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

WHO officials say the outbreak is of particular concern because the Ituri Province — the region around Mongbwalu and Bunia — is considered a “commercial and migratory hub” where Uganda, Congo and South Sudan meet.

From MarketWatch • May 17, 2026

The Homeland Security official listed TPS designations coming up for review — Syria, South Sudan, Myanmar and Ethiopia.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 28, 2026

According to the ICRC, there are at least 11,000 missing persons in Sudan.

From Barron's • Apr. 27, 2026

The arrival of refugees fleeing the civil war in neighbouring Sudan in recent months has further raised tensions over resources and security.

From BBC • Apr. 27, 2026

I also knew anything could happen in Sudan, and that in the future I might be able to return.

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