3. Acacia Short Grass Scrub District 



A rather narrow, short grass belt frinces the Desert Scrub 

 District to the south. Rainfall increases from twelve to twenty 

 inches annually and falls six to eight months a year, thus main- 

 taining an open woodland type of country with short grasses and 

 herbs. The soil is more water-retaining than that of deserts 

 and supports a greater variety of trees, of which Acacia species 

 dominate. The Butana area (Figure 3) is partially treeless des- 

 ert and elsewhere open grass plain with thorn scrub. Taller 

 grasses, and denser shrubs and trees grow near the Atbara River 

 and dompalm forests exist at the River's upper reaches. 



The southern limit of the distribution of camels in the 

 Sudan coincides with the southern margin of this District. 



The intensively cultivated and irrigated Gezira area between 

 the Blue and Vrnite Niles is a special feature of this region. 

 Resources from this area produce most of the revenue for the 

 Sudan Government and it is one of the most densely settled areas 

 of the Sudan. 



For purposes of the present study, special attention should 

 b- called to the outlier of the Acacia Short Grass Scrub District 

 in eastern Equatoria Province, from near Kapoeta eastwards, and 

 in southeastern Upper Nile Province. 



U. Acacia Tall Grass Forest District 



Extending from the previous District to the Bahr El Arab and 

 thence southwards to the borders of Equatoria P^^^^^^^f '^^^^, f^^ 

 cia Tall Grass Forest District is the largest ^^^"^le vegetational 

 unit of the Sudan. Much of it is frequently called the Central 

 Rainlands, on which vast herds of cattle graze and some effort 

 devoted to cotton, peanuts, melons, various legumes, dura ana 

 teff grass is undertaken. Three highland ^^^^' ^^\^^^^VhT 

 .roup^ the Nuba Mountains, and the Ingassana Hills, break the 

 ™notonous plains. The vast sudd or papyrus swampsof the Nile 

 r.ad the seasonally inundated noicW areas f^^^^^'-fj^f'^^ 

 of this area. Rainfall ranges from twenty to forty inches an- 

 ^u^■^^y and soil types vary from dark heavy clays to light sandv 



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