O, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU,
WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation:
Ambassador `Abdallah Ahmad `ABDALLAH; Chancery at 2210 Massachusetts Avenue
NW, Washington, DC 20008; telephone (202) 338-8565 through 8570; there is a
Sudanese Consulate General in New York

:Sudan Government

US:
Ambassador James R. CHEEK (will be replaced summer of 1992); Embassy at
Shar'ia Ali Abdul Latif, Khartoum (mailing address is P. O. Box 699,
Khartoum, or APO AE 09829); telephone 74700 or 74611; Telex 22619
Flag:
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with a green
isosceles triangle based on the hoist side

:Sudan Economy

Overview:
Sudan is buffeted by civil war, chronic political instability, adverse
weather, high inflation, and counterproductive economic policies. The
economy is dominated by governmental entities that account for more than 70%
of new investment. The private sector's main areas of activity are
agriculture and trading, with most private industrial investment predating
1980. The economy's base is agriculture, which employs 80% of the work
force. Industry mainly processes agricultural items. Sluggish economic
performance over the past decade, attributable largely to declining annual
rainfall, has reduced levels of per capita income and consumption. A high
foreign debt and huge arrearages continue to cause difficulties. In 1990 the
International Monetary Fund took the unusual step of declaring Sudan
noncooperative because of its nonpayment of arrearages to the Fund. Despite
subsequent government efforts to implement reforms urged by the IMF and the
World Bank, the economy remained stagnant in FY91 as entrepreneurs lack the
incentive to take economic risks.
GDP:
exchange rate conversion - $12.1 billion, per capita $450; real growth rate
0% (FY91 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
95% (FY91 est.)
Unemployment rate:
15% (FY91 est.)
Budget:
revenues $1.3 billion; expenditures $2.1 billion, including capital
expenditures of $505 million (FY91 est.)
Exports:
$325 million (f.o.b., FY91 est.)
commodities:
cotton 52%, sesame, gum arabic, peanuts
partners:
Western Europe 46%, Saudi Arabia 14%, Eastern Europe 9%, Japan 9%, US 3%
(FY88)
Imports:
$1.40 billion (c.i.f., FY91 est.)
commodities:
foodstuffs, petroleum products, manufactured good