Cruising to Sudan

Background

Military regimes favoring Islamic-oriented governments have dominated national politics since independence from the UK in 1956. Sudan was embroiled in two prolonged civil wars during most of the remainder of the 20th century. These conflicts were rooted in northern economic, political, and social domination of largely non-Muslim, non-Arab southern Sudanese. The first civil war ended in 1972, but broke out again in 1983.

The second war and famine-related effects resulted in more than 4 million people displaced and, according to rebel estimates, more than 2 million deaths over a period of two decades. Peace talks gained momentum in 2002-04 with the signing of several accords; a final Naivasha peace treaty of January 2005 granted the southern rebels autonomy for six years, after which a referendum for independence is scheduled to be held.

A separate conflict that broke out in the western region of Darfur in 2003 has resulted in at least 200,000 deaths and nearly 2 million displaced; as of late 2005, peacekeeping troops were struggling to stabilize the situation. Sudan also has faced large refugee influxes from neighboring countries, primarily Ethiopia and Chad, and armed conflict, poor transport infrastructure, and lack of government support have chronically obstructed the provision of humanitarian assistance to affected populations.

Geography

Location: Northern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Egypt and Eritrea
Geographic coordinates: 15 00 N, 30 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 2,505,810 sq km

Coastline

853 km

Maritime claims

Territorial sea: 12 nm
Contiguous zone: 18 nm
Continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate

Tropical in south; arid desert in north; rainy season varies by region (April to November)

Terrain

Generally flat, featureless plain; mountains in far south, northeast and west; desert dominates the north

Elevation extremes

Lowest point: Red Sea 0 m
Highest point: Kinyeti 3,187 m

Economy

Sudan has turned around a struggling economy with sound economic policies and infrastructure investments, but it still faces formidable economic problems, starting from its low level of per capita output. From 1997 to date, Sudan has been implementing IMF macroeconomic reforms. In 1999, Sudan began exporting crude oil and in the last quarter of 1999 recorded its first trade surplus, which, along with monetary policy, has stabilized the exchange rate.

Increased oil production, revived light industry, and expanded export processing zones helped sustain GDP growth at 8.6% in 2004. Agricultural production remains Sudan's most important sector, employing 80% of the work force, contributing 39% of GDP, and accounting for most of GDP growth, but most farms remain rain-fed and susceptible to drought. Chronic instability - resulting from the long-standing civil war between the Muslim north and the Christian/pagan south, adverse weather, and weak world agricultural prices - ensure that much of the population will remain at or below the poverty line for years.

Transportation

Airports: 86 (2005)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 14
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 72
Heliports: 1 (2005)
Pipelines: gas 156 km; oil 2,365 km; refined products 810 km (2004)
Railways: total: 5,995 km
Roadways: total: 11,900 km

Waterways

4,068 km (1,723 km open year round on White and Blue Nile rivers) (2005)

Merchant marine

Total: 2 ships (1000 GRT or over) 11,326 GRT/14,068 DWT
By type: cargo 1, livestock carrier 1
Registered in other countries: 2 (Panama 1, Saudi Arabia 1) (2005)

Sailing Specifics: Ports and terminals

Port Sudan

Other Sailing Destinations in the Region

Bahrain - Christmas Islands - Cocos Keeling - Comoros - Djibouti - Eritrea - India - Jordan - Kenya - Kuwait - Madagascar - Maldives - Mauritius - Mayotte - Mozambique - Oman - Pakistan - Qatar - Reunion Island - Saudi Arabia - Seychelles - Somalia - Sri Lanka - Sudan - Tanzania - United Arab Emirates - Yemen

Further Reading

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