Best Countries

GENERAL

Official name of the state

Republic of Sudan.

Capital

Khartoum.

Geography

According to topschoolsintheusa, Sudan borders Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic and Chad to the west, and Libya to the northwest. In the north the foothills of the Libyan and Nubian deserts reach as far as Khartoum; except on the banks of the Nile and in some oases, the region is barren and barren. It turns into dry savannah, which is overgrown with short, hard grass and bushes and covers the land between the latitudes 15 ° N and 10 ° N. In the east, flat savannah predominates, but in the west it rises to two high plateaus up to over 2000 m. Agriculture is mainly practiced in the fertile valleys between the Blue and White Nile, which flow together at Khartoum. The highest point in Sudan is the Marra in the west of the country (3,088 m).

Government

Islamic Republic since 1986. The new constitution of 1998 was partially repealed in 1999 by President Bashir. New constitution since 2005. Islamic law is in force. Civil war raged from 1983 to 2004. However, even after the ceasefire agreement signed between the rebels and the Sudanese government on April 8, 2004, security in the Darfur region is not guaranteed. The country is marked by unrest. Independent since 1956 (former British-Egyptian condominium). Separated from South Sudan (as an independent state) since July 2011.

Head of state

Lieutenant General Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir, since 1993.

Head of government

Bakri Hassan Saleh, since March 2017.

Electricity

230 V, 50 Hz. Frequent voltage fluctuations, an adapter is recommended.

Time zone

Eastern Africa Time: CET +4

MONEY

Currency

1 (new) Sudanese pound = 100 piastres. Currency code: SDG (ISO code). Banknotes are available in denominations of 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 SDG. Coins are in circulation to the denomination of 50, 20, 10, 5 and 1 piasters.

The (new) Sudanese pound replaced the Sudanese dinar.

Credit cards

Are currently practically not accepted.
ATMs

ec / Maestro card / Sparcard

Sudanese ATMs do not accept foreign cards of any kind.

Attention: Travelers who pay with their bank customer card abroad and want to withdraw money should find out about the options for using their card from their bank prior to departure.

Bank opening times

Sat-Thu 8 a.m.-2 p.m.

Foreign exchange regulations

No import and export restrictions for foreign currencies, no obligation to declare. The import and export of the local currency is not permitted.

Currency Exchange

The penalties for changing money on the black market are high. Money should only be exchanged at official exchange offices or in banks and receipts should be kept.

It is advisable to bring US dollars or euros in cash (outside the capital only US dollars). US dollar banknotes must have been printed after 2003 or they will not be accepted.

LANGUAGE

Overview

The official language is Arabic, and African languages and English are spoken as the language of education.

DUTY-FREE SHOPPING

Overview

The following articles can be imported into Sudan duty-free (people over 20 years):

200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 450 g of tobacco;
Perfume or eau de toilette for personal use;
other goods for personal use (but not alcohol).

Import regulations

An import permit is required for the import of firearms.

Prohibited imports

Israeli goods, alcohol, pork and pork products, pornographic material, and revealing magazines (virtually every Western magazine).

ECONOMY

Business etiquette

Light suits or suits are appropriate. Islamic customs should be observed in the relevant regions. English is spoken a lot in business circles, but every Sudanese business partner is happy to hear a few words in Arabic. Patience and courtesy are appreciated. Business cards should have an Arabic translation on the back.

Opening hours

Business hours: Sa-Thu 8 a.m.-2.30 p.m.

Economy

Commercial Department of the Embassy of Sudan
Kurfürstendamm 151, D-10709 Berlin
Tel: (030) 890 69 80.

Austrian-Arab Chamber of Commerce
Lobkowitzplatz 1, A-1015 Vienna
Tel: (01) 513 39 65.
Internet: www.aacc.at

Sudan Chamber of Commerce (Chamber of Commerce)
PO Box 81, Khartoum. Tel: (011) 77 23 46.Sudan

Development Corporation (SDC)
PO Box 710, 21 al-Amarat, Khartoum
Tel: (011) 47 21 51.

