Country Profile - SUDAN

General Information

Area: 2,505,813 sq km (967,500 sq miles).

Population: 31,095,000 (official estimate 2000).

Population Density: 12.4 per sq km.

Capital: Khartoum. Population: 947,483 (1993).

GEOGRAPHY: Sudan is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Ethiopia and Eritrea to the east, Kenya, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the south, the Central African Republic and Chad to the west, and Libya to the northwest. There is a marked difference between the climate, culture and geography of northern and southern Sudan. The far north consists of the contiguous Libyan and Nubian deserts which extend as far south as the capital, Khartoum, and are barren except for small areas beside the Nile River and a few scattered oases. This gives way to the central steppes which cover the country between 15°N and 10°N, a region of short, coarse grass and bushes, turning to open savannah towards the south, largely flat to the east but rising to two large plateaux in the west and south, the Janub Darfur (3088m/10,131ft) and Janub Kordofan (500m/1640ft) respectively. Most of Sudan’s agriculture occurs in these latitudes in a fertile pocket between the Blue and White Niles which meet at Khartoum. South of the steppes is a vast shallow basin traversed by the White Nile and its tributaries, with the Sudd, a 120,000 sq km (46,332 sq miles) marshland, in the centre. This gives way to equatorial forest towards the south, rising to jungle-clad mountains on the Ugandan border, the highest being Mount Kinyeti, at 3187m (10,456ft).

Government: Islamic Republic since 1986. Gained independence from the UK in 1956. Head of State and Government: President Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir since 1989.

Language: Arabic is the official language. English and many local dialects are widely spoken.

Religion: Muslim in the north; Christian and traditional Animist religions in the south.

Time: GMT + 2.

Electricity: 240 volts AC, 50Hz.

Communications:

Telephone: IDD is available. Country code: 249. Outgoing international calls must go through the operator.

Mobile telephone: GSM 900 network is operated by MobiTel (website: www.sdn-mobitel.com). Coverage is available in main towns.

Internet: ISPs include SudanNet (website: www.sudanet.net).

Telegram: The Central Telegraph Office is open at Khartoum (Gamma Avenue) 24 hours a day, including holidays.

Post: Post office hours: Sat-Thurs 0830-1200 and 1730-1830. Airmail to Europe takes up to 1 week.

Press: Press: The main dailies are Abbar al-Youm, Al-wan and Al-Rai al-Akhar. The Sudan Standard is an English-language daily. There are English-language magazines entitled New Horizons and Sudanow.

Radio: BBC World Service (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice) and Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov) can be received. From time to time the frequencies change and the most up-to-date can be found online.

Passport/Visa

Passport Required? Visa Required? Return Ticket Required?
British Yes Yes Yes
Australian Yes Yes Yes
Canadian Yes Yes Yes
USA Yes Yes Yes
OtherEU Yes Yes Yes
Japanese Yes Yes Yes

Restricted entry: The Sudanese authorities refuse entry and transit to nationals of Israel and holders of passports that contain visas for Israel (either valid or expired).

PASSPORTS: Passport valid for at least 6 months required by all.

VISAS: Required by all except:

(a) nationals of the Syrian Arab Republic resident in the Syrian Arab Republic;

(b) those continuing their journey by the same or first connecting aircraft within 6 hours, provided holding confirmed onward tickets and documents.

Types of visa and cost: Tourist, Business or Transit: US$50. Please note that if husband, wife and/or children are in one passport, the cost of the visa will be for one person only.

Validity: Tourist or Business: 3 months from the date of issue for visits of 8 days to 3 months. Transit: 1 to 7 days.

Visits may be extended through the Passport, Immigration and Nationality Office in Khartoum, Sudan.

Application to: Consular section at Embassy; see Contact Addresses section.

