African Members of FOCAC

　　Sudan

　　（Updated March 2018）

　　【Official Name】Republic of the Sudan

　　【Area】1.88 million k㎡

　　【Population】About 40.32 million (2015). The official languagesare Arabic and English. Most of the residents believe in Islam (Sunni).

　　【Capital】Khartoum, with a population of 7 million (in 2015)

　　【Head of State】President Omar Hassan Ahmed Al-Bashirwas elected Chairman of the Revolutionary Command Council for National Salvation in June 1989. He became President in October 1993, and was reelected five times in March 1996, December 2000, July 2005, April 2010 and April 2015.

　　【Holiday】Independence Day/ National Day (1 January); Revolution Day(30 June); Army Day (14 August)

　　【Climate and Geography】Located in the northeast of Africa and on the west bank of the Red Sea, Sudan borders Egypt in the north, Libya, Chad and Central Africa in the west, South Sudan in the south, Ethiopia and Eritrea in the east. It has the Red Sea on the northeast. Its coastline is about 720 kilometers long. The climate in Sudan varies a lot in different regions across the country, gradually transiting from tropical desert climate in the north to tropical rainforest climate in the south. The temperature in the hottest season reaches 50 ℃. The national average annual temperature is 21℃. Sudan is dry across the year withannual precipitation of less than 100 mm, Sudan is located in an ecological transitional zone, extremely vulnerable to climate disasters such as drought, flood and desertification.

　　【History】Sudan has a long historywith records of primitive tribes dating back to as early as 4,000 years ago. From 2,800 BC to 1,000 BC, it was part of Ancient Egypt. In 750 BC, Nubians established the Kingdom of Kush in Sudan. Sudan entered the Christian period from the 6th century. The Arabs conquered Sudan in the 13th century, and Islam spread rapidly. In the 15th century, the Islamic kingdoms of Funj and Fur appeared. In the 16th century, Sudan was incorporated into the sphere of influence of the Ottoman Turkish Empire. Britain began to expand into Sudan in the 1870s. In 1881, Sudanese religious leader Mohamed Ahmed led people to fight the British, and established the Mahdi Kingdom in 1885. In 1899, Sudan became the co-management country of Britain and Egypt. Autonomous government was established in 1953. On 1 January 1956, Sudan proclaimed independence and the Republic was established.