Where is Sudan located?

Sudan is located in the north eastern part of Africa and occupies 1,886,000 square kilometers, making it Africa’s 3rd largest country by area. It shares borders with 7 other countries and borders the Red Sea proper, it is also home to the longest river in the world, the River Nile. Before the secession of South Sudan in 2011, Sudan was the largest country in Africa.

Information on Sudan:

        Population: 47,958,856 (2022)

–   Currency: Sudanese Pound | Currency Symbol: SDG

        Official languages: Arabic and English (With 114 native languages and more than 500 accents, Sudan has a diverse multilingual population.)

        Sudan total area: 728,215 square miles (1,886,068 square kilometers) – (Sudan is the 16th largest country in the world by land area)

        Sudan comprises 18 states.

        Nominal GDP: $187 billion | Nominal per capita GDP: $4,586

        The Sudan has a 530-mile (853 km) coastline bordering the Red Sea.

        The White Nile and the Blue Nile are the two tributaries of the Nile. These two tributaries merge at Khartoum—the capital of Sudan—becoming the Nile River proper before flowing into Egypt. Its other major tributaries are the Bahr el Ghazal, Sobat and Atbarah rivers.

        The countries bordering the Sudan by land, are Libya, South Sudan, Egypt, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Chad, and the Central African Republic.

        The metric system is the legal standard, but a highly diverse system based on Egyptian and British standards is in local use for weights and measures.

Methods of travel

Airplanes, buses, trains, and ship are various means of transportation to travel from and to Sudan. There are also several land entrances linking Sudan with its 7 neighboring countries. The countries bordering Sudan by land, are Egypt, Libya, Chad, Central African Republic, South Sudan, Ethiopia and Eritrea. The total length of the land frontier is 6,780 km divided as follows:

• Arabic Republic of Egypt: 1,273 km

• Libya: 383 km

• Chad: 1,340 km

• Central African Republic: 448 km

• State of South Sudan: 1,973

• Ethiopia: 727 km

• Eritrea: 636 km

Check points on the borders of Sudan and neighboring countries facilitate the passage of travelers and goods. The main land routes are:

  • Sudan-Egypt:
    Halayiib is a Sudanese customs checkpoint with a land road leading to Elsuez via Shalateen and Abu ramad. Halayiib is connected to Port Sudan by means of a land track.
  • Sudan-Libya:
    Mount Ouwainaat represents the borderline between Sudan and Libya. It is connected to two major Sudanese towns by land tracks; first through the desert to Dongola and secondly to Kutum in north Darfour. A Sudanese customs checkpoint is located at 50 km from Ouwainaat.
  • Sudan-Chad:
    El Geneina on the Sudanese side and Adri on the Chadian side represent the main passage between the two countries. They are linked together by a land track. A Sudanese customs checkpoint is located in El Geneina.
  • Sudan-Central Africa:
    Um Dafoug located in the Southern most part of Darfur is the main border checkpoint for passage between Sudan and Central Africa. From Um Dafoug a land track leads to Nyala, the largest town in the region.
  • Sudan-Eritrea:
    There are several land entrances between Sudan and Eritrea:
    1. Kassala is borders the Eritrean Town of Tasanay. There is a customs checkpoint at Kassala.
    2. Garroara is a town on the northern frontier divided by both countries  though having the same name.

TRAVELING IN SUDAN

While in Sudan, all means of transportation are available, however, traveling by land is easier due to the availability of large stretches of paved roads and a network of railway lines that extend to most parts of the country.

Air Travel: Sudan Airways and Badr Airlines provide air transportation to the different cities in Sudan as well as outside Sudan. There are also several foreign airline companies providing air transportation between Sudan and different parts of the World.

Marine Lines & River Transport: Traveling by sea is convenient means of transportation to and from nearby countries such as Saudi Arabia. 

Railway: The reason for the construction of railways from Wadi-Halfa in the north to the interior of Sudan at the turn of the century was to facilitate the advance of the Anglo-Egyptian army, led by lord Kitchener, and in establishing its supply lines. The railway road to Khartoum was completed before 1930 and it was the first mechanical means of transport introduced in Sudan. After fulfilling its military missions, Sudan railways was turned in to a civil Government Department commuting passengers and freight. The town of Atbara, located at the confluence of the Atbara River and the Nile north Sudan, was made a home base and headquarters of Sudan Railways.

Besides passenger transport, railways in Sudan contribute substantially to promoting incoming and outgoing trade via Port Sudan and the river berth of Wadi Halfa, as the cost of freight transport by rail is significantly less than by other methods of transport.

Travelers may make their reservations at Khartoum, Atbara and Wadi Halfa rail Stations.

REGULAR RAILWAY LINES:

 Nyala, Eddaein, Abuzabad, Kosti, Sennar, Medani, Khartoum.

  • Al obeid, Kosti, Sennar-Medani-Khartoum (travels duration 24 hours).
  • Karima-Abu hamed-Atbara-Shendi, Khartoum (travels duration 30 hours).
  • Port Sudan Atbara Shendi Khartoum (travels duration 24 hours).
  • Wadi Halfa Abu hamed Atbara Shendi Khartoum (travel duration 24 hours).

MOTOR WAYS

 The first motor way connecting Khartoum to Wadi Medani was constructed after Sudan gained independence from the 1957 to 1964.

  • Khartoum-Atbara: This motorway spans 306 km and is the first asphalt motorway to be constructed on the east of the Nile, north of Khartoum. The archeological sites of the ancient kingdom of Meroe are located along its path, south of Shendi, at Elbagrawiya, Elnaqa”a and Musawarat.
  • Khartoum-Damazeen: This motor way is approximately 550 km in length and runs through the major agricultural production areas of Gezira, Sinaar, Singa and Damazeen.
  • Khartoum Elobeid: Heading southwards through the western side of Gezira along the White Nile, this motorway links several towns of the White Nile and Kurdufan State along a distance of 719 km.
  • Khartoum Kadugli: This motor way is 900 km long and connects Khartoum to the capital of South Kurdufan state, Kadugli. Located along the road are the cities of Um Ruwaba, Rahad, Eldebeibat, Dilling and lastly, Kadugli.
  • Khartoum-Port Sudan: This motorway stretches along 1190 km. It passes by many major towns before terminating at Port Sudan.
  • Nyala-Kass-Zalingei: This motor way connects Nyala town, the capital of South Darfour state to the towns Kass and Zalingei in the highland region of Jebel Marra through a distance of 210 km.

Other tracks

        Umdurman-Dongola-Karma Elnuzul-Abri-Wadi Halfa

        Umdurman-Dongola-Elowainaat on the Sudanese-Libyan border

These tracks traverse the northern desert plains and have recently witnessed increased traffic due to the increase in commercial and the passenger activity between the two countries. They are also seasonal tracks, which become impassible during the rainy season (between the months of June and September). These tracks are located below 14 degrees latitude.

Khartoum- New Halfa: this road crosses the Butana Region, Umdurman, Elobied, El fasher, Umkaddada, Elgeneina- across the desert territories of Kurdufan and Darfur state- Damazeen, Kurnuk, and Geissan in the Blue Nile State.

Kosti-Gabalein-Rank-Malakal-Juba: this road may be used to traverse the southern region of the country during the dry season (November-February) provided conditions are optimal.