Sudan (country)

G

Culture

The northern two thirds of Sudan is an area of Islamic culture, with pre-Islamic traditions in rural areas and European traditions in the towns. European culture and religion have also influenced the southern peoples, but traditional customs focused on cattle-keeping remained strong until the diaspora caused by the civil war.

The library of the University of Khartoum is noted for its African and Sudanese collection. Other libraries in Sudan include the Flinders Petrie Library, named after the British Egyptologist Sir Flinders Petrie, the Geological Research Authority Library, and the Sudan Medical Research Laboratories Library, all of which are in Khartoum. A major collection of historical documents is housed in the National Records Office, in Khartoum.

The Sudan National Museum, in Khartoum, has collections of ancient artefacts. The Khalifa’s House, in Omdurman, contains a collection of relics of the Mahdiya (see History below). Also of interest are the Sudan Natural History Museum and the Ethnographical Museum, both in Khartoum.

In 2003 the Gebel Barkal and the Sites of the Napatan Region were inscribed as new World Heritage Sites. The region includes several archaeological sites, within the Nile Valley, of the Napatan (900 to 270 bc) and Meroitic (270 bc to ad 350) cultures, of the second kingdom of Kush. Tombs, with and without pyramids, temples, living complexes, and palaces are also found on the site.

IV

Economy

In 2004 Sudan’s gross national product (World Bank estimate) was about US$18,718 million, equivalent to US$640 per capita. Agriculture continues to dominate the economy of Sudan. Economic growth was virtually nil between the mid-1960s and the late 1980s. In the 1990s, drought and civil war undermined the country’s efforts to restore growth or begin exploitation of oil reserves. Famine remains a constant threat, with food shortages widespread.

In 1992 the Revolutionary Command Council (RCC), which had pursued isolationist and anti-Western policies since seizing power in 1989, began talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on a programme to manage the country’s huge foreign debt, and introduced some economic reforms. In 1994 the IMF began proceedings to expel Sudan from the Fund, as its arrears had reached record levels. Sudan agreed to make payments on its arrears to the Fund and reduce state subsidies, and these measures were partly implemented in the mid-1990s. However, the country’s economy declined in the late 1990s, with its continuing isolation.

A

Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing

About 58 per cent of Sudan’s population derives its living from agriculture. Only about 7.2 per cent of the country’s land area is used for arable cultivation; large areas are used for seasonal grazing. The chief food crops include sorghum (durra), millet, wheat, rice, sesame, cassava, potatoes, beans, bananas, sugar cane, and groundnuts (peanuts). During the 1970s large-scale mechanized production of sorghum was introduced in eastern Sudan, in the area between the Blue Nile and Atbara rivers. Production increased hugely, particularly in 1994, enabling Sudan for a while to become an exporter of the grain, but at the cost of soil erosion, and increased desertification.

Cotton is Sudan’s leading cash crop; it is produced in large amounts in the Gezira region between the Blue and White Niles. The livestock population in 2005 included about 37 million poultry, 48 million sheep, 38.3 million cattle, 42 million goats, and 3.30 million camels.

The major forest product of Sudan is gum arabic, which is an ingredient in confectionery, perfumes, and processed food, and is an important export. In 1995 about 40,000 tonnes of gum arabic were produced, making Sudan the world’s leading producer. Other forestry products include beeswax, tannin, senna, and timber, especially mahogany. The annual production of timber in 1994 was about 9.1 million cu m (321 million cu ft), of which more than 90 per cent was used for household fuel. Fishing is carried out along the rivers and on the coast; the annual catch in 2004 amounted to approximately 60,600 tonnes.

B

Mining

Small amounts of chromium, manganese, and mica are produced. Other exploited minerals include gold, magnesite, and salt. Oil is produced in small amounts but is still largely unexploited.

C

Manufacturing

Sudanese manufacturing is still in the early stages of development and largely confined to the processing of agricultural products. Yarn, textile, and paper mills, and sugar and petroleum refineries were established between the 1950s and late 1970s; a number of factories also produce such consumer goods as cigarettes, soft drinks, and shoes and sandals. Construction materials such as cement are also manufactured.