Application requirements: (a) One completed application form (if applying for a transit visa, the country of destination after Sudan should be indicated, together with the anticipated date of arrival and departure from Sudan). (b) One passport-size photo. (c) Fee, payable by cash, postal money order, cashier’s cheque or company cheque only. (d) Letter or invitation from contact in Sudan.* (e) Passport valid for 6 months from date of entry, with no Israeli visas or immigration stamps affixed (if applying for a transit visa, applicant’s passport should be duly endorsed for permission to enter the next country of destination after Sudan). (f) Cholera and yellow fever vaccinations are recommended. (g) A self-addressed envelope, if applicable. (h) Authentic documents from the travel agent proving reservations for a return ticket or a bank statement confirming financial capability for the trip or if travelling on business, a letter of invitation from the sponsoring company stating purpose of trip, duration of stay, financial responsibility and references in Sudan.

Note: *It is advisable that all business visitors have an invitation letter/fax from the Sudanese government when applying for a visa. A private company inviting an individual to work in Sudan needs to photocopy the first page of their passport and apply on their behalf with it to the Interior Ministry for initial approval. International Organisations need to get approval from the Foreign Affairs Ministry in Sudan. Contact the Consular section at Embassy for further information; see Contact Addresses section.

Working days required: At least 3 to 4 weeks.

Temporary residence: Enquire at Embassy.

Note: Special permits are required for all travel outside Khartoum. These can be obtained from the Passport and Immigration Office, Ministry of Interior, Khartoum. Travellers staying in Sudan for longer than 3 days must report to the police.

Money

Currency: Sudanese Dinar (sD) = 10 Sudanese Pounds; 1 Sudanese Pound = 100 piastres. Notes are in denominations of sD1000, 500, 100, 50, 10 and 5. There are also a number of commemorative coins in circulation.

Currency exchange: Currency should be exchanged only at official bureaux de change and banks, and receipts should be retained. There are severe penalties for changing money on the black market.

Credit & debit cards: American Express is widely accepted; Diners Club and MasterCard have more limited use. Check with your credit or debit card company for merchant acceptability and other services which may be available.

Travellers cheques: These are generally not recommended but should be in a major currency.

Exchange rate indicators: The following figures are included as a guide to the movements of the Sudanese Dinar against Sterling and the US Dollar:

Date Aug ’03 Nov ’03 Feb ’04 May ’04
£1.00= 413.80 442.10 474.08 463.23
$1.00= 259.40 260.53 260.45 259.35

Note: The Sudanese Dinar is pegged to the Libyan Dinar. Exchange rates are liable to change significantly and rapidly. There is a black market with a premium of around 5000 per cent over the official rate.

Currency restrictions: The import and export of local currency is prohibited. The import and export of foreign currency is unlimited, subject to declaration.

Banking hours: Sat-Thurs 0830-1200.

Duty Free

Duty-Free: The following items may be imported into Sudan by visitors over 20 years of age without incurring customs duty:

200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 450g of tobacco; a reasonable amount of perfume and eau de toilette for personal use; a reasonable amount of gifts.

Prohibited items: The import of goods from Israel and South Africa is prohibited. Sudan also adheres to the list of prohibited goods drawn up by the Arab League and these include alcoholic beverages. Fresh fruit and vegetables and blank pro-forma invoices may not be imported.

Public Holidays

Public Holidays: Jan 1 2004 Independence Day. Feb 2 Eid al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice). Feb 22 Islamic New Year. Mar 3 National Unity Day. Apr 6 Uprising Day. May 2 Al-Mowlid Al Nabawi (Birth of the Prophet). May 25 May Revolution Anniversary. Jun 30 Revolution Day. Nov 14-16 Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan). Dec 25 Christmas Day. Jan 1 2005 Independence Day. Jan 21 Eid al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice). Feb 10 Islamic New Year. Mar 3 National Unity Day. Apr 6 Uprising Day. Apr 21 Al-Mowlid Al Nabawi (Birth of the Prophet). May 25 May Revolution Anniversary. Jun 30 Revolution Day. Nov 3-5 Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan). Dec 25 Christmas Day.

