Disputes - international:
none
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 460,000 (both Tamils and non-Tamils displaced due to long-term
civil war between the government and the separatist Liberation
Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Sri Lanka is a source and destination country for
men and women trafficked for the purposes of involuntary servitude
and commercial sexual exploitation; Sri Lankan men and women migrate
willingly to the Persian Gulf, Middle East, and East Asia to work as
construction workers, domestic servants, or garment factory workers,
where some find themselves in situations of involuntary servitude
when faced with restrictions on movement, withholding of passports,
threats, physical or sexual abuse, and debt bondage; children are
trafficked internally for commercial sexual exploitation and, less
frequently, for forced labor
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - for a fourth consecutive year, Sri
Lanka is on the Tier 2 Watch List for failing to provide evidence of
increasing efforts to combat severe forms of human trafficking,
particularly in the area of law enforcement; the government failed
to arrest, prosecute, or convict any person for trafficking offenses
and continued to punish some victims of trafficking for crimes
committed as a result of being trafficked; Sri Lanka has not
ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)
page last updated on January 20, 2011
======================================================================
@Sudan (Africa)
Introduction ::Sudan
Background:
Military regimes favoring Islamic-oriented governments have
dominated national politics since independence from the UK 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 broke out again in 1983. The second war and famine-related
effects resulted in more than four million people displaced and,
according to rebel estimates, more than two million deaths over a
period of two decades. 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. After which, a referendum for
independence is scheduled to be held. A separate conflict, which
broke out in the western region of Darfur in 2003, has displaced
nearly two million people and caused an estimated 200,000 to 400,000
deaths. The UN took command of the Darfur peacekeeping operation
from the African Union on 31 December 2007. As of early 2009,
peacekeeping troops were struggling to stabilize the situation,
which has become increasingly regional in scope and has brought
instability to eastern Chad. Sudan also has faced large refugee
influxes from neighboring countries primarily Ethiopia and Chad.
Armed conflict, poor transport infrastructure, and lack of
government support have chronically obstructed the provision of
humanitarian assistance to affected populations.
Geography ::Sudan
Location:
Northern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Egypt and Eritrea
Geographic coordinates:
15 00 N, 30 00 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 2,505,813 sq km
country comparison to the world: 10
land: 2.376 million sq km
water: 129,813 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly more than one-quarter the size of the US
Land boundaries:
total: 7,687 km
border countries: Central African Republic 1,165 km, Chad 1,360 km,
Democratic Republic of the Congo 628 km, Egypt 1,273 km, Eritrea 605
km, Ethiopia 1,606 km, Kenya 232 km, Libya 383 km, Uganda 435 km
Coastline:
853 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 18 nm
continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate:
tropical in south; arid desert in north; rainy season varies by
region (April to November)
Terrain:
generally flat, featureless plain; mountains in far south, northeast
and west; desert dominates the north
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Red Sea 0 m
highest point: Kinyeti 3,187 m
Natural resources:
petroleum; small reserves of iron ore, copper, chromium ore, zinc,
tungsten, mica, silver, gold, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 6.78%
permanent crops: 0.17%
other: 93.05% (2005)
Irrigated land:
18,630 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
154 cu km (1997)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 37.32 cu km/yr (3%/1%/97%)
per capita: 1,030 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
dust storms and periodic persistent droughts
Environment - current issues:
inadequate supplies of potable water; wildlife populations
threatened by excessive hunting; soil erosion; desertification;
periodic drought
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law
of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
largest country in Africa; dominated by the Nile and its tributaries
People ::Sudan
Population:
43,939,598 (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 30
Age structure:
0-14 years: 40.7% (male 8,535,551/female 8,173,616)
15-64 years: 56.8% (male 11,745,683/female 11,603,906)
65 years and over: 2.5% (male 532,968/female 496,101) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 18.4 years
male: 18 years
female: 18.8 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.497% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 31
Birth rate:
36.58 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 27
Death rate:
11.66 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 36
Net migration rate:
