Sudan

An estimated 1.5 million Sudanese have been killed since the outbreak of civil war in 1983. Violent clashes continue between the ruling Muslim Arab majority and the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), which is supported by black African, Christian, animist and Muslim minorities. The successful military offensive of the SPLA in the South and its temporary penetration of the strategic centre of the country poses a challenge to the Islamic regime in Khartoum.

The Sudanese economy has been crippled in recent years by civil war, political instability and drought, resulting in high inflation and large foreign debts. Political frustration coupled with worsening economic conditions has led to a continuous series of civil disturbances. These have been followed by government repression of opposition forces. Diplomatic and travel sanctions were imposed by the UN in April 1996 following Sudan's refusal to extradite three Egyptians suspected of attempting to assassinate the Egyptian leader, President Mubarak, in June 1995 in Addis Ababa. In August 1998, following the bombing of US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, US cruise missiles attacked targets in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum that were reportedly linked to Saudi businessman Osama bin Laden, named by the US as the co-ordinator of an international terrorist ring. Sudan remains on the US state department list of states sponsoring terrorism. In April 1999, however, the US announced a major shift in sanctions policy to allow sales of food, medicine and medical equipment to Sudan.

In the face of economic devastation caused by the civil war and the effects of UN sanctions, the Sudanese regime may be adopting a more pragmatic stance towards the West. Sudanese Islamists continue to express some hostility towards Christianity and the West - including a combination of anti-Zionism and antisemitism - but this is less blatant than in previous years.

Ethnic groups: Black African 52 per cent, Arab 39 per cent, Beja 6 per cent, foreigners 2 per cent, other 1 per cent

Religions: Sunni Muslims (in the North) 70 per cent, indigenous beliefs 25 per cent, Christian 5 per cent (mostly in the South and Khartoum)

Languages: Arabic (official), Nubian, Ta Bedawie, various indigenous dialects, English

Political system: transitional (from military junta, installed in the 1989 military coup, to constitutional republic): a new constitution went into effect on 30 June 1998, the previous constitution having been suspended since 1989

Head of state: President and Chief of State Umar Hasan al-Bashir (since 1993, elected 1996)

Political parties: parties as such have been banned since 1989 but political ‘associations’ are allowed, although there is effectively only one such group, the National Congress, which the legal front of the National Islamic Front (NIF), headed by Hasan Abdallah al-Turabi

Other political parties: banned

1996 presidential and legislative elections: amongst some 40 candidates, President al-Bashir was elected with 75.7 per cent of the vote

Next elections: 2001

Until 1948 only a small number of Jews lived in Sudan. Following the establishment of the state of Israel, most of these chose to leave the country.

Sudan, under the Numeiri government, was the only Arab state, apart from Morocco and Oman, that staunchly supported both the visit of the Egyptian president, Anwar Sadat, to Israel in 1977 and the Camp David accords in 1978. Later, in the mid-1980s, Numeiri assisted the emigration of Jews from Ethiopia to Israel.

The non-Arab and non-Muslim minorities face particular forms of discrimination and deprivation in Sudan. Among the most threatened communities are those of black African origin living in the south of the country and the Nuba people living in the Nuba mountains in Kordofan.

Several militant Islamist groups such as Islamic Jihad, Hamas and Hizbullah reportedly continue to receive military training as well as political support in Sudan