This is a negative aspect of Sudan.
SUDAN has GREAT NEED for more up-to-date and secure infrastructure.
Being a war torn and underdeveloped country definitely shows through SUDAN'S current infrastructure!
There is some good stuff, but much more is needed to provide for all of SUDAN'S citizens!
Again, this is a country caught in the middle of Muslim extremism and terrorism. That is the definition of disaster and poor infrastructure, because it's hard to maintain buildings and roads when they're being blown up and studded with land mines all of the time in the name of allah.
Again, the best place to invest here would be the South Sudan and just let the North do it's thing and run themselves into the ground or whatever it is they're trying to achieve. It would be important to produce high military standards and protection, both offensive and defensive, in South Sudan to protect future production from Islamic extremists who would want to destroy it for non-conversion and infidel prosperity - which they get extremely jealous of really quickly.
Roads need to be built here. Schools, hospitals, factories. The whole nine. Everything here needs to be upgraded and brought up to some-what 1st World standards. There are people to work and resources to harvest. Build it up, and protect it, and you're in business.
Sudanese Capital Resources!
Telephones - main lines in use: 900,000 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 650,000 (2003).
Telephone system: large, well-equipped system by regional standards and being upgraded; cellular communications started in 1996 and have expanded substantially.
--->Domestic: consists of microwave radio relay, cable, radiotelephone communications, and a domestic satellite system with 14 earth stations international: country code - 249; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat (2000).
Radio broadcast stations: AM 12, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998).
Television broadcast stations: 3 (1997).
Internet users: 300,000 (2003). 3.
Another Source Sates --- Other means of communication include radio, television, and computers. There are 7.55 million radios in use and 2.38 million televisions (141 per 1,000 people). There were 12 AM stations, 1 FM, 1 shortwave, and 3 television stations in 1997. There was only 1 Internet service provider by 2000, and only 2 of every 1,000 inhabitants owned a personal computer. 4.
Sudan Airways --- owns 2 Boeing 707s, 2 Boeing 737-200s, 4 Fokkers, and 3 Airbus planes. Major airports are in Khartoum and Port Sudan, and there are some minor airports throughout the country. Of the country's 61 airports, 12 have paved runways. There is 1 heliport. 7.
Roads: There are about 50,000 km (31,080 miles) of roads in the Sudan, but most are unsurfaced dirt tracks which may become completely impassable after heavy rain. Paved highways run between Khartoum - Port Sudan, Atbara, Dongola, and Gedarif.
Buses run between Khartoum, Kassala, Port Sudan, and Gedarif. These boast air-conditioning, comfortable seats and shock absorbers, but most buses are a far cry from this class of transport. The vast majority have wooden bench seats, no shock absorbers and are very crowded and uncomfortable.
Travel by lorry is probably even more unpleasant, as the rear section must be shared with all kinds of cargo and livestock. It is also open to the elements, and is hot and dusty in the extreme. Travel by both bus and lorry is extremely slow, due to the poor condition of the roads and the inevitable breakdowns en route.
A slightly faster way of getting about is by Toyota Hilux pick-ups, known to the locals as 'boxes' (boksi, plural bokasi). These cost a little more than lorries or buses and, although not a great deal more comfortable, they will certainly get you to your destination in a much shorter time. Boxes are mostly used as local transport between villages, but some longer routes are available, notably a trans-desert route from Dongola to Karima and Karima to Atbara.
Many of the locals travel by camel (western and northern Sudan) or donkey (country-wide). Bicycles are rarely seen, due to poor road conditions.
In the larger urban areas - Khartoum, Omdurman, Kassala and Port Sudan - taxis are available, but fares are erratic, and travelers need to bargain before starting their trip.
Rail: The railway system in the Sudan is extensive, with about 5,500km (3,420 miles) of track linking most of the major towns and cities. It is, however, in a poor state of repair and is currently operating at about one-fifth of its capacity. Most of the railway system dates from Kitchener's offensive against the Mahdi in the 1890s, and is a narrow gauge, single track line.
