Sudan

noun
1.
a region in N Africa, S of the Sahara and Libyan deserts, extending from the Atlantic to the Red Sea.
2.
Republic of the. Formerly Anglo-Egyptian Sudan. a republic in NE Africa, S of Egypt and bordering on the Red Sea: a former condominium of Egypt and Great Britain. 967,500 sq. mi. (2,505,825 sq. km).
Capital: Khartoum.
noun
1.
a republic in NE Africa, on the Red Sea: conquered by Mehemet Ali of Egypt (1820–22) and made an Anglo-Egyptian condominium in 1899 after joint forces defeated the Mahdist revolt; became a republic in 1956; a lengthy civil war between separatists in the mainly Christian south and the government resulted in independence for South Sudan following a referendum in 2011. It consists mainly of a plateau, with the Nubian Desert in the north. Official language: Arabic. Official religion: Muslim; there are Christian and animist minorities. Currency: Sudanese pound or Sudani (replacing the Sudanese dinar in 2007). Capital: Khartoum. Pop: 34 847 910 (2013 est). Area: 1 861 484 sq km (718 723 sq miles) Former name (1899–1956) Anglo-Egyptian Sudan French name Soudan
2.
the Sudan, a region stretching across Africa south of the Sahara and north of the tropical zone: inhabited chiefly by Negroid tribes rather than Arabs
Sudan [(sooh-dan)]

Republic in northeastern Africa, bordered on the north by Egypt; on the east by the Red Sea and Ethiopia; on the south by Kenya, Uganda, and Democratic Republic of Congo; and on the west by the Central African Republic, Chad, and Libya. Its capital is Khartoum, and its largest city is Omdurman.

Note: Sudan was under the joint rule of Britain and Egypt (though Britain exercised actual control) from 1899 to 1956.

Note: Recently, it has been plagued by famine and civil war.