Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (360 seats; 270 popularly elected, 90
elected by supra assembly of interest groups known as National
Congress; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 13-22 December 2000 (next to be held NA
December 2004)
note: on 12 December 1999, BASHIR dismissed the National Assembly
during an internal power struggle between the president and the
speaker of the National Assembly Hassan al-TURABI
election results: NCP 355, others 5
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court; Special Revolutionary Courts
Political parties and leaders:
the government allows political "associations" under a 1998 law
revised in 2000; to obtain government approval parties must accept
the constitution and refrain from advocating or using violence
against the regime; approved parties include the National Congress
Party or NCP [Ibrahim Ahmed UMAR], Popular National Congress or PNC
[Hassan al-TURABI], and over 20 minor, pro-government parties
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Democratic Unionist Party [Muhammed Uthman AL-MIRGHANI]; National
Congress Party [Ibrahim Ahmed UMAR]; National Democratic Alliance
[Muhammed Uthman AL-MIRGHANI, chairman]; Sudan People's Liberation
Movement/Army [Dr. John GARANG]; Umma [Sadiq al-MAHDI]
International organization participation:
ABEDA, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC,
OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCO, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge D'Affairs, Ad Interim
Khidir Haroun AHMED (since April 2001)
telephone: [1] (202) 338-8565
FAX: [1] (202) 667-2406
chancery: 2210 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US:
US Embassy in Khartoum is located on Sharia Abdul Latif Avenue;
mailing address - P. O. Box 699, Khartoum; APO AE 09829; telephone -
[249] (11) 774611 or 774700; FAX - [249] (11) 774137
Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with a
green isosceles triangle based on the hoist side
Economy Sudan
Economy - overview:
Sudan has turned around a struggling economy with sound economic
policies and infrastructure investments, but it still faces
formidable economic problems, notably the low level of per capita
output. From 1997 to date, Sudan has been implementing IMF
macroeconomic reforms. In 1999 Sudan began exporting crude oil and
in the last quarter of 1999 recorded its first trade surplus, which,
along with monetary policy, has stabilized the exchange rate.
Increased oil production, revived light industry, and expanded
export processing zones helped maintain GDP growth at 5.1% in 2002.
Agriculture production remains Sudan's most important sector,
employing 80% of the work force and contributing 43% of GDP, but
most farms remain rain-fed and susceptible to drought. Chronic
domestic instability, lagging reforms, adverse weather, and weak
world agricultural prices - but, above all, the low starting point -
ensure that much of the population will remain at or below the
poverty line for years.