The country derives its name from the Arabicbilād al-sūdān (بلاد السودان) meaning "land of theBlacks", referring to the wider region immediately south of the Sahara.
While historically agriculture remains the main source of income and employment hiring of over 80 percent of Sudanese, and makes up a third of the economic sector, oil production drove most of Sudan's post-2000 growth.
Oil was Sudan's main export, with production increasing dramatically during the late 2000s, in the years before South Sudan gained independence in July 2011.
In order to export oil, South Sudan must rely on a pipeline to Port Sudan on Sudan's Red Sea coast, as South Sudan itself is landlocked, as well as on Sudan's superiorrefinery infrastructure. The Merowe Dam, also known as Merowe Multi-Purpose Hydro Project or Hamdab Dam.Its dimensions make it the largest contemporary hydropower project in Africa.
