7 Interesting Facts on Sudan Independence Day

Happy Independence Day, Sudan! Let’s celebrate this North African country with 7 interesting facts.

1. Sudan was once home to the ancient Kushite kingdom, also known as Nubia. This powerful kingdom lasted from 2,000 BC to 370 AD. 
    
2. The capital of Sudan is Khartoum, a city that was originally an Egyptian army camp. 
   
3. The War in Darfur is an ongoing conflict that began in 2003 in Darfur, Sudan’s western region. The conflict began with a rebel group’s uprising, in protest to alleged claims of the Sudanese government neglect the non-Arabs in the country. In response, the government created a militia group ‘Janjaweed.’ Both groups terrorize civilians, and so far, over 300,000 have been killed and millions displaced.
   
4. There are over 500 ethnic groups in the country, including Nubians, Arabs, Fur and more. Over 70% of the population is Arab. 
    (Young Sudanese women)
   
5. The name ‘Sudan’ is an Arab expression that means ‘Land of the Blacks.‘
    
   
6. In 2011, the country split into two, and South Sudan was formed. 
   
7. Last year, the country engaged in a series of protests against Omar al-Bashir, who ruled the country for almost 30 years. In April 2019, al-Bashir was removed from office via coup d’etat.