Embassy of the Sudan in Geneva

Basic Facts
The Geographical Location:
Sudan is located in the north eastern part of Africa Continent between latitudes 04 and22 degrees north of the Equator and longitudes 22 and 38 east. It occupies a central locationbetween Africa and the Arab World.(links to Google maps)
Neighbouring countries:
Sudan borders ten countries, namely Egypt, Libya, Chad, Central Africa Republic, Democratic Congo,Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia across the Red Sea.
Area:
The area of Sudan is 2.5 million square kilometers (about one million square miles).The Nile is the dominant geographical feature of Sudan as around 70% of the area of the country is situated with the Nile River catchment. The Blue Nile and the White Nile originating, respectively, in the Ethiopian highlands and the Equatorial lakes, join in Khartoum to form the Nile River which flows to Egypt. Climate:Sudan lies within the African tropical zone. Its climate varies from equatorial in its most southern parts, Savanna in the centre, and continental in the northern parts.

* Population:

Sudan has an estimated population of 42 million. It has an annual population growth rate of 2.7%. It also has a population density of 14 persons per square kilometre. The Urban constitutes 24.6% of the total number of population. The population of Sudan comprises of Arab, African and Nubian origins.

* Religion:

The majority of the Sudanese are Muslims, a portion of the population is Christian, and Customary Creeds have considerable followers.

* Language:

Arabic, English, and local languages and dialects.

* Form of Government:

Sudan is a federal union of 26 states with its capital at Khartoum. It is governed at three levels: federal, state and district. The country is ruled by a presidential system and a parliament based on free elections and a multi-party system.

Major Towns
Khartoum,the capital

Khartoum
The political capital, Omdurman, known as the national capital and it houses the buildings of the national Radio and TV along with the premises of the National Legislative Body with its two houses ( the National Assembly and the Council of States), and Khartoum North, which is considered as the industrial capital.

Juba



Is a city in Sudan, the regional capital of Southern Sudan and the capital of the Sudanese state of Central Equatoria
Religion in Jubah:Southern Sudanese practice traditional beliefs and Christianity. Christianity accounts for almost 50% of the religion of Southern Sudan, mostly Catholic and Anglican, while other smaller denominations also are active.
Language in Jubah:The official language is both English and Juba-Arabic, along with various local dialects in states or cities.

* Other major towns include Port Sudan, the main sea harbour of the country, besides Wad Medani, Kassla, Dongola, Kosfi, Sinnar, El-Fashir, Genaina, Juba, Malakal, Wau, Neyala, Ed-Damer, Wadi Halfa, Gadarif, Damazin, Obeid, Kadugli and Shendi.

* Ports:

They include Port Sudan, Osman Digna Port and Bashayer port for oil exports on the Red Sea.There is also Wadi Halfa river port on Sudan's border with Egypt and Kosti River port in central Sudan besides Malakal port in Southern Sudan.

* Airports:

There are a number of international airports in the country, top of them is Khartoum Airport besides Airports of Port Sudan, Dongola, El-Fashir, El-Obeid, Neyala, Juba, Malakal, Kassala, Kadugli and Genaina.This is beside nine local airports in each of Damazin, Wau, Wadi Halfa, Daba, Merawi, Atbara, Dhein ,Jubah and Muglad. There are
also some 63 airstrips.

* Time Zone: Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) + two hours.

Office Hours: Government circles and banks open at 7:30 a.m. and close down at 2:30 p.m - from Saturday through Thursday. Friday is the official weekly holiday.

* Banking Hours:
Banks transact business from 8 in the morning until 12:30 in the afternoon.Shopping and Commercial Centres: Shopping and commercial centres usually open at 8 in the morning and close at 3 p.m. They re-open from 5-9 p.m.

* Currency

The new national currency – the Sudanese Pound – was launched on the 9th of January 2007.This represented an important event in the implementation of the CPA. First and foremost, it is an important symbolic measure of change, but it also corrects the current situation where as many as six currencies are legal tender. Particularly in the Southern Sudan the new currency will benefit economic development. Norway has taken the lead among donors to mobilize international support. The IMF is providing technical assistance.

* Weights and Measures:
The metric system (metre, kilogram etc) is widely used. The feddan is the customary unit of land measurement. One feddan = 4,200 sq.m. = 1.038 acre = 0.42 hectare.

* Emblem & Flag:
Emblem:

The emblem of Sudan demonstrates the picture of the "Secretary Bird" with the wing spread upward. There is a frame linking the two wings of the strong bird and the phrase "Victory is for us" written on it.

The Flag:
It is composed of three rectangular strips of Red, White and Black colours (from up downward). There is a green triangle in the part near the staff .
The red colour depicts the struggle,white colour stands as a token for peace and optimism while black colour represents the Mahdist state which has been widely considered by Sudanese people as a nucleus of the modern Sudan.

Hotels
* Burjalfateh
http://www.burjalfateh.com/baf/home.aspx

* Grand Holiday Villa Hotel
http://www.holidayvillakhartoum.com/

*Hotel Palace
http://www.hotelpalace-sd.com/english/index.htm

*Al Salam Rotana - Khartoum
http://www.rotana.com/clubrotana-14-6-5.htm