Business contacts

Commercial Department of the Embassy of Sudan
Kurfürstendamm 151, D-10709 Berlin
Tel: (030) 890 69 80.

Austrian-Arab Chamber of Commerce
Lobkowitzplatz 1, A-1015 Vienna
Tel: (01) 513 39 65.
Internet: www.aacc.at

Sudan Chamber of Commerce (Chamber of Commerce)
PO Box 81, Khartoum. Tel: (011) 77 23 46.Sudan

Development Corporation (SDC)
PO Box 710, 21 al-Amarat, Khartoum
Tel: (011) 47 21 51.

COMMUNICATION

Phone

The country code is 00249. The national telephone company is called Sudatel Telecom Group (Internet: www.sudatel.sd). There are public card phones (green phone boxes, usually only work during the day). Telephone cards are available from Sudatel offices. International calls can easily be made from larger cities and telephone centers. Internet cafés also offer Internet telephony.

Cellphone

GSM 900/1800. Sudatel operates a mobile network (Internet: www.sudatel.sd). Roaming contracts exist with mobile phone companies in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, among others. Reception / transmission area in the larger cities.

Internet

Providers like Sudatel offer mobile surfing on the Internet. Internet cafes are mainly to be found in the big cities, in rural areas the fees in the isolated cafes can be very high.

Post Office

Airmail to Europe takes up to a week on its way. Post office opening times: Sa-Thu 8.30am-1pm and 5.30pm-6.30pm.

Radio

Since the use of shortwave frequencies changes several times over the course of a year, it is advisable to contact Deutsche Welle customer service directly (Tel: (+49) (0228) 429 32 08. Internet: www.dw-world.de) to request.

SHOP

Overview

In the Souk food, local crafts, spices, jewelery and silver items are sold. We recommend buying wicker, ebony, gold and silver items and various handicrafts. Cheetah skins should not be bought as cheetahs are critically endangered and are covered by the World Wildlife Fund’s conservation agreement. Shop opening times: Sat-Thu 8 a.m.-1.30 p.m. and 5.30 p.m.-8 p.m.

NIGHTLIFE

Introduction

Entertainment can be found especially in Khartoum and Omdurman. There is the national theater, concert halls and cinemas as well as performances in public places and in hotels.

CULINARY

ACCOMMODATION

Hotels

There are few accommodations outside of Khartoum and Port Sudan. There are 11 medium sized hotels in Khartoum, including some of international standard, and three in Port Sudan. In the other larger cities, some smaller hotels and hostels offer accommodation.

Other accommodation options

Information is available from the Youth Hostel Association, PO Box 1705, House no.66, Street no.47, Khartoum. Tel: (011) 72 20 87.

CULTURE

Religion

70% Muslims (Sunnis), 25% animists, minorities of Copts and 5% Christians.

Social rules of conduct

In the north of the country, life is shaped by Arab culture, while the inhabitants of the more fertile south belong to many different tribes, each with their own lifestyle and beliefs. Since Sudan is a predominantly Islamic country, women should avoid revealing clothing. Formal attire is expected on official and social occasions and in some restaurants. Sudanese people are known for their hospitality.

Tip: A service fee is often already included in the hotel or restaurant bill, otherwise a 10% tip is expected. Service providers such as housekeeping, porters, etc. usually also receive a small tip.

Photography: Military and police facilities, airports and bridges, ministries, railway facilities, military and police personnel and women without their express consent may not be photographed. If you violate this, you face high penalties.

CLIMATE

Best travel time

North: Arid Sahara.

South: Semi-arid savannah areas.

Very hot, only from November to March, especially in the north, slightly cooler. Frequent sandstorms in the Sahara from April to September. In the extreme north there is hardly any rainfall, in the central part of the country slight rainfall in July and August, in the south rain from May to October.

The best travel time starts in September and ends in April.

COUNTRY DATA

Area code +249 Area (square km) 1861484 Population 36108853 Population density (per square km) 19 Population in 2015 Member of the EU No main emergency number 999