Sudan

Map

 

Leader

 

President: Omar Bashir

Omar Bashir came to power in a coup and faces war crimes charges

Omar Hassan al-Bashir came to power in a military coup in 1989 and has ruled with an iron fist ever since.

Mr Bashir faces two international arrest warrants - issued by the International Criminal Court in The Hague - on charges of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. The charges relate to the conflict in the western Darfur, where thousands of people died of violence, disease and displacement during the fighting between government and rebel forces.

Travel

Visa & travel advice

British nationals need a visa to visit Sudan. Apply before you travel to the Sudanese Embassy in London.

You should register with the Aliens Department at the Ministry of Interior within 3 days of your arrival in the country. You will need two passport size photos. The fee is the Sudanese Pound equivalent of around £35. If you don’t register within 3 days of arrival, you may be fined and you will need to get an exit visa at the airport to leave the country. You must get a permit before travelling outside of Khartoum.

Previous travel to Israel

If your passport has an Israeli visa or Israeli entry/exit stamps you will not be allowed to enter Sudan.

Yellow fever

Yellow Fever vaccination is required for travellers arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission.

Passport validity

Your passport should be valid for a minimum period of 6 months from the date of entry into Sudan.

• Best period

Eid Al-Fitr occurs right after Ramadan; that is probably the best time to go to Sudan to enjoy music and cultural events.

The weather in Sudan is typically very hot. The rainy season lasts from May until October. Sandstorms can occur during the dry period, from April until September, so plan accordingly.

• Safety

Concerned about your safety as you plan travel to Sudan? We at Africa.com, together with our friends, family and colleagues, travel extensively throughout the continent. Here are the resources we consult when thinking of our safety in Sudan:

UK Government Sudan Travel Advice Guidance

Africa.com comment: Very timely and frequently updated. Perspective assumes that you ARE going to travel to Sudan, and seeks to give you good guidance so that you understand the risks and are well informed.

• Mo Ibrahim Personal Safety & Rule of Law Score for Sudan

Africa.com comment: An annual ranking of the 54 African countries based on their relative personal security as determined by a highly qualified staff of an African foundation, funded by a successful African philanthropist. See where Sudan ranks relative to the other 54 nations in Africa.

• U.S. State Department Travel Advisory on Sudan

Africa.com comment: Can sometimes be considered as overly conservative and discourage travel altogether to destinations that many reasonable people find acceptably secure. On the other hand, they have the resources of the CIA to inform them, so they know things that the rest of us don’t know. See what they have to say about Sudan.

 

History

His article covers the history of the territory which is today part of the Republic of Sudan. The term "Sudan" derives from the Arabic bilād as-sūdān "land of the black peoples",[1][2] and is used more loosely of West and Central Africa in general, especially the Sahel region.

The modern Republic of Sudan was formed in 1956 and inherited its boundaries from Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, established 1899. For times predating 1899, usage of the term "Sudan" for the territory of the Republic of Sudan is somewhat anachronistic, and may also refer to the more diffuse concept of the Sudan region.

The early history of what is now northern Sudan, along the Nile River, known as the Kingdom of Kush, is intertwined with the history of ancient Egypt, with which it was united politically over several periods. By virtue of its proximity to Egypt, the Sudan participated in the wider history of the Near East inasmuch as it was Christianized by the 6th century, and Islamized in the 7th. As a result of Christianization, the Old Nubian language stands as the oldest recorded Nilo-Saharan language (earliest records dating to the 9th century).

Since its independence in 1956, the history of Sudan has been plagued by internal conflict, viz. the First Sudanese Civil War (1955-1972), the Second Sudanese Civil War (1983-2005), culminating in the secession of South Sudan on 9 July 2011, and the War in Darfur (2003-2010).

Arts & Culture

• Literature

Literature today is largely written in the Arabic language,^[2] but certain genres also in other local languages, such as poetry in the Fur language.^[3] Both written literature, and oral tradition, such as folklore are found. At the beginning of the 20th century, there was a trend of transcribing spoken tales.^[4]

Among the types of stories from oral tradition are the "Ahaji" tales and the "Madih", or praise tales. The first kind generally have a mythological character, El-Nour writes that, "they invariably have happy endings and are full of fanciful scenes and superstitions that describe the magic powers of genies and ogres".^[5] The second kind of tales have a more religious overtone, relating to praising Muhammad, and are generally more popular in the north of the country.

• Music

Sudan has a rich and unique musical culture that has been through chronic instability and repression during the modern history of Sudan. Beginning with the imposition of strict sharia law in 1989, many of the country's most prominent poets, like Mahjoub Sharif, were imprisoned while others, like Mohammed el Amin (returned to Sudan in the mid 1990s) and Mohammed Wardi(returned to Sudan 2003), fled to Cairo. Traditional music suffered too, with traditional Zār ceremonies being interrupted and drums confiscated ^[1]. At the same time, however, the European militaries contributed to the development of Sudanese music by introducing new instruments and styles; military bands, especially the Scottish bagpipes, were renowned, and set traditional music to military march music. The march March Shulkawi No 1, is an example, set to the sounds of the Shilluk.

• Famous places

The Pyramids of Meroe

 

 Pyramids of Gebel Barkal, Sudan

 

 Suakin Port