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
Independence date
4 June 1970 (from UK protectorate)
1 January 1956 (from Egypt and UK)
Religions
Christian (Free Wesleyan Church claims over 30,000 adherents)
Sunni Muslim 70% (in north), Christian 5% (mostly in south and Khartoum), indigenous beliefs 25%
Languages
Tongan, English
Arabic (official), English (official), Nubian, Ta Bedawie, diverse dialects of Nilotic, Nilo-Hamitic, Sudanic languages note: program of "Arabization" in process
pa'anga (TOP) per US dollar - NA (2007), 2.0277 (2006), 1.96 (2005), 1.9716 (2004), 2.142 (2003)
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
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
0.900%
3.000%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
0
1
Location
Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
Northern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Egypt and Eritrea
Area
747 km sq
1,861,484 km sq
Coastline
419 km
853 km
Climate
tropical; modified by trade winds; warm season (December to May), cool season (May to December)
tropical in south; arid desert in north; rainy season varies by region (April to November)
