / Scott D. Haddow DLIFLC DEFENSE LANGUAGE INSTITUTE FOREIGN LANGUAGE CENTER COUNTRY IN PERSPECTIVE | SUDAN TABLE OF CONTENT Geography Introduction ................................................................................................................... 5 Geographic Divisions and Topographic Features .................................................. 6 Deserts ..................................................................................................................6 Red Sea Coast .....................................................................................................6 Nile River Valley ...................................................................................................7 Western Sudan ....................................................................................................7 Clay Plains ............................................................................................................7 Climate ........................................................................................................................... 8 Rivers ............................................................................................................................. 8 Nile .........................................................................................................................8 Blue Nile ................................................................................................................9 White Nile ..............................................................................................................9 Atbara River ..........................................................................................................9 Major Cities ..................................................................................................................10 Khartoum–Omdurman ......................................................................................10 Port Sudan ..........................................................................................................10 Kassala ................................................................................................................ 11 Environmental Concerns and Natural Hazards .....................................................11 Endnotes for Chapter 1: Geography ........................................................................13 Assessment .................................................................................................................15 History Early History ................................................................................................................16 Kushite Dynasties ............................................................................................. 17 Meroe ................................................................................................................... 17 Christian and Muslim Nubia ......................................................................................18 Christian Nubia ..................................................................................................18 Islam ...................................................................................................................18 The Ottoman Turkiyah ......................................................................................19 The Mahdi ...........................................................................................................20 20th-Century History ................................................................................................. 21 Anglo-Egyptian Sudan ......................................................................................21 Independence and Failed Governments ........................................................22 Recent Events ............................................................................................................ 23 Darfur ...................................................................................................................24 South Sudan Secession ...................................................................................24 2 COUNTRY IN PERSPECTIVE | SUDAN Endnotes for Chapter 2: History .............................................................................. 26 Assessment ................................................................................................................ 28 Economy Introduction ................................................................................................................. 29 Agriculture ................................................................................................................... 30 Cotton ..................................................................................................................30 Sugar ................................................................................................................... 31 Industry .........................................................................................................................31 Oil, Energy, and Natural Resources ....................................................................... 32 Trade ............................................................................................................................ 32 Tourism ........................................................................................................................ 33 Banking and Finance ................................................................................................ 33 Debt ......................................................................................................................34 Investment...........................................................................................................35 Standard of Living ...................................................................................................... 35 Outlook ........................................................................................................................ 36 Endnotes for Chapter 3: Economy .......................................................................... 37 Assessment .................................................................................................................41 Society Introduction ................................................................................................................. 42 Ethnic Groups and Languages ................................................................................ 43 Arabs....................................................................................................................43 Nubians ...............................................................................................................43 Beja ......................................................................................................................44 Fur ........................................................................................................................44 Dinka ....................................................................................................................44 Nuer .....................................................................................................................45 Nuba ....................................................................................................................45 Religion ........................................................................................................................ 46 Islam ....................................................................................................................46 Christianity ..........................................................................................................47 Cuisine ..........................................................................................................................47 Traditional Dress ........................................................................................................ 48 Gender Issues ............................................................................................................ 48 Arts and Recreation .................................................................................................. 49 Endnotes for Chapter 4: Society ............................................................................. 50 Assessment ................................................................................................................ 53 3 COUNTRY IN PERSPECTIVE | SUDAN Security Introduction ................................................................................................................. 54 United States-Sudan Relations ............................................................................... 55 U.S. Response to Darfur .................................................................................56 Relations with Neighboring Countries .................................................................... 56 Egypt ....................................................................................................................56 Libya.....................................................................................................................57 Chad ....................................................................................................................58 Central African Republic ...................................................................................59