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Paper Abstract: How physical geography & climate have influenced population distribution. Paper Introduction: This paper will discuss how physical features in the geography of Sudan have influenced the population distribution in that country. The role of landforms and water bodies will be addressed in terms of how they have affected population, as will such factors as soil quality, mineral resources, coastlines and harbors. The effects of Sudan's climate on population distribution will also be discussed in the paper. The Democratic Republic of Sudan is located in northeast Africa. Sudan is a large country which has a "tremendous" diversity of geographical regions (Voll, 1978, p. 2). As a direct consequence of this, Sudan correspondingly features a number of demographically unique populations. The varied population of the country is composed of "at least 56 separate ethnic groups, subdivided into 597 subgroups, and 115 languages" Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. . (1978). As a result of these conditions, the southern part of thenation is filled with rich vegetation which is ideal for the raising ofcattle. In the northeast part of Sudan are located the Red Sea Hills, whichare mountains running along the coast of the Red Sea. In the southerncentral areas savannahs are predominant, which feature "short grasses andthe acacia bushes from which gum arabic is derived" (Kaplan, 1983, p. With few exceptions, the soil of the northern desert Sudaninvariably requires irrigation for agricultural production. The society and its environment. It hashistorically provided a source of transportation and irrigation to thepeople of Sudan, and thus it has always maintained the highest populationdensity in the area. A large part of the Sudd isalways flooded, and those parts which are not are under water much of thetime. The highest density population is found in theurban areas where the Blue and White Niles meet. 174). 72).The people who inhabit most of this area are largely nomadic, although inthe western portion farming can be carried out. ChesterSprings: Dufour. The people living in the northern area of Sudan are predominantlyArab, although there are some Negro peoples situated in the north as well(Hornburger & Whitney, 1981, p. Historical dictionary of the Sudan. 174). (1983). This is particularly true along the borders of theNile River and its tributaries. The White Nile and the Blue Nile unite at the cityof Khartoum, the capital city, and continue flowing northward into Egypt(Voll, 1978, p. Because of the wet andmountainous conditions of that region, the population there has had toadapt itself to agricultural techniques which are completely unknown to theirrigating farmers of the north and central regions. As a result of this situation, there aremany village-dwellers to be found in that area. However, there are livable areas in thenorth around the banks of the Nile River, where a "narrow strip . The Sudan: Crossroads of Africa. Nelson(Ed.). 176). As mentioned earlier, this is one of the most livableareas of the country and as such is home to half the population of Sudan.The Nile River has always been of great importance to Sudan. In the west are the Jebel Marra mountains. The best region for theagricultural industry in Sudan, however, is that which is found in thecenter of the country. 72). The region is far morereadily cultivated than the north, having more water and being morefertile, and it is inhabited by ethnic groups such as the Fur, whospecialize in agriculture. As a result, "theperiodic flooding controls the movements of local peoples who combineherding, cultivation, and fishing as modes of subsistence and moveseasonally as the flood rises and falls" (Kaplan, 1983, p. (1982). In the population distribution of Sudan, it can be seen that thepeople have adapted themselves to virtually every aspect of the country'sdiverse geography. Crops which grow well in the climate andsoil of central and southern Sudan include peanuts, sesame, sugar, milletand rice. Nevertheless, it is only in recent years that Sudan has begun todevelop as an urban society (Kaplan, 1983, p. (1981). Another important urbancenter in Sudan is Port Sudan, which is located on the Red Sea. 72). (1966). In the rural areas ofthe country, the population is largely made up of "village-dwellingfarmers, but nomadic and seminomadic pastoralists occupy wide areas"(Murray, 1982, p. In addition, it is in thatarea that the major urban population centers, such as Khartoum andOmdurman, are to be found. This helps to explain why cattle are of primary importance to thepeople of that region. Murray, J. An example of thiscan be seen among the Nuba people, who live on the sides of the NubaMountains. 176). The northern part of Sudan is taken up by the huge Libyan Desert,which is called Nubian Desert in parts east of the Nile. As such, distinct groups of people have adapted themselvesto the particular qualities of the areas in which they have settled, andthis has further enhanced the diversity of Sudan. References Hornburger, J.M., & Whitney, A. There are few people to be found in the north, which isprimarily desert. The effects of Sudan's climate onpopulation distribution will also be discussed in the paper. Cattle-grazing is very important to the way of life ofthe Nilote people. This area is known forits volcanic uplands (Murray, 1982, p. In fact, it has been noted that the Dinka make up morethan 12 percent of the overall total of the population in Sudan (Voll,1978, p. These people have developed their own means for agriculturewhich involve the shaping of terraced fields along the hillsides. Because of the difficult conditions which prevail inmuch of Sudan, "half the people live in 14 per cent of the country, aroundthe capital, the White and Blue Niles and in the south" (Murray, 1982,176). The rainlands of Sudan continue to the Dongotona andImatongMountains which are found along the country's southernmost border. 