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Sudan
Historical Setting
THROUGHOUT ITS HISTORY SUDAN has been divided between its Arab
heritage, identified with northern Sudan, and its African heritages
to the south. The two groups are divided along linguistic, religious,
racial, and economic lines, and the cleavage has generated ethnic
tensions and clashes. Moreover, the geographical isolation of
Sudan's southern African peoples has prevented them from participating
fully in the country's political, economic, and social life. Imperial
Britain acknowledged the north-south division by establishing
separate administrations for the two regions. Independent Sudan
further reinforced this cleavage by treating African southerners
as a minority group.
Another major factor that has affected Sudan's evolution is the
country's relationship with Egypt. As early as the eighth millennium
B.C., there was contact between Sudan and Egypt. Modern relations
between the two countries began in 1820, when an Egyptian army
under Ottoman command invaded Sudan. In the years following this
invasion, Egypt expanded its area of control in Sudan down the
Red Sea coast and toward East Africa's Great Lakes region. The
sixty-four-year period of Egyptian rule, which ended in 1885,
left a deep mark on Sudan's political and economic systems. The
emergence of the Anglo-Egyptian condominium in 1899 reinforced
the links between Cairo and Khartoum. After Sudan gained independence
in 1956, Egypt continued to exert influence over developments
in Sudan.
Similarly, the period of British control (1899-1955) has had
a lasting impact on Sudan. In addition to pacifying and uniting
the country, Britain sought to modernize Sudan by using technology
to facilitate economic development and by establishing democratic
institutions to end authoritarian rule. Even in 1991, many of
Sudan's political and economic institutions owed their existence
to the British.
Lastly, Sudan's postindependence history has been shaped largely
by the southern civil war. This conflict has retarded the country's
social and economic development, encouraged political instability,
and led to an endless cycle of weak and ineffective military and
civilian governments. The conflict appeared likely to continue
to affect Sudan's people and institutions for the rest of the
twentieth century.
Data as of June 1991
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