09/03/2021
Sudan is administratively divided into 18 states which are geographically grouped into five regions, namely the northern states, the eastern states, central states & Darfur.
Northern states
The two states of Northern Sudan are considered the least populated states, first the Northern state with a population of about 814,000 people and its capital, Dongola, while the Nile River State has about 1,309,000 people.
The population of the two states is distributed among the Nubian tribes, such as Al-Halfawein, Al-Mahs, and Al-Danaqla, and the Arab tribes that include Al-Ja`alieen, Al-Shaigiyya, Al-Manab`, Al-Badiriya, and Al- Rabatab.
Eastern states
At its top stands the Red Sea State and its capital Port Sudan, it is the main port and the Sudanese marine gate to the outside world, which includes about 1,367,000 people, its main tribes are Al-Hadandawah, Al-Bani Amer, Al-Beja, and Al-Rashaida.
As for the state of Kassala which is adjacent to Eritrea the population is about 2,134,000, it is similar in its general features to the Red Sea State, it has some of the largest Sudanese tribes such as Al-Shukria, Al-Batahin, and Al-Kananaieen.
Central States
State of Khartoum; its capital is Khartoum city which considers the national capital politically and socially since it has an enormous mixture of all the tribes of Sudan with the highest population comparing to all of the other Sudanese states.
As for the Al-Gazirah state, it covers an area of 23,373 km² and has about 4,285,000 people, due to the presence of the agriculture projects that Sudan relies on covering.
The state of White Nile - and its capital is Rabak - with a population of 2,087,000 people, its agricultural production represents one of the pillars of the Sudanese economy, and it is inhabited by several Arabic tribes which mostly pastoralists.
While the state of Sennar is represented by its capital, Sennar, which is considered one of the oldest Sudanese cities at all. The state has about 1,580,000 people live in it which mostly a mixture of Arabic tribes.
As for the Blue Nile State, its capital is the city of Damazin, the state has a population of 966,000 known for its similarities with the South Sudanese, due to its location along the strip between Sudan and South Sudan and the shared tribes between the two countries. The African tribes are the dominant tribes in the state, in addition to some other Arab tribes.
Southern States
The state of North Kordofan, El-Obeid is the Capital city, and the state has a population of 2,344,000 people. This region economically famous for the cultivation of the Arabic gum and peanut crops and its capital is considered one of the largest markets worldwide for these two products.
The state is shared between shepherds and farmers from the Arab tribes, led by these tribes Hamar, Dar Hamed, Badiriya, Joumaa, Kababish, Kawaheleh, and some other small tribes.
As for the state of South Kordofan, with its capital, Kad Qali, the state has a population of 1406,404 people. It is one of the agricultural and pastoral states at the same time, dominated by the Nuba tribes and some Arabic tribes such as Al-Misseriya tribes and other Arab tribes.
South Kordofan is considered one of the politically important states as it separates Sudan and South Sudan and has many oil-rich lands, such as Abyei, which is contested between the two countries.
Western states
The state of North Darfur (population of 2,414,000 people and El-Fasher as its capital city) is similar to the state of West Darfur (population of 863,000 people and El-Geneina as its capital city) in many characteristics, especially grazing and agriculture.
Both states differ in terms of dominated tribes, The state of North Darfur is shared between the Zaghawa tribe, some Arabic tribes. While the state of West Darfur is shared between Al-Fur and Al-Masalit tribes and the Arabic Rizeigat tribe, along with some other small tribes. Chad borders the two states to the west, while Libya is bordered by North Darfur to the north.
As for the state of South Darfur, with its capital Nyala and its population of 3,163,000people, it is one of the wealthy states because its citizens are engaged in agriculture and trade, especially the trade of vegetables and fruits. South Darfur is considered one of the states that comprise several large Sudanese tribes, such as the Al-Fur, Al-Rizeigat, Al-Habbaniya, Al-Fallata, and some other tribes. It also borders some southern states and Central Africa.
Source: 1. United Nations data. 2. Food Security Information and Knowledge Sharing System.
