Sudan is situated in the northeastern part of the African continent. From ancient times it has bridged the gap between African tradition and the Mediterranean world. The country is unfortunately always on the news for the wrong reasons, but there are many facts about Sudan you should know to understand it better.
Common Facts About Sudan
The Republic of Sudan has a population of approximately 48 million people. It is one of many African Arab countries. Although it is not a very viable tourist destination, there is so much about this nation that may interest you.
Sudan is known for its large coastline of about 900km. It is also famous for its proximity to the Red Sea, the confluence of the River Nile, and its Gum Arabic. There are many other interesting facts about Sudan than just the conflicts they are facing.
Several countries in Africa are prone to armed conflicts and civil/social unrest. Always double check the latest situations from both your government and the local government advisories.
Historical Facts On Sudan
Sudan Is Over 1000 Years
History has suggested that since 8000 BC people have inhabited present-day Sudan. Specifically, the Neolithic people. They groomed their culture then, creating a settlement for themselves with fortified mudbricks.
The original natives engaged in farming, cattle herding, hunting, and fishing in the River Nile. In addition, the kingdom of Kush and the ancient Nubian state were established in present-day Sudan.
The Kingdom of Kush was situated on the confluences of the Blue and White Nile. It took form around 1070 BC–350 AD when the disintegration of the Kingdom of Egypt began and the collapse of the bronze age was at its peak.
Independence In Sudan
January 1 is the national day in Sudan. On the 1st of January 1956, Sudan gained independence from Egypt and the United Kingdom. This explains why English and Arabic are the official languages in Sudan.
Relation To World’s Newest Nation
Did you know? Sudan is the father of the world’s newest nation. That is an interesting Sudan fact that is often trivialized. South Sudan broke away from Sudan in 2011 making it the latest internationally recognized country in the world.
Oil Loss
However, there’s an unfortunate fact about Sudan in the aftermath. When South Sudan succeeded in gaining independence in 2011, it meant that Sudan lost almost all its oil reserves.
The oil reserve was estimated to be around 5 to 7 billion barrels. That is enough to make an entire nation wealthy.
First Host Of The AFCON
Here’s some nice historical information on Sudan. It holds the record of hosting the first-ever AFCON (African cup of Nations) in 1956.
AFCON is the peak football tournament on the African continent. Sudan had the privilege to be the first host of this event. Although they didn’t win it that year, losing to Egypt in the final, they later won it in 1970.
First Female Judge In the Arab World
Sudan was the first Muslim and Arab country to appoint a female judge. This happened in the 60s. Today Sudan has over 60 female judges in the judiciary system. This is more than any Arab or Muslim country. This is one of the proud Sudan facts.
Geographical Facts About Sudan
An African Nation
Sudan is a country in North Africa. It is considered one of the Arab countries and adopts many cultural elements from the Middle East region. The nation has a total area of 1,861,484 square km, making it one of the largest countries in Africa.
Africa’s Third Largest
Here’s a fact about Sudan that you probably didn’t know. Sudan is the third largest country in Africa and the entire Arab World. It is third behind only Algeria and Congo DR respectively.
Before 2011 it was the largest country by area in Africa and the Arab world. The succession of South Sudan made the country fall to third in the pecking order.
Deriba Caldera
Deriba Caldera is part of the volcanoes of the Marra mountains. It is considered to be the highest point in the whole of Sudan. The volcano has an elevation of 3,042 meters and a prominence of 2,512 meters. It is situated in Darfur the western part of Sudan.
Not A Landlocked Country
Sudan is bordered by many countries to the North, East, West, and South. Their neighbors include Egypt, Chad, South Sudan, Eritrea, the Central African Republic, Libya, and Ethiopia. Despite that, it is actually not landlocked and has a coast on the North East, facing the red sea.
The Great Green Wall
This is seen as one of the most ambitious projects of all time. The Great Green Wall is a collaborative endeavor among some African countries, including Sudan.
The project aims to grow a long wall of trees across 21 African countries. The length of the wall is expected to be about 8,000km. The wall will travel across these countries along the arid Sahel Savanna to the Indian Ocean.
Cultural Facts About Sudan
Ful Medames The National Dish
Every country has a dish peculiar to them, and Sudan is no different. The country is known for beans; Sudan is a good producer of beans, particularly the Faba beans. Therefore, it is no surprise that the national dish features beans.
Ful medames is made of cooked fava beans, seasoned with cumin and vegetables, garlic, chili pepper, and other spices.
