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| 5. Sudan |
| 1956, July |
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| Sudan gained independence with Umma's 'Abd allah Khalil as prime minister, but the ruling coalition was composed of religious parties. | 1 |
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| 1958 |
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| The military, led by Gen. Ibrahim Abbud, took power in a bloodless coup in Sudan, repeated in 1969, as power shifted among factions within religious parties. | 2 |
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| 1963 |
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| Southern Sudanese resistance movements in the Christian and traditionalist south united as the Land Freedom Army, later called Anyanya (snake venom); a rise in guerrilla attacks coincided with intensification of the government military campaign and repression. | 3 |
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| 1964 |
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| Gen. Abbud was overthrown, leading to the installation of a democratic government. | 4 |
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| 1969, May |
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| A military coup in Sudan was led by Col. Ja'fer Nimeiry, who became president under a new constitution in 1972. Nimeiry followed a Nasserist line and aligned his government with the radical Arab states. | 5 |
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| 1971 |
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| Nimeiry founded the Sudan Socialist Union as the only legal party and was elected to a six-year term as president. | 6 |
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| 1972 |
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| The Addis Ababa Agreement gave southern Sudan regional autonomy, recognition of Christianity and the English language, cessation of the war, and the repatriation of 300,000 refugees. | 7 |
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| 1981 |
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| Oil was discovered in southern Sudan. Because the revenues did not benefit the south, rebel activity increased. | 8 |
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| 1983 |
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| The Nimeiry regime broke the Addis Ababa Agreement by announcing a plan to divide the south into three regions. The introduction of Sharia (Islamic law) throughout the nation ensured renewed civil war. | 9 |
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| 1985 |
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| The military assumed power under Gen. Abdul Rahman Siwar al-Dahhab, after large-scale protests had erupted, prompted by the ending of food and fuel subsidies required by the International Monetary Fund. The new government had to contend with a disastrous drought affecting half of Sudan's people. | 10 |
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| 1986, April |
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| Sadiq al-Mahdi was elected prime minister. His government remained unable to defeat the rebels in the south; nor did it implement the agreement reached at Koka Dam in April 1986 to repeal the Sharia, lift the state of emergency, and call a constitutional conference. | 11 |
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