Sudan

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 four million people displaced and, according to rebel estimates, more than two million deaths over a period of two decades. Peace talks gained momentum in 2002-04 with the signing of several accords. The final 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. A separate conflict, which broke out in the western region of Darfur in 2003, has displaced nearly two million people and caused an estimated 200,000 to 400,000 deaths. The UN took command of the Darfur peacekeeping operation from the African Union on 31 December 2007. As of early 2009, peacekeeping troops were struggling to stabilize the situation, which has become increasingly regional in scope and has brought instability to eastern Chad. Sudan also has faced large refugee influxes from neighboring countries primarily Ethiopia and Chad. Armed conflict, poor transport infrastructure, and lack of government support have chronically obstructed the provision of humanitarian assistance to affected populations.

Economical characteristics

 * Currency: Sudanese pound (ISO code: SDG)
 * Central bank discount rate:
 * Commercial banks lending rate:
 * Stock of money (M1): $6.256 billion (31 December 2008)
 * Quasi money (with M1 makes M2): $4.264 billion (31 December 2008)

Links

 * Sudan on Wikipedia
 * Central bank of Sudan
 * Studies from the Library of Congress (1986-1998)
 * BBC country profile
 * In Sudan, seeking buried treasure in a land of poverty by Alsanosi Ahmed and Jeffrey Fleishman, June 2010
 * Over 99 pct in Southern Sudan vote for secession by Maggie Fick, January 2011