SUDAN- THE FRIENDLY NATION
Sudan, the largest country of Africa and the Arab world has now recently picked up to be a tourist destination. It is situated in the north east part of the continent Africa bordering Egypt, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Chad, Central African Republic, Libya and Red Sea. The river Nile divides the country in eastern and western parts. Although it is one of the least visited countries of Africa, but some visitors come here to admire the deserts and its beauty in solitude without any rush of other tourists nearby. This makes it invariably significant along with the welcoming Sudanese who are considered to be the most hospitable and friendly people on earth.
The civilization of Sudan is one of the oldest in the world dating back to 3000 BC. The people of Sudan have a long history entwined with that of Egypt with which it was united in the past. The country was called the kingdom of Nubia under the Egypt rule. But the British conquered Egypt in 1882 and took over Sudan in 1898 calling it Anglo-Egyptian Sudan till 1955. However, Sudan gained independence in 1956 from United Kingdom and has suffered many civil wars after that destroying its economy and infrastructure. But peace is being developed now as Sudan has become a member of the United Nations along with other memberships of NAM, African Union and many more.
GEOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE
Sudan is tenth largest country in the world. Most of the terrain consists of flat plains broken by many mountain ranges. The north of Sudan is mostly dry and is home to Nubian Desert whereas there are swamps and rainforests in the southern part due to considerable rainfall in the south. The dry regions experience the sandstorms called haboob which can block the sun completely. Rainfall in the northern part is only from July to September where as the south experiences it for good six months from April to November. It is also rainy at the Red Sea Coast from October to December. Travellers must carry rainwear prior to travelling to this country.
ECONOMY
The economy of Sudan is one of the fastest growing in the world. The currency is Sudanese Dinar and ATMs work only with the local accounts. Sudan has achieved massive economic growth by implementing macroeconomic reforms recommended by the IMF and ending the civil war. The country is rich in many mineral resources like gold, silver, petroleum, natural gas, zinc, copper, lead, uranium and many more. The discovery of oil has led to rapid production and today the major export of Sudan is oil bringing in high revenues and giving a boom to Sudanese economy. Agriculture is the main occupation employing 80% of the population and contributing 39% of GDP but farmers are mainly dependent on the rains for water to the crops. The Merowe Dam situated on River Nile has also contributed a lot to the economy with its great production of hydroelectricity.
PEOPLE AND CULTURE
There are two main groups in Sudan: the Muslim Sudanese residing in north and having Arab and Nubian roots and the Christian and animist Nilotes in the south. These groups further consist of hundreds of smaller ethnic and tribal divisions each having its own distinct language. Due to its past links with Arab, there is a dominant influence of Arab language and culture. Majority of the population is Muslim thus, Arabic is the main language in the north, east, west and the middle regions along with some other local languages. English is common among the educated class and is widely used for business and commerce hence making Arabic and English as the official languages. The south mainly consists of rural population and is the most war affected area. Here mostly people practice traditional indigenous beliefs and Christianity is dominant as a result of the efforts of the Christian missionaries. Amongst the tribes, Dinka is the largest Black African ethnic group of Sudan.Â
The culture of Sudan is diverse as it is one of the most ethnically diverse countries of the world. The Sudanese music has retained a vibrant folk tradition although the imposition of the strict sharia law has destroyed most of the music culture. Soccer is the main sport of the people here. Their traditional dress is jalabia being an Islamic country which is a loose fitting dress with a scarf worn by both men and women.Â
KHARTOUM
Khartoum is one of the most modern cities of Central Africa with high buildings, paved roads and other good services. It is located at the beautiful location where the two Niles meet. The people living here are very friendly and hospitable making this one of the safest cities of Africa. Tourists must have a halt here for shopping in the special Omdurman camel market and the Arab souk. They can buy the local crafts, spices, jewellery and silver from the stalls at the souk here. There is also a good collection of Sudanese handicrafts and basketwork. Tourists can visit the National Museum housing archaeological treasures dating back to 4000 BC and know the rich history of the country. Khalifa’s House Museum can also be visited to know about the more recent history of Sudan. For entertainment, there are cinemas, music hall and a national theatre in Khartoum along with some open air hotel entertainment.
ATTRACTIONS
• Dinder National Park
This is one of the largest national parks in the world housing a variety of rare species including lion, leopard, bushbuck, giraffe and kudu. There are also many birds found here like stork, kingfisher, vulture, pelican and the beautiful crown crane. Tourists can through special three day trips organised by travel agencies in Khartoum.• Begrawiya
Visitors can view here the best preserved pyramids of Sudan in this dazzling desert location which is not crowded like the pyramids of the Egyptian deserts.• Jebel Marra
This region contains the highest peak of west Sudan and offers a splendid view with waterfalls and volcanic lakes. The climate here is very pleasant which makes it a favoured tourist attraction.• Gezira
Tourists must visit this model farm and take a tour along the Nile to the dam at Jebel Aulia where the river is especially rich in fish. They can also enjoy the spectacular sunset in the river and can visit the archaeological sites of El Kurru, Naga and Nuri located nearby.• Red Sea
The Red Sea is one of Sudan’s main tourist attractions where the water loving visitors can indulge in swimming, diving on coral reefs and fishing for sharks and grey cod in the transparent crystal clear water. The Red Sea coast can be explored from Port Sudan, Suakin and the Arous Tourist Village where the charm of its marine gardens and the coral reefs can be enjoyed. Tourists can also visit the beautiful resort; Erkowit located in the coastal mountains known for its evergreen vegetation.Â
FOOD AND ACCOMMODATION
There are a number of restaurants in Khartoum and Port Sudan serving variety of international cuisines including Greek and Arabic food. Alcohol and pork is banned being an Islamic country. Fool which is a kind of a bean is their staple diet along with cooked maize or millet eaten with vegetables also called Dura.
Tourists can find many good hotels of international standard in the capital and Port Sudan providing all facilities of telephone, internet, TV, swimming pool, conference rooms etc. However, the staying facilities outside these two major cities are scarce and difficult to find. Some travellers can even arrange their stay at the youth hostels by contacting their association in Khartoum. These are normally cheaper than the hotels though have basic facilities and give a better insight of the local living of the people here. There are also few smaller hotels outside the main towns and hostels for inexpensive accommodation.
TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATION
There is an international airport in Khartoum well connected to Africa and rest of the world. The national carrier Sudan Airways has regular flights to north and east Africa and the Middle East. Other airlines like Egypt Air, Kenya Airways, Lufthansa and British Airways connect North America and Europe to Sudan while Emirates and Gulf Air cover the Middle East. For travel within the country, Sudan Airways provide frequent flights from Khartoum to Port Sudan. Transportation by water on river Nile is also possible though is not very reliable. Tourists can opt for railways thought only first class is advisable as the second and third class compartments get very crowded. Buses are also available to travel from one town to another and also to main market places. Tourists can also hire taxis or cars in the main towns for travel.
The communication system has been developed with good mobile phone coverage in all major towns. Internet is also available throughout the country though the speed is not very good. The postage system is good as the post takes only one week to reach Europe through airmail. TV and radio is mostly government run and there are few English language newspapers and magazines circulating in the city.
Sudan is hence a rewarding and an eye opening experience for all travellers who like to live on the edge. It is the best destination which is still not explored by the rush of tourists.
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