Sudan

Sudan (Arabic: السودان‎ as-Sūdān, English pronunciation (US) ⁱ/suˈdæn/, (GB) /suːˈdɑːn/), officially the Republic of the Sudan (Arabic: جمهورية السودان‎ Jumhūrīyat as-Sūdān), is a country in north-east Africa. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea, Eritrea, and Ethiopia, to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the southwest, Chad to the west and Libya to the northwest. It is the third largest country in Africa. The River Nile divides the country into eastern and western halves. Its predominant religion is Islam.

Sudan was home to numerous ancient civilizations, such as the Kingdom of Kush, Kerma, Nobatia, Alodia, Makuria, Meroë and others, most of which flourished along the Nile. During the pre-dynastic period Nubia and Nagadan Upper Egypt were identical, simultaneously evolved systems of pharaonic kingship by 3300 BC. By virtue of its proximity to Egypt, the Sudan participated in the wider history of the Near East inasmuch as it was Christianized by the 6th century, and Islamized in the 15th. As a result of Christianization, the Old Nubian language stands as the oldest recorded Nilo-Saharan language (earliest records dating to the 9th century). Sudan was the largest country in Africa and the Arab world until 2011, when South Sudan separated into an independent country, following an independence referendum. Sudan is now the third largest country in Africa (after Algeria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo) and also the third largest country in the Arab world (after Algeria and Saudi Arabia).

History of Sudan (1956–69)

On 1 January 1956 Anglo-Egyptian Sudan become the independent Republic of the Sudan. Before 1955, however, the government under Ismail al-Azhari had temporarily halted Sudan's progress toward self-determination, hoping to promote unity with Egypt. Despite his pro-Egyptian National Unionist Party (NUP) winning a majority in the 1953 parliamentary elections, however, Azhari realized that popular opinion had shifted against such a union. Azhari, who had been the major spokesman for the "unity of the Nile Valley", therefore reversed the NUP's stand and supported Sudanese independence. On December 19, 1955, the Sudanese parliament, under Azhari's leadership, unanimously adopted a declaration of independence that became effective on January 1, 1956. Azhari called for the withdrawal of foreign troops and requested the condominium powers to sponsor a plebiscite in advance.

Politics of independence

Sudan achieved independence without the rival political parties having agreed on the form and content of a permanent constitution. Instead, the Constituent Assembly adopted a document known as the Transitional Constitution, which replaced the governor general as head of state with a five-member Supreme Commission that was elected by a parliament composed of an indirectly elected Senate and a popularly elected House of Representatives. The Transitional Constitution also allocated executive power to the prime minister, who was nominated by the House of Representatives and confirmed in office by the Supreme Commission.

Sudan stain

Sudan stains and Sudan dyes are synthetic organic compounds that are used as dyes for various plastics and are also used to stain sudanophilic biological samples, usually lipids. Sudan II, Sudan III, Sudan IV, Oil Red O, and Sudan Black B are important members of this class of compounds (see images below).

Staining

Sudan dyes have high affinity to fats, therefore they are used to demonstrate triglycerides, lipids, and lipoproteins. Alcoholic solutions of Sudan dyes are usually used, however pyridine solutions can be used in some situations as well.

Sudan stain test is often used to determine the level of fecal fat to diagnose steatorrhea. A small sample is dissolved in water or saline, glacial acetic acid is added to hydrolyze the insoluble salts of fatty acids, a few drops of alcoholic solution of Sudan III are added, the sample is spread on a microscopic slide, and heated twice to boil. Normally a stool sample should show only a few drops of red-orange stained fat under the microscope. The method is only semiquantitative but, due to its simplicity, it is used for screening.

Sudan (beverage)

Sudan (Hangul: 수단; hanja: 水團 or 水鍴) is a kind of Korean traditional drink made of honey water and rice cake. It is usually served during the summer for quenching thirst. Traditionally Sudan was always served during a village rite in 6th month in lunar calendar. Korean farmers prayed for a bountiful harvest and god’s blessing for their life in the future by making food offering including foods and Sudan drink.

See also

References

Sudan (rhinoceros)

Sudan is a captive Northern White Rhinoceros who lives at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Laikipia, Kenya. He is known for being the last male of his subspecies in the world and one of only three living Northern White Rhinoceroses in the world.

Early life

Sudan was born in Sudan (now South Sudan), caught in Shambe, South Sudan on November 19, 1973, and shipped to the Dvůr Králové Zoo for their Northern White Rhinoceros display. In December 2009, Sudan was moved from the Dvůr Králové Zoo to the Ol Pejeta Conservancy for a "Last Chance To Survive" breeding program. Along with three other Northern White Rhinoceroses, he was taken to Ol Pejeta Conservancy to create a more natural habitat for the animals to induce breeding.

Sudan is the father of Nabire (dam: Nasima, studbook number 0351), who was born November 15, 1983, and died in Dvůr Králové Zoo July, 2015. He is also the father of Najin, who was transported to Ol Pejeta Conservancy along with him in 2009. Najin was born in 1989, again with the dam being Nasima. Sudan has sired only one other offspring besides Nabire and Najin. Sudan is the grandfather of Fatu through his daughter Najin. For breeding, Sudan's studbook number is 0372.