Sudan

American  

[soo-dan] / suˈdæn /

noun

1. a region in North Africa, south of the Sahara and Libyan Deserts, extending from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea.

2. 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.

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Sudan British  

/ -ˈdæn, suːˈdɑːn /

noun

1. 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)

2. 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 Cultural  

1. Republic in northeastern Africa, bordered on the north by Egypt (see also Egypt); on the east by the Red Sea and Ethiopia; on the south by Kenya, Uganda, and Democratic Republic of Congo; and on the west by the Central African Republic, Chad, and Libya. Its capital is Khartoum, and its largest city is Omdurman.

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Discover More

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

DR Congo is joining other continental states, including Eswatini, Ghana and South Sudan, in receiving deportees from the US.

From BBC • Apr. 6, 2026

Crowds at the ceremony cheered and chanted his name after he formally took office, where he named key cabinet posts, including former youth activist Sudan Gurung as interior minister.

From Barron's • Mar. 27, 2026

South Sudan has some of East Africa's largest oil reserves, but the majority is exported, while it imports the refined product needed for fuel.

From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026

South Sudan finally agreed to take the disputed deportee, but the U.S. left the visa ban in place anyway.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026

In the end, Southern Sudan would defeat the enemy, but it also would suffer defeat.

From "Lost Boy, Lost Girl" by John Bul Dau