Note: Muslim festivals are timed according to local sightings of various phases of the moon and the dates given above are approximations. During the lunar month of Ramadan that precedes Eid al-Fitr, Muslims fast during the day and feast at night and normal business patterns may be interrupted. Many restaurants are closed during the day and there may be restrictions on smoking and drinking. Some disruption may continue into Eid al-Fitr itself. Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha may last anything from 2 to 10 days, depending on the region. For more information, see the World of Islam appendix.

Health

Special Precautions Certificate Required?
Yellow Fever Yes 1
Cholera 2 No
Typhoid and Polio 3 N/A
Malaria 4 N/A

1: The risk of yellow fever is primarily in the equatorial south. A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers over 1 year of age arriving within 6 days from infected areas, and may be required from travellers leaving Sudan. Those countries and areas formerly classified as endemic zones are considered by the Sudanese authorities to be infected areas. Travellers arriving from non-endemic zones should note that vaccination is strongly recommended for travel outside the urban areas, even if an outbreak of the disease has not been reported and they would normally not require a vaccination certificate to enter the country.

2: Following WHO guidelines issued in 1973, a cholera vaccination certificate is no longer a condition of entry to Sudan. However, cholera is a serious risk in the country and precautions are essential. Up-to-date advice should be sought before deciding whether these precautions should include vaccination as medical opinion is divided over its effectiveness; see the Health appendix.

3: Vaccination against typhoid is advised.

4: Malaria risk, predominantly in the malignant falciparum form, exists throughout the year throughout the country. In the north, the risk is seasonal and low. High resistance to chloroquine and resistance to sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine has been reported. The recommended prophylaxis is mefloquine.

Food & drink: All water should be regarded as a potential health risk. Water used for drinking, brushing teeth or making ice should have first been boiled or otherwise sterilised. Milk is unpasteurised and should be boiled. Avoid dairy products which are likely to have been made from unboiled milk. Only eat well-cooked meat and fish, preferably served hot. Pork, salad and mayonnaise may carry increased risk. Vegetables should be cooked and fruit peeled.

Other risks: Bilharzia (schistosomiasis) is present. Avoid swimming and paddling in fresh water; swimming pools which are well chlorinated and maintained are safe. Visceral leishmaniasis is currently epidemic in eastern and southern Sudan. Vaccination is strongly recommended. The disease is transferred through sandflies which live mainly on river banks and in wooded areas.

The transmission rate of trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) is high, with a significant risk of infection for travellers visiting rural areas in the south of the country. Hepatitis A, B and E, diphtheria and meningococcal meningitis are also present. Dracunculiasis is prevalent in the south.

Rabies is present. For those at high risk, vaccination before arrival should be considered. If you are bitten, seek medical advice without delay. For more information, consult the Health appendix.

Health care: Medical treatment may be free at certain establishments but health insurance is essential and should include cover for emergency repatriation. Medical facilities are very limited, particularly outside Khartoum.

Travel – International

Note: Travel to the Eritrean border/Kassala area is not advised at present; southern Sudan should also be avoided except on essential business or if engaged in relief work. For further advice, contact a local government travel advice department.

AIR: The national airline is Sudan Airways (SD). Other airlines serving Sudan include Lufthansa and Syrian Arab Airlines.

Approximate flight times: From Khartoum to London is 8 hours, including stopover.

International airports: Khartoum (KRT) (Civil) is 4km (2.5 miles) southeast of the city. Airport facilities include restaurants and duty-free shops. Taxi services are available.

Departure tax: US$20 (Sudanese nationals may pay in local currency). Transit passengers are exempt.

SEA: The only sea ports are Port Sudan and Suakin on the Red Sea. Piracy has been reported in the area.

RIVER: There are car ferries from Aswan in Egypt to Wadi Halfa.

RAIL: Rail links run from Cairo (Egypt) to Aswan High Dam and then by riverboat to Wadi Halfa.

