Capital: Khartoum

Languages: English, Arabic

Currency: Pound

The vegetation ranges from sparse vegetation in the northern deserts and semi-deserts to briar savannas in the Sahel, dry savannas with tall grasses, and wet savannas. Forest cover decreased by 1.4 percent between 1990 and 2000. The diverse wildlife includes elephants, buffalo, giraffes, antelopes, hyenas, lions, hippos and crocodiles, as well as numerous birds of prey and waterfowl, especially in the Central Sudan.

There are ten national parks in Sudan (as of 2006). However, the system of protected areas also includes nature reserves and bird sanctuaries. Mount Barkal with the historic city of Sanam are UNESCO World Heritage Sites and both together form the ancient capital Napata of the Kingdom of Kush.