0.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 69
Urbanization:
urban population: 43% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 4.3% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.05 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 72.39 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 19
male: 73.08 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 71.67 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 54.21 years
country comparison to the world: 200
male: 53.04 years
female: 55.44 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
4.93 children born/woman (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 26
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.4% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 45
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
320,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 22
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
25,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 19
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria, dengue fever, African trypanosomiasis
(sleeping sickness)
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis
animal contact disease: rabies
note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in
this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases
possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Sudanese (singular and plural)
adjective: Sudanese
Ethnic groups:
black 52%, Arab 39%, Beja 6%, foreigners 2%, other 1%
Religions:
Sunni Muslim 70% (in north), Christian 5% (mostly in south and
Khartoum), indigenous beliefs 25%
Languages:
Arabic (official), English (official), Nubian, Ta Bedawie, diverse
dialects of Nilotic, Nilo-Hamitic, Sudanic languages
note: program of "Arabization" in process
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 61.1%
male: 71.8%
female: 50.5% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 4 years (2000)
Education expenditures:
6% of GDP (1991)
country comparison to the world: 38
Government ::Sudan
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of the Sudan
conventional short form: Sudan
local long form: Jumhuriyat as-Sudan
local short form: As-Sudan
former: Anglo-Egyptian Sudan
Government type:
Government of National Unity (GNU) - the National Congress Party
(NCP) and Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) formed a
power-sharing government under the 2005 Comprehensive Peace
Agreement (CPA); the NCP, which came to power by military coup in
1989, is the majority partner; the agreement stipulated national
elections in 2009, but these were subsequently rescheduled for April
2010
Capital:
name: Khartoum
geographic coordinates: 15 36 N, 32 32 E
time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
25 states (wilayat, singular - wilayah); A'ali an Nil (Upper Nile),
Al Bahr al Ahmar (Red Sea), Al Buhayrat (Lakes), Al Jazira (Gezira),
Al Khartoum (Khartoum), Al Qadarif (Gedaref), Al Wahda (Unity), An
Nil al Abyad (White Nile), An Nil al Azraq (Blue Nile), Ash
Shimaliyya (Northern), Bahr al Jabal (Central Equatoria), Gharb al
Istiwa'iyya (Western Equatoria), Gharb Bahr al Ghazal (Western Bahr
el Ghazal), Gharb Darfur (Western Darfur), Janub Darfur (Southern
Darfur), Janub Kurdufan (Southern Kordofan), Junqoley (Jonglei),
Kassala (Kassala), Nahr an Nil (River Nile), Shimal Bahr al Ghazal
(Northern Bahr el Ghazal), Shimal Darfur (Northern Darfur), Shimal
Kurdufan (Northern Kordofan), Sharq al Istiwa'iyya (Eastern
Equatoria), Sinnar (Sinnar), Warab (Warrap)
Independence:
1 January 1956 (from Egypt and the UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 1 January (1956)
Constitution:
Interim National Constitution ratified 5 July 2005
note: under the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, the Interim National
Constitution was ratified 5 July 2005; Constitution of Southern
Sudan was signed December 2005
Legal system:
based on English common law and Islamic law; as of 20 January 1991,
the now defunct Revolutionary Command Council imposed Islamic law in
the northern states; Islamic law applies to all residents of the
northern states regardless of their religion; however, the CPA
establishes some protections for non-Muslims in Khartoum; some
separate religious courts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with
reservations; the southern legal system is still developing under
the CPA following the civil war; Islamic law will not apply to the
southern states
Suffrage:
17 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR (since 16
October 1993); note - the president is both the chief of state and
head of government
head of government: President Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR (since 16
October 1993)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president; note - the
National Congress Party or NCP (formerly the National Islamic Front
or NIF) dominates al-BASHIR's cabinet
(For more information visit the World Leaders website )
elections: election on 11-15 April 2010; next to be held in 2015
election results: Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR reelected president;
percent of vote - Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR 68.2%, Yasir ARMAN
21.7%, Abdullah Deng NHIAL 3.9%, others 6.2%
note: al-BASHIR assumed power as chairman of Sudan's Revolutionary
Command Council for National Salvation (RCC) in June 1989 and served
