32.6 million (2002), 63.5 million (2050)

Mainly Arab and Nubian in the north and Nilotic in the south.

Muslims about 70 percent, animists 25 percent, Christians five percent.

The north has a desert climate where rainfall is rare, daytime temperatures are very high and cooler winter months have nightly temperatures low enough for occasional frost. The rainy season almost everywhere is between April and October.

Pound

GMT +2

2004: Jan 1, Feb 2*, 22, April 6, 12, May 2*, June 30, Nov 14*, Dec 25.
(*Dates of Islamic holidays are determined by sightings of the moon, and may differ slightly from those given.)

240V AC 50Hz

Passport required. Visas required by all except Arab nationals. Israeli passport holders are banned.

International Driving Permit recommended. Temporary licence available from local authorities on presentation of UK licence.

A yellow fever certificate is required if arriving from or via infected areas. Hepatitis A, malaria, polio, tetanus, typhoid and yellow fever are present. Diphtheria, meningitis and hepatitis B are also present.

65 per 1,000 live births (2001)

550 per 100,000 live births (1985-2001)

54.0 years male, 56.9 years female (2001)

30.0 percent male, 52.3 percent female (2001)

0-49 percent (access to essential drugs) (1999)

75 percent (access to an improved water source) (2000)

0.503 (2001)

$3.5 billion. (estimated) (2002)

$419 (2002)

5.2 percent (2002)

5.0 percent. (2002)

$15.9 billion (2001)

$480 million (estimated) (2003)

$665 million (estimated) (2002)

104,500 active forces (estimated)

100,000 active forces (estimated) with 200 main battle tanks and 70 light tanks

1,500 forces (estimated) with six patrol and coastal combat vessels

3,000 forces including Air Defence with estimated 27+ combat aircraft and 10 armed helicopters

Up to 30 amred groups, the most important of which is the Sudan People's Liberation Army, estimated to have between 6,000 and 30,000 fighters. Others include the Justice and Equality Movement, Sudan Liberation Army, National Democratic Alliance, Sudan Alliance Forces, Beja Congress Forces and New Sudan Brigade

Khartoum International Airport is 4 km southeast of the capital.

Sudan Airways Co. Ltd. operates internal flights and international services to Africa, the Middle East and Europe.

The total length of railway in operation in 2000 was 5,901 route-km. The main line runs from Wadi Halfa, on the Egyptian border, to al-Obeid, via Khartoum. Lines from Atbara and Simnar connect with Port Sudan. There are lines from Simnar to Damazine on the Blue Nile (22km) and from Aradeiba to Nyala in the southwestern province of Darfur (689 km), with a 445-km branch from Babanousa to Wau in Bahr al-Ghazal province.

Roads in Northern Sudan, other than town roads, are often impassable immediately after rain. Motor traffic on roads in the former Upper Nile province is limited to the drier months of January to May. There are several good gravelled roads in Equitorial and Bahr al-Ghazal provinces, which are passable all the year, but some of the minor roads in these districts become impassable after rain. Rehabilitation of communications in Southern Sudan was hampered by war.

453,000 main telephone lines in use (2001); 105,000 mobile cellular telephone subscribers (2001)

The total length of navigable waterways served by passenger and freight services is 4,068 km, of which about 1,723 km is open all year. From the Egyptian border to Wadi Halfa and Khartoum navigation is limited by cataracts to short stretches but the White Nile from Khartum to Juba is almost always navigable.