Country Profile: Sudan

Sudan is an amazing country to live in as it is one of the largest and most geographically diverse countries in Africa. The River Nile runs through the country and divides the country from east to whilst the mountain ranges divide the deserts of the north from the swamps and rain forests of the south. With over 300 tribes, Sudan is ethnically diverse with the mainly Muslim and and Arabic-speaking north often at odds with the Christian and Animist south. Two rounds of north-south civil war cost the lives of 1.5 million people, and a continuing conflict in the western region of Darfur has driven two million people from their homes and killed more than 200,000.

Yet Sudan remains an extremely warm and hospitable country. You will be welcomed to homes to have a meal, drink tea/coffee or just to have a chat. In the past 10 years, due to the oil boom and foreign investment, Sudan has experienced a mini economic boom which has developed Khartoum, the capital. Inhabitants of Khartoum have experienced many social, economic and technological developments in the past 10 years leading to a more comfortable life. Just taking a bus from the North-South, East-West routes f Khartoum, you will see apartment blocks to mud houses and gated communities to internal displaced camps. However, the rest of Sudan suffers from arrested development due to war, famine, disease, poverty, corruption and tribal violence. Every day one faces street children, disabled persons, refugees, human trafficking, displaced peoples and villagers in great need. The gap between the very rich and poor has grown over the past 10 years. We have poor people dying of thirst and rich people dying of diabetes, children dying from lack of food and obese children overfed from pizza, soda and sweets.

There are many opportunities to help rebuild Sudan in the areas of construction, engineering, micro-enterprise, micro-financing, education, health, medical, agricultural, vocational training and manufacturing. Alongside the many relief groups, NGOs and UN which have spent many years of socio-economic development there are many new areas for entrepreneurs and tent makers.

Sudan is at the cross roads of a new vision and reformation. The North/South Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), signed in January 2005, granted the southern rebels autonomy for six years after which a referendum for independence is scheduled to be held in January 2011. The recent national elections re-elected Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR (since 16 October 1993) as President of Sudan to form a new government. The Church remains embattled as it fights the love of money, poverty, disease, injustice and corruption. Many Sudanese Christians are praying for a new movement of the Holy Spirit throughout the land that the gospel will spread to every people group. In this country close to 50 million people, many are seeking for a better life, looking for hope, joy and peace. Join with us and pray that God will reveal Himself in these last days where He is doing a new thing in this beautiful country He created for His purpose.

Statistics
Capital City: Khartoum
Population: 42 million
Internally Displaced People: 6.2 million
Refugees: approx 250,000
Languages: Arabic, English, over 134 Sudanese ethnic languages
Religion: Muslim (70%) Christian (5%) Tribal (25%)
Unreached people groups: More than 94 UPG, over 300 tribes
Weather: 40°C year-round
Currency: Sudanese Pound