There are three classes of travel on the Sudanese railway. First-class compartments carry six passengers, while no limit seems to be fixed on the numbers in second and third classes, so these can be very crowded. Some passengers even ride for free on the carriage roofs. This practice is not recommended, however, as accidents have been known to occur!
Air: The national carrier is the government-owned Sudan Airways. Other airline companies operate on international and local routes. 9.
INFRASTRUCTURE! --- Relatively low level because of the bad economic situation and internal conflicts. Some parts of the country (mainly in the south) are cut off from the modern world, leaving some villages totally isolated. The total railways length is 5,500 kilometers (3,418 miles). However, because of the conflict in the south and long time neglect, the quality of the rail tracks is very poor. Therefore, only about one-fifth of its length could be used. Narrow single track railways from the beginning of this century are prevailing. The main railway leads from Wadi Halfa through Khartoum to El Obeid, from Khartoum to Port Sudan and from El Obeid to Nyala in the southern part of the country. In 1997, new railways were finished connecting Muglad and Abu Jabra. All railways are managed by the state-run Sudan Railways Corporation.
There are 50,000 kilometers (31,070 miles) of roads in Sudan, but the quality is commonly very poor. Many of the roads are located in the desert and are not passable during the rainy seasons. Only the road connecting Khartoum and Port Sudan is covered by asphalt. Bus connections are between these 2 cities and Kassala. Gravel roads connect Khartoum with Port Sudan, Atbara, Dongola, and Gedarif. The connections are commonly very bad and transport facilities very old. 4.
TRAFFIC SAFETY AND ROAD CONDITIONS: While in Sudan, you may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States.
Road conditions throughout Sudan are hazardous due to erratic driver behavior, pedestrians and animals in the roadways, and vehicles that are overloaded or lack basic safety equipment. Only major highways and some streets in the cities are paved; many roads are narrow, rutted, and poorly maintained.
While there are functioning traffic signals on major streets in Khartoum, there are virtually none in other parts of the country. Local drivers often do not observe conventions for the right-of-way, stop on the road without warning, and frequently exceed safe speeds for road, traffic, and weather conditions.
Driving at night is dangerous and should be avoided if possible; many vehicles operate without lights. 2.
MEDICAL FACILITIES AND HEALTH INFORMATION: Persons with conditions which may require medical treatment are strongly discouraged from traveling to Sudan.
Medical facilities in Khartoum fall short of U.S. standards; outside the capital, few facilities exist and hospitals and clinics are poorly equipped.
If you need medical treatment, you must pay cash in advance for it. Ambulance services are not available outside Khartoum.
Medicines are available only intermittently; you should bring sufficient supplies of needed medicines in clearly marked containers. 2.
Telephones - mobile cellular: 650,000 (2003).
Telephone system: large, well-equipped system by regional standards and being upgraded; cellular communications started in 1996 and have expanded substantially.
--->Domestic: consists of microwave radio relay, cable, radiotelephone communications, and a domestic satellite system with 14 earth stations international: country code - 249; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Arabsat (2000).
Radio broadcast stations: AM 12, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998).
Television broadcast stations: 3 (1997).
Internet users: 300,000 (2003). 3.
Another Source Sates --- Other means of communication include radio, television, and computers. There are 7.55 million radios in use and 2.38 million televisions (141 per 1,000 people). There were 12 AM stations, 1 FM, 1 shortwave, and 3 television stations in 1997. There was only 1 Internet service provider by 2000, and only 2 of every 1,000 inhabitants owned a personal computer. 4.
Sudan Airways --- owns 2 Boeing 707s, 2 Boeing 737-200s, 4 Fokkers, and 3 Airbus planes. Major airports are in Khartoum and Port Sudan, and there are some minor airports throughout the country. Of the country's 61 airports, 12 have paved runways. There is 1 heliport. 7.
Roads: There are about 50,000 km (31,080 miles) of roads in the Sudan, but most are unsurfaced dirt tracks which may become completely impassable after heavy rain. Paved highways run between Khartoum - Port Sudan, Atbara, Dongola, and Gedarif.