ROAD: Entry to Sudan by road is at present only possible at Wadi Halfa on the Egypt/Sudan border.

Travel – Internal

Note: Travel outside of Khartoum is restricted; see Passport/Visa section.

AIR: Sudan Airways (SD) runs services to 20 airports, including Dongola, Juba, El Obeid and Port Sudan. The most reliable route is Port Sudan to Khartoum. There is also an air-taxi service operating twice weekly to Nyala, available from Khartoum.

Departure tax: sD600.

RIVER: River steamers serve all towns on the Nile but conditions are mostly unsuitable for tourist travel. Services depend on fluctuating water levels. It is wise to take food and water. Destinations include Dongola, Karima, Kosti and Juba. A 320km (200 mile) navigable canal, the Jonglei, is under construction in the south.

RAIL: Sudan has an extensive rail network (5500km/3418 miles) but the service is in bad repair, extremely slow and uncomfortable. Travelling first class is advisable; second- and third-class compartments can get very crowded. Sleeping cars are available on main routes from Khartoum to Wau/Nyala, Khartoum to Kassala/Wadi Halfa and Port Sudan to Khartoum. There are a few air conditioned carriages, for which a supplement is charged.

ROAD: Only major roads are asphalted; road conditions are poor outside towns, roads to the north are often closed during the rainy season (July to September) and street lights are non-existent. Owing to the bad conditions, a full set of spare parts should be carried for long journeys. Vehicles must be in good working condition. Traffic drives on the right. Bus: Services run between the main towns and depart from the market places; however they are not entirely safe. Souk (market) lorries are a cheap but uncomfortable method of transport. Taxi: Also often unsafe, taxis can be found at ranks or hailed in the street. Taxis are not metered, fares must be agreed in advance. Car hire: Available in the main towns and at major hotels but charges are high. Documentation: Carnet de Passage, adequate finance and roadworthiness certificate (from the Embassy) are all needed. An International Driving Permit is recommended, although not legally required. A temporary driving licence is available from local police on presentation of a valid British or Northern Ireland driving licence. Women are allowed to drive in Sudan.

URBAN: Publicly operated bus services in Khartoum have of late become unreliable and irregular which has led to the proliferation of private bakassi minibuses, nicknamed boks. They pick up and set down with no fixed stops. These operations are on the fringes of legality and should be used with care.

Accommodation

HOTELS: Accommodation is scarce outside Khartoum and Port Sudan. Khartoum has around 10 major hotels, including some of international standard, and Port Sudan also has several. There are a few smaller hotels in the main towns and several hostels.

YOUTH HOSTELS: Contact the Youth Hostels Association, PO Box 1705, House no. 66, Street no. 47, Khartoum East (tel: (11) 722 087; fax: (11) 780 308).

Sport & Activities

Note: Civil war and political instability prevent travellers from undertaking these activities at present.

General: There is normally great scope for watersports on the Red Sea coast, including swimming, diving on coral reefs and fishing for barracuda, sharks and grey cod. Wildlife enthusiasts may head to the Dinder National Park while visitors interested in archaeology will find much of interest in the region north of Khartoum (see Resorts & Excursions section).

Social Profile

Food & Drink: The staple diet is fool, a type of bean, and dura, cooked maize or millet, which are eaten with various vegetables. The hotel restaurants in Khartoum and Port Sudan serve international cuisine and there are a few Greek and Middle Eastern restaurants. If invited to a Sudanese home, more exotic food will usually be served. Alcohol is banned by the Islamic Sharia code.

Nightlife: The best entertainment is found in Khartoum and Omdurman, with the national theatre, music hall, cinemas, open-air and hotel entertainment.

Shopping: The souk has stalls selling food, local crafts, spices, jewellery and silver. Special purchases include basketwork, ebony, gold and silver and assorted handicrafts. Visitors must not buy cheetah skins: the killing of cheetahs is prohibited and they are a protected species under the World Wildlife Act. Shopping hours: Sat-Thurs 0800-1330 and 1730-2000.

