Occupying an amazing 2 505 813 sq km (1557 040 sq mi), Sudan is the largest country in Africa. It consists of an enormous plain bisected by the White Nile River (Bahr al Jabal) providing huge water areas including Lake Fajarial, Lake Shambe and Lake No.
The area is also home to the world’s largest swamp called The Sudd, covered by an expanse of lakes, lagoons and water plants. It is roughly 320km(200mi) long and 240km(150mi) wide, with dense aquatic vegetation which disperses the river into numerous channels.
The Sudds size varies, reaching an incredible size of England during the rainy seasons. In addition to the abundant plant life, there is a wide variety of animals that live in the marsh including many types of birds, fish, hippos, and of course mosquitoes which thrive in the warm, saturated air.
More than half of the water of the White Nile River is held in this swamp area, creating an immense floodplain. It has created such an obstacle that passage was not possible till 1840. The first effort to create a channel took over four years to complete and constant maintenance to keep it clear.
The vegetation can form massive blocks that can shift position and block navigable channels creating an ever-changing network of water. That’s why boats carry saws and chains to clear the floating islands of plants from the channel when the way through the area becomes lost.
Although unfriendly, the Sudd is a wonder of the nature which deserves to be seen and experienced in person.