Buses run between Khartoum, Kassala, Port Sudan, and Gedarif. These boast air-conditioning, comfortable seats and shock absorbers, but most buses are a far cry from this class of transport. The vast majority have wooden bench seats, no shock absorbers and are very crowded and uncomfortable.
Travel by lorry is probably even more unpleasant, as the rear section must be shared with all kinds of cargo and livestock. It is also open to the elements, and is hot and dusty in the extreme. Travel by both bus and lorry is extremely slow, due to the poor condition of the roads and the inevitable breakdowns en route.
A slightly faster way of getting about is by Toyota Hilux pick-ups, known to the locals as 'boxes' (boksi, plural bokasi). These cost a little more than lorries or buses and, although not a great deal more comfortable, they will certainly get you to your destination in a much shorter time. Boxes are mostly used as local transport between villages, but some longer routes are available, notably a trans-desert route from Dongola to Karima and Karima to Atbara.
Many of the locals travel by camel (western and northern Sudan) or donkey (country-wide). Bicycles are rarely seen, due to poor road conditions.
In the larger urban areas - Khartoum, Omdurman, Kassala and Port Sudan - taxis are available, but fares are erratic, and travelers need to bargain before starting their trip.
Rail: The railway system in the Sudan is extensive, with about 5,500km (3,420 miles) of track linking most of the major towns and cities. It is, however, in a poor state of repair and is currently operating at about one-fifth of its capacity. Most of the railway system dates from Kitchener's offensive against the Mahdi in the 1890s, and is a narrow gauge, single track line.
There are three classes of travel on the Sudanese railway. First-class compartments carry six passengers, while no limit seems to be fixed on the numbers in second and third classes, so these can be very crowded. Some passengers even ride for free on the carriage roofs. This practice is not recommended, however, as accidents have been known to occur!
Air: The national carrier is the government-owned Sudan Airways. Other airline companies operate on international and local routes. 9.
INFRASTRUCTURE! --- Relatively low level because of the bad economic situation and internal conflicts. Some parts of the country (mainly in the south) are cut off from the modern world, leaving some villages totally isolated. The total railways length is 5,500 kilometers (3,418 miles). However, because of the conflict in the south and long time neglect, the quality of the rail tracks is very poor. Therefore, only about one-fifth of its length could be used. Narrow single track railways from the beginning of this century are prevailing. The main railway leads from Wadi Halfa through Khartoum to El Obeid, from Khartoum to Port Sudan and from El Obeid to Nyala in the southern part of the country. In 1997, new railways were finished connecting Muglad and Abu Jabra. All railways are managed by the state-run Sudan Railways Corporation.
There are 50,000 kilometers (31,070 miles) of roads in Sudan, but the quality is commonly very poor. Many of the roads are located in the desert and are not passable during the rainy seasons. Only the road connecting Khartoum and Port Sudan is covered by asphalt. Bus connections are between these 2 cities and Kassala. Gravel roads connect Khartoum with Port Sudan, Atbara, Dongola, and Gedarif. The connections are commonly very bad and transport facilities very old. 4.
TRAFFIC SAFETY AND ROAD CONDITIONS: While in Sudan, you may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States.
Road conditions throughout Sudan are hazardous due to erratic driver behavior, pedestrians and animals in the roadways, and vehicles that are overloaded or lack basic safety equipment. Only major highways and some streets in the cities are paved; many roads are narrow, rutted, and poorly maintained.
While there are functioning traffic signals on major streets in Khartoum, there are virtually none in other parts of the country. Local drivers often do not observe conventions for the right-of-way, stop on the road without warning, and frequently exceed safe speeds for road, traffic, and weather conditions.
Driving at night is dangerous and should be avoided if possible; many vehicles operate without lights. 2.
MEDICAL FACILITIES AND HEALTH INFORMATION: Persons with conditions which may require medical treatment are strongly discouraged from traveling to Sudan.
Medical facilities in Khartoum fall short of U.S. standards; outside the capital, few facilities exist and hospitals and clinics are poorly equipped.
If you need medical treatment, you must pay cash in advance for it. Ambulance services are not available outside Khartoum.
Medicines are available only intermittently; you should bring sufficient supplies of needed medicines in clearly marked containers. 2.