SUDAN, s-57.-dait', or SOUDAN. A term now designating the vast region in Northern Africa lying between the Atlantic and the Red Sea, and between the Sahara Desert, on the north, and the Gulf of Guinea and the watersheds between Lake Chad and the Congo and between the Nile and the Congo, on the south. The northern line is about latitude 18° N., the south ern about 4° N. The Sudan has been known as the 'Black •Zone'—the home of the true negro race. The term is of somewhat confused signifi cation both 'geographically and ethnically. Ex cept Portuguese Guinea, Togo, and Kamerun, which belong to Germany, and the independent Liberia, all of the region of the Sudan is now virtually divided up between Great Britain and France. To Great Britain belong Gambia, Sierra Leone, the Gold Coast, Lagos, and Nigeria (both Northern and Southern) : the government of the Egyptian Sudan (q.v.) is shared by England and Egypt; and Darfur is within the British sphere of influence. Under French control are Sene gal, French Gtfinea, the ivory Coast, Dahomey, French Congo, Bagirmi, and \Vadai. The French Sudan (q.v.) was formerly the name of the territory in Western Africa lying between longitude 12° W. and Lake Chad and between the Sahara on the north and the countries (in cluding Nigeria) along the north coast of the Gulf of Guinea. By the French decree of Oc
tober 17, 1899, this region—generally known as West Sudan—was divided up. The western por tion fell to Senegal, French Guinea, the Ivory Coast, and Dahomey. The remainder was formed into the three military territories of French Sudan (q.v.), the third of which reaches to \Vadai on the extreme east. All the above French possessions, except French Congo, Ba girmi, and \Vadai, are under a French Gover nor-General, whose seat is at Saint-Louis, Senegal. The third military territory above referred to connects on the southeast with French Congo, and thus forms the link uniting all the French possessions in Africa. This Gov ernor-Generalship embraces also practically all of the Sahara (q.v.) in accordance with the French decree above named; for Great Britain has recognized the claims of France to all the region west of the Nile basin, thus embracing substantially all of the Sahara Desert (includ ing the Libyan Desert).
For particulars as to topography, climate, commerce, races, etc., see articles on the differ ent countries mentioned.