Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Special Revolutionary Courts
Political parties and leaders: none; banned following 30 June 1989 coup
Political pressure groups and leaders: National Islamic Front, Hasan al-TURABI
International organization participation: ABEDA, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL,
AMF, CAEU, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGADD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM
(observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UNU, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Mahdi Ibrahim MOHAMED chancery: 2210 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 338-8565 through 8570 FAX : [1] (202) 667-2406 consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: operations in Khartoum were suspended in February 1996; Ambassador to Sudan Timothy M. CARNEY and several members of the mission have relocated to Nairobi, Kenya and operate out of the US Embassy there; the embassy is located at the corner of Moi Avenue and Haile Selassie Avenue; mailing address: P. O. Box 30137, Unit 64100, APO AE 09831; telephone: [254] (2) 334141; FAX: [254] (2) 340838
Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with a green isosceles triangle based on the hoist side
Economy
Economy - overview: Sudan is buffeted by civil war, chronic political instability, adverse weather, high inflation, a drop in remittances from abroad, and counterproductive economic policies. The private sector's main areas of activity are agriculture and trading, with most private industrial investment predating 1980. Agriculture employs 80% of the work force. Industry mainly processes agricultural items. Sluggish economic performance over the past decade, attributable largely to declining annual rainfall, has kept per capita income at low levels. A large foreign debt and huge arrearages continue to cause difficulties. In 1990 the International Monetary Fund took the unusual step of declaring Sudan noncooperative because of its nonpayment of arrearages to the Fund. After Sudan backtracked on promised reforms in 1992-93, the IMF threatened to expel Sudan from the Fund. To avoid expulsion, Khartoum agreed to make payments on its arrears to the Fund, liberalize exchange rates, and reduce subsidies, measures it has partially implemented. The government's continued prosecution of the civil war and its growing international isolation continued to inhibit growth in the nonagricultural sectors of the economy during 1996. Hyperinflation has raised consumer prices above the reach of most. Popular unrest erupted several times in 1996 in reaction to unpopular government economic decisions.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $26.6 billion (1996 est.)