Government of National Unity (GNU) - the National Congress Party (NCP) and Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) formed a power-sharing government under the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA); the NCP, which came to power by military coup in 1989, is the majority partner; the agreement stipulates national elections in 2009
constitutional republic
Independence date
1 January 1956 (from Egypt and UK)
28 July 1821 (from Spain)
Religions
Sunni Muslim 70% (in north), Christian 5% (mostly in south and Khartoum), indigenous beliefs 25%
Roman Catholic 81%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.4%, other Christian 0.7%, other 0.6%, unspecified or none 16.3% (2003 est.)
Languages
Arabic (official), English (official), Nubian, Ta Bedawie, diverse dialects of Nilotic, Nilo-Hamitic, Sudanic languages note: program of "Arabization" in process
Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara, and a large number of minor Amazonian languages
Sudanese pounds (SDG) per US dollar - 2.1 (2008 est.), 2.06 (2007), 2.172 (2006), 2.4361 (2005), 2.5791 (2004) note: in October 2007 Sudan redenominated its currency by transforming 100 units of Sudanese dinar into one unit of Sudanese pound
nuevo sol (PEN) per US dollar - 2.9322 (2008 est.), 3.1731 (2007), 3.2742 (2006), 3.2958 (2005), 3.4132 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
3.000%
1.500%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
1
0
Location
Northern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Egypt and Eritrea
Western South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between Chile and Ecuador
Area
1,861,484 km sq
1,285,216 km sq
Coastline
853 km
2,414 km
Climate
tropical in south; arid desert in north; rainy season varies by region (April to November)
varies from tropical in east to dry desert in west; temperate to frigid in Andes
