Sudanese Civil War Paper Essay Example

Sudan is the largest country in Africa and almost the size of the continental U.S. east of the Mississippi River. Sudan’s population is one of the most diverse on the African continent. It is home to two major cultures, Arab and black African. There are also hundreds of ethnic and tribal subdivisions and language groups, which make effective alliance among them a major political challenge. The northern states cover most of the Sudan and of the 30 million Sudanese who live in this region, most are Arabic-speaking Muslims. The southern region of Sudan has a population of around 8 million and a predominantly rural economy. The south has endured major destruction and displacement since independence. Although the official religion of Sudan is Islam, the southern Sudanese practice mainly indigenous traditional beliefs, and some have converted to Christianity. Arabic is the official language, English is the next widely spoken language. Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, sits where the White Nile and the Blue Nile join together as the Nile flows north to Egypt and into the Mediterranean. The median age in Sudan is 18 years old, and life expectancy is 58 years old. Sudan has a literacy rate of about 60 percent. Sudan is one of the poorest countries in the world. Sudan’s annual per capita income in 2001 was $340. (The annual per capita income in 2001 in the United States was $21,587.) The Second Sudanese Civil War which lasted for twenty years from 1985-2005, was largely a continuation of the First Sudanese Civil War which took place between 1955-1972. The Second War took place in southern Sudan, and is considered one of the longest lasting and deadliest wars of the later 20th century. Nearly 2 million people were killed in southern Sudan, and more than 4 million of those living in southern Sudan have been forced out of their homes at one point or another since the war began. The civilian death toll is regarded as one of the highest of any war since World War II. The war