71). The areasouth of the Sudd is also, characterized by heavy annual rainfall. Most of the nation of Sudan is composed of "an immense, sparselypopulated plain; with the exception of the Nuba Mountains, plateaus andmountainous areas occur mainly near Sudan's border" (Kaplan, 1983, p. Thecentral belt of Sudan features an incredible diversity of climate andtopography. Cattle are the primary species of livestock kept by the people,but goats, sheep and camels are tended as well (Murray, 1982, p. Kaplan, I. As a direct consequence of this, Sudancorrespondingly features a number of demographically unique populations.The varied population of the country is composed of "at least 56 separateethnic groups, subdivided into 597 subgroups, and 115 languages" (Murray,1982, p. Nevertheless, there are some nomadic Arab tribes to befound there as well as some village-dwellers who depend upon the Nile forirrigation of their fields. (offertile land) is the sole locus of a sedentary rural population" (Kaplan,1983, p. There are also some nomadic tribes thatlive away from the river, such as the Kababish and the Shukriyya. Sudan: A country study (pp. 13). In H.D. This area is where theNuba Mountains are located, as well as the White Nile and the Blue Nile.The chief crop grown in this fertile area is cotton, which is a majorsource of revenue for the country. The waters overflow at this point,creating a swamp area known as the Sudd. Rainfall is quite heavy in this area as well. The Nile River and its tributaries run south to north through themiddle of the country. The Nilotesare represented by a variety of indigenous tribes, the most important ofwhich are the Dinka and the Nuer. 69-137). African countries andcultures: A concise illustrated dictionary. The Nuer are found primarily in the swamp areas whichcomprise the Sudd. 72).The diversity of the country becomes most apparent when examining thevarious regions moving from north to south. The Dinka are represented by a verylarge population. Heading towards the south, there is an area where the White Nilemeets with the Bahr el-Ghazal River. Inaddition, the general climate of the southern portion of the country isextremely humid. 2). Moving south from the desert, the amount of rainfall begins toincrease and the climate becomes more suitable to human habitation. The "northern edge, especially in the regions west of theNile, is semi-desert, but the summer rains are reliable enough to permitexploitation by camel nomads, and in some years enough rain may fall toallow a crop of millet to be sown" (Kaplan, 1983, p. There islittle vegetation, and the climate is very dry. 172). New York: David McKay. Thenomads, who herd sheep and camels stay near the Nile during the dry season,and otherwise follow the rains. The eastern portion of thecentral belt is much better suited to agriculture. They grow their own food, andoften tend livestock as well. Voll, J.O. 2). This area receivessome rain, and thus has more vegetation than other northern areas.Nevertheless, the people who live there, called the Beja, are primarilynomadic and as such base their lives on the changes of seasons, moving tofollow the rain in order to find suitable grazing for their livestock. Their herds include fewer camels and morecattle" (Said, 1966, p. The country's "vegetationcorrelates generally with rainfall to produce a transition from desert, tosemidesert and steppe scrub, to short- and tall-grass savannas, to floodedgrasslands, forest savannas and mist forests" (Murray, 1982, p. Becauseof its general wetness, this mountainous region at the southern tip of thenation is characterized by growth patterns which are typical of rainforestvegetation. The majority of people in Sudan live by subsistence farming in thecentral and southern parts of the country. 19). 5). Because the climate and geography allowcultivation, this area is populated by "more settled people, originallynomads, now living in an area with better rainfall, where millet, sesameand groundnuts are grown. This paper will discuss how physical features in the geography ofSudan have influenced the population distribution in that country. On a scale of one to ten, the varied climateand geography of Sudan have affected population distribution in thatcountry so profoundly as to merit a level of nine. Because these areas are easier tocultivate, they tend to have a higher population density than the north. Nevertheless, some of thetribal groups found in the southern part of the nation are concerned morewith agriculture than with cattle-raising. The Democratic Republic of Sudan is located in northeast Africa.Sudan is a large country which has a "tremendous" diversity of geographicalregions (Voll, 1978, p. This desert fillsapproximately one-fourth of the entire area of Sudan, and large parts of itremain unpopulated, with the exception of "a few oases" (Kaplan, 1983, p.72). Therole of landforms and water bodies will be addressed in terms of how theyhave affected population, as will such factors as soil quality, mineralresources, coastlines and harbors. A great deal of the geographic area of Sudan is not highly conduciveto human settlement. Washington, DC: U.S.Government Printing Office. Metuchen:Scarecrow.----------------------- 8 New York:Facts on File. The climatic and geographic features of the area are the cause of thesparse population found there. Cultural atlas of Africa. Arab tribes in the north include theNubians, who live primarily along the Nile in small villages, where theirfields are irrigated by the Nile. 176).There are also some mineral resources--such as gold, copper, chrome, andasbestos--to be found in the central region of Sudan (Hornburger & Whitney,1981, p. (Ed.). The distribution of the population in the southern portion of Sudanconsists primarily of a group of people known as the Nilotes. Thus, the concentration of population in the center of thecountry is further influenced by the existence of the various miningindustries which are found there. As noted, the climatic conditions found in the south ofSudan are ideal for this particular industry. 64). In thesouth of Sudan, there is a great deal of rainfall, and as a result thatpart of the country is filled with lush grazing lands which are well-suitedto the cattle-raising tribes existing there. . Said, B.M. 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