concurrently as chief of state, chairman of the RCC, prime minister,
and minister of defense until mid-October 1993 when he was appointed
president by the RCC; he was elected president by popular vote for
the first time in March 1996
Legislative branch:
bicameral National Legislature consists of a Council of States (50
seats; members indirectly elected by state legislatures to serve
six-year terms) and a National Assembly (450 seats; 60% from
geographic constituencies, 25% from a women's list, and 15% from
party lists; members to serve six-year terms)
elections: last held on 11-15 April 2010 (next to be held in 2016)
election results: Not available; prior to the 11-15 April 2010
election, members appointmented under the 2005 Comprehensive Peace
Agreement
Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court of nine justices; National Supreme Court;
National Courts of Appeal; other national courts; National Judicial
Service Commission will undertake overall management of the National
Judiciary
Political parties and leaders:
Democratic Unionist Party or DUP [Hatim al-SIR]; National Congress
Party or NCP [Umar Hassan al-BASHIR]; Popular Congress Party or PCP
[Hassan al-TURABI]; Sudan People's Liberation Movement or SPLM
[Salva KIIR]; elements of the National Democratic Alliance or NDA
including factions of the Democratic Union Party [Muhammad Uthman
al-MIRGHANI] and Umma Party
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Umma Party [SADIQ Siddiq al-Mahdi]; Popular Congress Party or PCP
[Hassan al-TURABI]; Darfur rebel groups including the Justice and
Equality Movement or JEM [Khalil IBRAHIM] and the Sudan Liberation
Movement or SLM [various factional leaders]
International organization participation:
ABEDA, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, CAEU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, 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, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Akec Khoc
ACIEW Khoc
chancery: 2210 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 338-8565
FAX: [1] (202) 667-2406
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Robert E.
WHITEHEAD
embassy: Sharia Ali Abdul Latif Street, Khartoum
mailing address: P.O. Box 699, Khartoum; APO AE 09829
telephone: [249] (183) 774700 through 704
FAX: [249] (183) 774137
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
National anthem:
name: "Nahnu Djundulla Djundulwatan" (We Are the Army of God and of
Our Land)
lyrics/music: Sayed Ahmad Muhammad SALIH/Ahmad MURJAN
note: adopted 1956; the song originally served as the anthem of the
Sudanese military
Economy ::Sudan
Economy - overview:
Since 1997, Sudan has been working with the IMF to implement
macroeconomic reforms including a managed float of the exchange rate
and a large reserve of foreign exchange. A new currency, the
Sudanese Pound, was introduced in January 2007 at an initial
exchange rate of $1.00 equals 2 Sudanese Pounds. Sudan began
exporting crude oil in the last quarter of 1999 and the economy
boomed on the back of increases in oil production, high oil prices,
and significant inflows of foreign direct investment until the
second half of 2008. The Darfur conflict, the aftermath of two
decades of civil war in the south, the lack of basic infrastructure
in large areas, and a reliance by much of the population on
subsistence agriculture ensure much of the population will remain at
or below the poverty line for years to come despite rapid rises in
average per capita income. Sudan's real GDP expanded by 5.2% during
2010, an improvement over 2009's 4.2% growth but significantly below
the more that 10% per year growth experienced prior to the global
financial crisis in 2006 and 2007. While the oil sector continues to
drive growth, services and utilities play an increasingly important
role in the economy with agriculture production remaining important
as it employs 80% of the work force and contributes a third of GDP.
In the lead up to the referendum on southern secession, scheduled in
January 2011, Sudan saw its currency depreciate considerably on the
black market with the Central Bank's official rate also losing value
as the Sudanese people started to hoard foreign currency. The
Central Bank of Sudan intervened heavily in the currency market to
defend the value of the pound and the Sudanese government introduced
a number of measures to restrain excess local demand for hard
currency, but uncertainty ahead of the referendum has meant that
foreign exchange remained in heavy demand as 2010 came to a close.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$98.79 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 71
$93.91 billion (2009 est.)
$90.12 billion (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$65.93 billion (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
5.2% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 53
4.2% (2009 est.)
6.6% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,200 (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 186
$2,200 (2009 est.)
$2,200 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 32.1%
industry: 29%
services: 38.9% (2010 est.)
Labor force:
11.92 million (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 42
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 80%
industry: 7%
services: 13% (1998 est.)
