2. The Republic of Sudan is…
• an Arab state in North Africa
• bordered by Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia,
South Sudan, Central African Republic,
Chad and Libya
• the third largest country in Africa

3. Key facts
• Population: 43,552,000 (2010)
• Geographic area: 1,881,000 km2
• Capital city: Khartoum (pop. 1,410,858)
• Currency: Sudanese pound
• Language: Arabic
• Local time: GMT + 3 hours
• GCP growth: 0.0%
Khartoum

4. Al sa-lahm
Arabic is Sudan’s official language, spoken by 49% of the
people.
English is widely spoken, but a few words in Arabic
are always welcome.
Hello Al sa-lahm
Goodbye Be-kha-trahk
Yes Na-a’am
No La; mish
Thankyou Shook-rahn
Listen to a folk poem performed by a
school student

5. Fascinating geography
From the spectacular River Nile to life in the desert
•The River Nile is the dominant geographical feature.
The Blue Nile and White Nile flow north, converging in Khartoum to
form the River Nile.
•Libyan and Nubian desert regions in
the north, extending to Khartoum.
•The Red Sea on the east coast.
Some of the best accessible coral reefs
in the world.

6. Desert life
Sudan lies within the tropics and has a dry continental
climate.
Temperatures are between 27C and 38C
but can rise as high as 47C in June

7. Agriculture, commerce and industry
• Cotton, groundnuts, sorghum, gum arabic, millet, wheat,
sugar cane, mangos, bananas, sesame, sheep and
other livestock
• Textiles, cement, sugar, soap, shoes,
motor car and light truck
assembly
• Oil, dams and hydro-electric
power

8. Urban and rural life
Significant migration from rural areas to towns and cities
60% rural
40% urban

9. Rich culture and heritage
Portrayal of a
wedding at Arkawit
School, Khartoum
Listen to Kamil sing about Sudan’s
history

10. A potted history
• 11th
– 4th
centuries BC part of Cush empire
• Under Egyptian, Ethiopian, Turkish and British rule at various times
• 1956 gained independence from Britain
• 1978 oil discovered in Southern Sudan
• 1983 civil war and introduction of Islamic Sharia law
• 2003 government rebels instigated the ongoing conflict in Dafur in the
west of Sudan
• 2012 South Sudan became independent and agreement was drawn up
between the two countries

11. All this and pyramids too!
• Temples, tombs and pyramids are spread across five sites.
225 pyramids in Sudan - more than in Egypt.
• Omdurman camel market
• The Arab souk in Khartoum
• The dam at Jebel Aulia
• The Dinder National Park for a
wide range of wildlife
• The Red Sea for some of the best
diving to see coral reefs

12. • Find out how to find a Sudanese partner school
• Find out how to include a Sudan school in your UK –
Africa partnership
• Find out how to apply for a grant to develop your
partnership with a school in an eligible country
Connecting Classrooms - Sudan