Sudan

Also considered as a part of the Middle East, officially the Republic of Sudan is located in North Africa. This third largest country of the African continent has been extensively afflicted by civil wars that have been raging on and off, for the last 40 years. Sharing a large part of their history and culture with the Egyptians, Sudanese population predominately descends from indigenous African tribes and Arabs. Featuring an 853 kilometer long coastline along the Red Sea, Sudanese terrain generally consists of flat plains intermittently broken by mountain ranges.

Largely depending on profits from oil, Sudan has maintained itself as the 17th-fastest growing economy in the World, in spite of international sanctions. However, instability and desertification are two major problems of this country demanding immediate concern. Predominantly Islamic, however, a few adherents to Christianity and traditional animist beliefs are found in the capital city of Sudan and southern regions.