Unemployment rate:
18.7% (2002 est.)
country comparison to the world: 162
Population below poverty line:
40% (2004 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Investment (gross fixed):
20.2% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 84
Public debt:
94.2% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 12
105.1% of GDP (2009 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
11.8% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 207
11.2% (2009 est.)
Stock of narrow money:
$7.713 billion (31 December 2010 est)
country comparison to the world: 76
$7.003 billion (31 December 2009 est)
Stock of broad money:
$13.5 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 93
$12.31 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of domestic credit:
$10.15 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 93
$9.307 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
Agriculture - products:
cotton, groundnuts (peanuts), sorghum, millet, wheat, gum arabic,
sugarcane, cassava (tapioca), mangos, papaya, bananas, sweet
potatoes, sesame; sheep, livestock
Industries:
oil, cotton ginning, textiles, cement, edible oils, sugar, soap
distilling, shoes, petroleum refining, pharmaceuticals, armaments,
automobile/light truck assembly
Industrial production growth rate:
3.5% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 92
Electricity - production:
4.341 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 116
Electricity - consumption:
3.438 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 121
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
486,700 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 31
Oil - consumption:
84,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 84
Oil - exports:
303,800 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 41
Oil - imports:
11,400 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 135
Oil - proved reserves:
6.8 billion bbl (1 January 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 20
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 125
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 174
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 119
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 129
Natural gas - proved reserves:
84.95 billion cu m (1 January 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 56
Current account balance:
-$2.595 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 162
-$2.817 billion (2009 est.)
Exports:
$9.777 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 87
$7.56 billion (2009 est.)
Exports - commodities:
oil and petroleum products; cotton, sesame, livestock, groundnuts,
gum arabic, sugar
Exports - partners:
China 58.29%, Japan 14.7%, Indonesia 8.83%, India 4.86% (2009)
Imports:
$8.483 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 96
$8.253 billion (2009 est.)
Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, manufactured goods, refinery and transport equipment,
medicines and chemicals, textiles, wheat
Imports - partners:
China 21.87%, Saudi Arabia 7.22%, Egypt 6.1%, India 5.53%, UAE 5.3%
(2009)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$2.063 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 97
$897 million (31 December 2009 est.)
Debt - external:
$37.98 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 58
$35.71 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Exchange rates:
Sudanese pounds (SDG) per US dollar - 2.36 (2010), 2.32 (2009), 2.1
(2008), 2.06 (2007), 2.172 (2006)
Communications ::Sudan
Telephones - main lines in use:
370,400 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 105
Telephones - mobile cellular:
15.34 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 47
Telephone system:
general 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 international submarine
cable Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG); satellite earth
stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Arabsat (2000)
Broadcast media:
in the north, 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; in southern Sudan, TV is controlled by the regional
government; several private FM stations are operational in southern
Sudan; some foreign radio broadcasts are available (2007)
Internet country code:
.sd
Internet hosts:
70 (2010)
country comparison to the world: 207
Internet users:
4.2 million (2008)
country comparison to the world: 56
Transportation ::Sudan
Airports:
140 (2010)
country comparison to the world: 41
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 19
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 10
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
under 914 m: 1 (2010)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 121
1,524 to 2,437 m: 21
914 to 1,523 m: 62
under 914 m: 38 (2010)
Heliports:
5 (2010)
Pipelines:
gas 156 km; oil 4,070 km; refined products 1,613 km (2009)
Railways:
total: 5,978 km
country comparison to the world: 30
narrow gauge: 4,578 km 1.067-m gauge; 1,400 km 0.600-m gauge for
cotton plantations (2008)
Roadways:
total: 11,900 km
country comparison to the world: 131
paved: 4,320 km
unpaved: 7,580 km (2000)
Waterways:
4,068 km (1,723 km open year round on White and Blue Nile rivers)
(2008)
country comparison to the world: 25
Merchant marine:
total: 2
country comparison to the world: 142
by type: cargo 2 (2010)
Ports and terminals:
Port Sudan
Military ::Sudan
Military branches:
Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF): Land Forces, Navy (includes Marines),
Sudanese Air Force (Sikakh al-Jawwiya as-Sudaniya), Popular Defense
Forces; Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA): Popular Army, Air
Force (2009)