The dish is almost like a hybrid of bean dip and bean salad. The food is usually prepared in large quantities. Here’s a cool fact about Sudan and its national dish; it is prepared and served out of an enormous metal jug. The dish normally comes with vegetables and flatbread to dip.
Languages In Sudan
Sudan can pride itself as one of many diverse countries of the world. Although Arabic and English are the official languages in Sudan, there are over 114 native languages in Sudan. Interestingly, of these 114 languages, there are over 500 distinct accents.
This has led to the birth of many cultural groups. It is safe to say Sudan is a multilingually diverse country.
Religion And Ethnicity
Here’s a piece of information on Sudan many make mistakes about. Although Sudan is a Muslim-dominated country there are other religions in Sudan.
In Sudan, 91.7% practice Islam, 4.5% Christianity, 2.8% Traditional Faiths, and 1% practice other religions.
The population’s ethnicity is even more diverse, as evident in the high number of tribes and cultural groups in the country. 70% are Sudanese Arab, 5.5% are Beja, 2.5% are Nuba, 2% are Fur, 1.2% are Egyptian, 1% are Hausa, 0.5% Fulani, and 17.3% are of other ethnic groups.
Architectural Diversity
How about this for a cool Sudan fact? The architecture in Khartoum cannot be identified by a particular style.
The architecture in Khartoum is very diverse, so much so that it is hard to classify. That said, it is also a fitting representation of the cultural diversity in the country, where at least 500 cultural groups meet and interact.
Conservatives And Thoughtful
Here’s an interesting fact about Sudan. It is common to see Sudanese being introverted. They are more stoic and rarely speak up even when they are aggravated. In Sudan, most people avoid complaining and gossiping, especially about things with little significance.
In Sudan, when you meet people for the first time, don’t be alarmed when they ask about your marital status and occupation. They ask these questions to know how to interact with you. They are not trying to be intrusive.
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Fascinating Sudan Facts For Kids
Khartoum
Khartoum is the capital of Sudan. It is the largest metropolitan area in the country, covering a land area of 1,010 square km.
The capital city is home to about 6.3 million people. It also serves as the point where The White and Blue Nile merges to form the River Nile which flows to Egypt.
“Bilad-as-Sudan”
Did you know that Sudan is formed from an Arabic term? “Sudan” means “Land of The Black People.” It is a direct translation of the Arabic root word “bilad-as-sudan.”
Nile River
Here’s a piece of information about Sudan many do not know about. The River Nile forms in Sudan before flowing to Egypt. The White Nile and the Blue Nile are two tributaries that come together in Khartoum to become the River Nile.
Food Basket Of The Arab World
Here’s an interesting fact about Sudan. It is often nicknamed the “food basket of the Arab World.” The country earned that reputation because it accounts for about 45% of the Arabian land in the Arab world.
Other Interesting Facts About Sudan
Pyramids In Sudan
Here’s a hard-to-believe Sudan fact. It is no secret that Egypt is synonymous with Pyramids. But did you know? Sudan houses more pyramids than Egypt.
The northern desert in Sudan has over 200 pyramids, giving it the record for the highest collection of pyramids in one location.
Souq Al Arabi
Souq Al Arabi is Sudan’s largest open-air market. It is situated on the South of the great mosque. The market spreads several blocks across the center of Khartoum and is divided into various sections. One lucrative section of the market is dedicated to buying and selling gold.
Sanganeb National Park
Another interesting fact about Sudan is that it avails the citizen the opportunity to witness and enjoy the diversity of the red sea.
The Sanganeb National Park plays host to pristine marine ecosystems in the red sea. It provides habitation for marine tropical habitats, and it also houses shallow reef habitats.
Water Scarcity
Sometimes, access to water can be a big problem in Sudan. This is one of the many challenges that the country faces regularly. Sudan suffers from droughts, soil erosion, desertification, poor portable water supply, and declining wildlife.
Gum Arabic
An impressive fact about Sudan is their Gum Arabic production. This is an important ingredient in the making of many processed foods like chocolates, hard candies, icing, and chewing gum.
The country is the world’s largest producer of gum Arabic. In addition, one of the most interesting facts about Sudan is that it exports at least 70% of the world’s Gum Arabic. And this 70% is gotten from merely 20% of its available trees.
Discovering More Facts About Sudan
Despite all its challenges and societal problems, there are so many interesting facts about Sudan that make it a unique country. The African Arab country comes with deep history and cultural traditions that continue to be observed today. From Gum Arabic production to the abundance of pyramids, it’s clear that there’s plenty more to learn about Sudan.
