Books in Major World Nations series

Sudan, the largest country in Africa, has been called one of the most politically unstable nations in the world. Throughout its long history, Sudan has experienced turmoil, and in the second half of the 20th century alone, millions of Sudanese were killed or displaced by civil war. The country was once a great empire, ruled by Nubia. Today, it is a bloody, war-torn country ruled by a power-hungry military government. The Sudanese had a brief respite from civil war in July 2002 when a ceasefire was declared between the Sudanese government and the Sudan People's Liberation Army. In 2004, another war that began in the northwestern region of Darfur caused outcry from the international community. Still, the Sudanese government remains defiantly indifferent to the calls to stop the violence. Although the UN's International Criminal Court has charged Sudan's leader with war crimes and crimes against humanity, little has changed. As a result, the UN estimates that 1.1 million people are without food and water and another million without healthcare. Sudan covers the history of this country torn apart by war and explores its people, culture, and government.