Sudan is mainly of extensive plains of ironstone soil in the south, clay in central regions and sandy in the north and west. There are few mountainous areas, of which the principal ones are the Imatong in the south, Jebel Marra in the west and the Red Sea Hills in the east.
Mountains:
Five distinct mountain ranges and plateaus characterize the relief of the landmass of Sudan. Among these are the mountain ranges of the (Red Sea Hills) in the northeast and the mountain forest plateau of (Imatong) in the south. (Jebel Marra) is a sprawling highland of over 10.000 feet above sea level in the southwest and west of Sudan (Al Meidob) cluster of mountains stands in the furthest north of western state of Darfur. Finally, there are (Nuba mountains) which are located in the rich rainy savanna belt of southern kordofan.
Climate:
As Sudan lies wholly within the tropics, it has a tropical climate. The greater part of the country falls under the influence of the trade winds: hence, it has generally hot, rainy summer and warm, dry winter. Because of its huge area, there is a great variation in rain, where it scarcely rains in the north: the average rainfall is 25 mm. whereas in the south it reaches up to 1500mm.
The amount of rainfall decreases from 1500 mm. in the south to less than 25 mm. in the northern extremity. The duration of the rainy season and rainfall and its reliability increases from north to south .rainfall exhibits wide range of variability from 20% in the south to 100% in the north. The main rainy season is July to September but occasional showers fall in May – June particularly in the higher rainfall areas in the south. The red sea hills receive monsoon rains during the months of October and November. There is little rain in the far north and central regions, occurring mostly in July and august. Between April and October, server sandstorms. Or "Haboubs" blow frequently in the northern part of the country. On the other hand, in the south, the rainy season is much heavier and lasts from May through October.
March through June is characterized by high temperatures, reaching up to 42 degrees centigrade at daytime and 27 degrees centigrade during the night. July through October is mid and benign, with the commencement of the rainy season. November through February is temperate with short cold breezy spells, bringing the temperature to 30 degrees centigrade at daytime and to less than 16 degrees centigrade at night.
The Nile:
The waters of the Nile gather from many countries – Tanzania, Kenya, Congo, Uganda and Ethiopia. Form the river Nile. The contribution of Sudan and that of Egypt is negligible. Of the total volume, 84% comes from Ethiopia and 16% from lake plateau of central Africa. The Nile basin covers an area of 1.100.000 surge miles, roughly one tenth of the area of Africa.
The main Nile is formed by the confluence of the white and blue Niles at Khartoum state, north of the bridge of Shambat, between the towns of Omdurman and Khartoum north. For the 1.880 miles from Khartoum to the Mediterranean, it receives no perennial tributaries and is believed to the longest stretch of river in the world.
The Blue Nile:
Originates from Lake Tana, which lies on the Ethiopian plateau about 1.000 miles from Khartoum. Its course in Sudan is nearly 500 miles long and is joined by the rivers Dinder and Rahad between Sennar and Khartoum.
Tributaries of the White Nile, blue Nile and the Nile:
White Nile: rivers Bahr El Ghazal and Sobat near Malakal town.
Blue Nile: rivers Dinder and Rahad near wad Medani town.
River Nile: river Atbara near Ed Damar town.
Nile lakes: Lake Nubian, on the Sudanese – Egyptian border. |
