EGYPTIAN SUDAN. That part of North east Africa, under Anglo-Egyptian control, lying south of Egypt, with its northern limit at the twenty-second parallel of latitude, and bounded on the east by the Red Sea, Eritrea, and Abys sinia, on the southeast by British East Africa, on the south by German East Africa and the Congo Free State. and on the west by French Congo, Wadai, and the Sahara, the western and eastern limits not being as yet fixed (Map: Africa, 11 3). The total area is given as ap proximately 9-50.000 square miles. The distance from the Egyptian boundary to the Albert Nyanza is 1400 miles. In the north lies the Nubian Desert, and across the central seetion and in the extreme south are found mountains. In the Ilat part of the southern region are pestilential swamps. In this section the rain fall is enormous, being from SO to 100 inches it year. There are only two dry months—Novem ber and Deermber. The precipitation gradnally diminishes northward, and represents about an average fall at the northern boundary of the country. The Nile. with its important head streams, courses through the entire land from the Albert Nyanza to Egypt. All the tribu taries of the Nile enter it in Egyptian Sudan, the last one north being the Atbara, coming from the east. For ?36 miles the Upper Nile, from (tor to the mouth of the Bahr-el-Ghazal. has a very feeble slope, and (lows slowly through many channels which ar often obstructed by masses of matter and decaying vegetation (the sudd), which be cut through and kept nursing in order to secure a nay igable channel. I :elow the Bahr-el-Ghazal the river is known as the White Nile as far as Khartum. where it is joined by the Blue Nile from the east. Five of the Nile cataracts are located between Khartum and the northern boundary. (See Mix.) The Atbara is heavily charged with volcanic debris from the Abyssinian highlands, and supplies the greater part of the mud which gives fertility to Lower Egypt. Egyptian Sudan is underlain by igneous and metamorphic rocks. Of these ma
terials are composed most of the ranges and ridges traversing this region. To the northwest ward the formations become successively younger in geologic age. The country is not only well watered, but the extremes of temperature are not excessive. though the mean temperature is high. Large portions of the country, neverthe less, have gone out of cultivation since the re volt of the Mandi in ISs3, and trade has been largely abandoned. In December, 1S99. the terri tory was reopened for trade, and the important traffic of former times in ivory, ost•ich-feathers. gold-dust, gums, and skins is being revived. In the south particularly there are great natural resources. The soil along the White Nile is rich, and millet, durra, and sesame are raised. The forests are extensive, and possess numerous valu able varieties of wood.
According to the terms of a convention signed in 1899 by the British and Egyptian Govern ments, and providing for an Anglo-Egyptian condominium, there is a Governor-General, ap pointed by the latter Government with the con sent of the former: laws are made by proclama tion; no duties are put on imports from Egypt: and duties on imports from other countries must not exceed those levied in Egypt. The region is divided into six pro•inces—Khartum. Doug()la, Berber, Kassala, Sennar. and Kordofan. There are, besides, the administrative districts of Wadi Haifa, Suakim, and Fashoda. Egypt will. dur ing a Pertain perind, bear the expense of admin istration. For 1901 the receipts collected were 81.100.000. the expenditures S3.036,000. There are no figures for the population. It was given as 10.000.000 before 1882, but fully of the inhabitants are thought to have perished during the Dervish rule. Khartum (q.v.) is the capital, and is connected with Cairo by rail and telegraph. Other chief towns are Omdurman. Dononla. Wadi Haifa, Berber, Kassala, El-Oheid, and Suakim.