Sudan Country & Tourist Information

Location
Northeast Africa.

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

Population
32.9 million (UN estimate 2002).

Population Density
13.1 per sq km.

Capital
Khartoum.
Population: 2.4 million (UN estimate 2002; including suburbs).

Government
Islamic Republic since 1986. Gained independence from the UK in 1956. 

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

Religion
Muslim in the north; Christian and traditional animist beliefs in the south.

Time
GMT + 3.

Electricity
240 volts AC, 50Hz.

Head of State
President Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir since 1989.

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

Mobile Telephone
Roaming agreements exist with some international mobile phone companies. Coverage is available in main towns.

Internet
Internet access is available in main towns.

Media



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

Press
Censorship is imposed on all press publications, following the 1989 coup. The main dailies are Abbar al-Youm, Al-Rai al-Akhar and Al-wan . The Sudan Standard is an English-language daily. There are English-language magazines entitled New Horizon and Sudanow.

Radio
SNBC runs national and regional networks. Mango 96 FM is a Khartoum music station.

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2007-December 2008 period. 

2007
1 Jan Independence Day.
7 Jan Coptic Christmas.
20 Jan Islamic New Year. 
31 Mar Al-Mowlid Al Nabawi (Birth of the Prophet).
8 Apr Coptic Easter.
30 Jun Revolution Day.
13 Oct Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan).
20 Dec Eid al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice).
25 Dec Christmas Day.

2008
1 Jan Independence Day.
7 Jan Coptic Christmas.
9 Jan Eid al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice).
10 Jan Islamic New Year.  
20 Mar Al-Mowlid Al Nabawi (Birth of the Prophet).
8 Apr Coptic Easter.
30 Jun Revolution Day. 
2 Oct Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan). 
25 Dec Christmas Day. 
29 Dec Islamic New Year. 

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 two to 10 days, depending on the region.

Contact Information:

Ministry of Tourism and National Heritage
PO Box 13226, Khartoum, Sudan
Tel: (183) 472 604 or 471 329.

Embassy of the Republic of Sudan in the UK
3 Cleveland Row, St James’s, London SW1A 1DD, UK
Tel: (020) 7839 8080.
Website: www.sudan-embassy.co.uk
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0930-1600 (general enquiries); Mon-Fri 0930-1230 (visa section).

Embassy of the Republic of Sudan in the USA
2210 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20008, USA
Tel: (202) 338 8565.
Website: www.sudanembassy.org


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