The largest nation of the African continent, Sudan is situated in the northeastern part of Africa

. It is the 10th largest country of the world by area.
Sudan is endowed with a very large livestock population. The animal herd of Sudan is estimated at about 134.57 million heads, being the largest in Africa and the Middle East. It consists of about 39.76 million cattle, 48.91 million sheep, 42.18 million goats and 3.72 million camels Based on the quoted figures Sudan ranks on the 7th place with respect to cattle population, the 6th place on sheep population and the 4th place on goat population.
However, such large stock provides annually a relatively small quantity of hides and skins. There is a wide disparity between the livestock population and the hides and skins output. The main reasons for that been the low off-take of about 6% for bovine lower than African average 8% and the lack of meat industry. Sudan hides and skins are characterized by a fine quality of its fiber network composition and grain surface which make it suitable for the manufacture of many articles such as garments and gloves.
Leather business constitutes crucial economic sources in Sudan as leather exports top industrial exports and come second to live animal and meat exports. Among Arab and African countries Sudan leads in terms of camel resources, come the sixth in respect ofsheep and goat and the seventh with regard to cattle.
The hides and skins produced in Sudan are of an inferior quality due to accumulation of surface defects which are classified into two categories, the ante-mortem defects which occur during the life of the animal due to poor animal husbandry, spread of diseases and mechanical damage. And also postmortem defects due to high percentage unsupervised scoter due to lack of slaughtering fail and social habits for backyard slaughter and late curing and storage and transport problems.
The seventies and eighties witnessed the coming up of a number of private and public tanneries of different sizes. Most of these tanneries produce intermediate products of a low added value for export, namely Pickle &Wet blue. Few tanneries produce finished leather for shoe uppers from cattle hides and lining leather from sheep and goat skins for the local market.
Leather can be considered as one of the important economic sub-sector oriented for export. Animal wealth of the country is estimated at 125 million heads of cattle, sheep, goats, camels etc. The raw hides and skins are distinguished by hard fibers and consistent texture.