III.

Population

The population of Sudan is composed principally of Arabs in the north and black Africans in the south; many Arabs are of mixed ancestry. Other ethnic groups in northern Sudan include the Beja, Jamala, and Nubian peoples. The northern two-thirds of Sudan is an area of Islamic culture. The major black ethnic groups in southern Sudan are the Azande, Dinka, Nuer, and Shilluk. European culture and religion have influenced the southern peoples, but traditional customs remain strong.

A.

Population Characteristics

The 2007 estimated population was 42,292,929, giving the country an overall population density of 18 persons per sq km (46 per sq mi). The most densely settled area is at the juncture of the White Nile and the Blue Nile. Sudan’s population is growing at a rate of 2.51 percent (2007) annually.

B.

Principal Cities and Political Divisions

The principal city is Khartoum, the capital; other major cities include Omdurman and Khartoum North, major industrial centers, and Port Sudan, a seaport on the Red Sea. Sudan is divided into 26 states.

C.

Religion and Language

About 70 percent of the people of Sudan are Muslims, some 15 percent are Christians, and most of the remainder follow traditional religions. The people of northern Sudan are predominantly Sunni Muslims (Sunni Islam). Most of the people in the south are either animists, who adhere to indigenous religious beliefs, or are Christians. The official language of Sudan is Arabic; English is widely spoken, and African languages are used in the south.

D.

Education

Education is free and compulsory in Sudan between the ages of 6 and 13. About 60 percent (2002–2003) of primary school-aged children are enrolled in school; 35 percent of secondary school-aged children attend school. About 63 percent (2005) of Sudanese people are literate, and significantly more men are literate than women. Institutions of higher education include the University of Khartoum (1956), Omdurman Islamic University (1912), the University of Juba (1975), and Al-Neelain University (1955), located in Khartoum.

D.1.

Libraries

The University of Khartoum Library is noted for its African and Sudanese collection. Other libraries in Sudan include the Flinders Petrie Library (named after British Egyptologist Sir Flinders Petrie), the Geological Research Authority of the Sudan Library, and the Sudan Medical Research Laboratories Library, all of which are in Khartoum. A major collection of historical documents is housed in the National Records Office, in Khartoum.

D.2.

Museums

The Sudan National Museum, in Khartoum, has collections of ancient artifacts. The Khalifa’s House, in Omdurman, contains a collection of relics of the Mahdists (for more information, see the History section of this article). Also of interest are the Sudan Natural History Museum and the Ethnographical Museum, both in Khartoum.