Sudan
Americannoun
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a region in North Africa, south of the Sahara and Libyan Deserts, extending from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea.
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Formerly Anglo-Egyptian Sudan. Also called North Sudan. Republic of the Sudan, a republic in northeastern Africa, south of Egypt and bordering on the Red Sea: a former condominium of Egypt and Great Britain. 728,215 square miles (1,886,068 square kilometers). Khartoum.
noun
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Former name (1899–1956): Anglo-Egyptian Sudan. French name: Soudan. a republic in NE Africa, on the Red Sea: conquered by Mehemet Ali of Egypt (1820–22) and made an Anglo-Egyptian condominium in 1899 after joint forces defeated the Mahdist revolt; became a republic in 1956; a lengthy civil war between separatists in the mainly Christian south and the government resulted in independence for South Sudan following a referendum in 2011. It consists mainly of a plateau, with the Nubian Desert in the north. Official language: Arabic. Official religion: Muslim; there are Christian and animist minorities. Currency: Sudanese pound or Sudani (replacing the Sudanese dinar in 2007). Capital: Khartoum. Pop: 34 847 910 (2013 est). Area: 1 861 484 sq km (718 723 sq miles)
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a region stretching across Africa south of the Sahara and north of the tropical zone: inhabited chiefly by Negroid tribes rather than Arabs
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Sudan was under the joint rule of Britain and Egypt (though Britain exercised actual control) from 1899 to 1956.
Recently, it has been plagued by famine and civil war.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The Sudan News Agency said security patrols would continue operating across the state and locals traveling at night would need to carry identification documents.
From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026
The new push comes against the backdrop of drones and other technologies used in the Russia-Ukraine war and the conflicts in the Middle East, Sudan and other places.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2026
Chan Mathok Atak, 19, originally from South Sudan, admitted the offence at Canterbury Crown Court in relation to a crossing on 23 July.
From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026
Ramírez finally landed in Khartoum, Sudan, in 1993.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
He was a big chief in Southern Sudan and fought on the side of the British colonizers against the Arabs who lived in Northern Sudan and wanted to control the whole country.
From "Lost Boy, Lost Girl" by John Bul Dau
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.