Special Events: Events celebrated in Sudan are always Muslim feasts and holy days. The following is a selection of special events celebrated annually in Sudan:
Feb Eid al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice). Oct-Nov Ramadan. Nov Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan).

Social Conventions: In the north, Arab culture predominates, while the people in the more fertile south belong to many diverse tribes, each with their own lifestyle and beliefs. Because Sudan is largely Muslim, women should not wear revealing clothing. At official and social functions as well as in some restaurants, formal clothes are expected. The Sudanese have a great reputation for hospitality. A curfew operates in major cities from 0000-0400. Photography: There are many restrictions on photography: a photography permit can be obtained from the tourist office in Khartoum. Tipping: Not customary.

Business Profile

Economy: Once described as the bread basket of the Arab world, Sudan is a country of high, though largely unrealised, economic potential which is presently crippled by civil war, a foreign debt of around US$15 billion, and climatic effects which have brought both drought and flooding. Agriculture employs most of the workforce, producing cotton – the major export, wheat, groundnuts, sorghum and sugar cane. Production of gum arabic, once an important product, has declined through the introduction of synthetic substitutes and increasing competition, particularly from West Africa. Livestock breeding has suffered from persistent drought.
The manufacturing sector concentrates on processing the country’s agricultural output – sugar, for example – and the production of textiles, cement and some consumer goods. There are some mineral deposits including marble, mica, chromite, gypsum and gold. There are also some onshore oil deposits: located in the mid-1990s, these came on stream in 1999 and have been of some help in easing Sudan’s chronic power shortages. The government has announced a major dam project on the Nile and a new oil refinery which are intended to meet both electricity demand and the urgent need for planned water distribution.
Ultimately, Sudan relies on foreign aid to sustain its economy. Natural phenomena, compounded by the effects of the two-decade-long civil war, have made this more pressing than usual since 2000, as Sudan has needed two large injections of emergency food aid to stave off mass famine. Relations with the IMF have been rocky – Sudan was almost thrown out in the mid-1990s – but the Fund is now providing some financial support in exchange for a standard economic reform programme. Elsewhere, while the political posture of Sudan’s Islamic government has alienated Western governments, it can still rely on support from wealthy Arab states, notably Saudi Arabia. Nonetheless, the Islamic government’s economic programme has successfully achieved its principal targets of 5 to 6 per cent annual growth and inflation of below 5 per cent. Saudi Arabia is the largest exporter to Sudan, and is also a major recipient of Sudanese exports along with Egypt, Italy and Japan.

Business: Businessmen should wear a lightweight suit. Visiting businesspeople should respect Muslim customs. It should be clearly stated in advance if the visitor is female. English is widely spoken in business circles although knowledge of a few words of Arabic will be well received. Punctuality is less important than patience and politeness. Personal introductions are an advantage; business cards should have an Arabic translation on the reverse. Office hours: Sat-Thurs 0800-1430.

Commercial Information: The following organisations can offer advice: Sudan Development Corporation (SDC), PO Box 710, 21 al-Amarat, Khartoum (tel: (11) 472 186 or 472 195; fax: (11) 472 148); or Sudan Chamber of Commerce, PO Box 81, Gamhoria Street, Khartoum 11114 (tel: (11) 772 346 or 776 518; fax: (11) 780 748; e-mail: chamber@sudanchamber.org; website: www.sudanchamber.org).

Climate

Climate: Extremely hot (less so November to March). Sandstorms blow across the Sahara from April to September. In the extreme north, there is little rain but the central region has some rainfall from July to August. The southern region has much higher rainfall, the wet season lasting May to October. Summers are very hot throughout the country, whilst winters are cooler in the north.

Required clothing: Tropical clothes all year, warmer clothes for cool mornings and evenings (especially in the desert).