Sudan (region) to the present-day country of Sudan, the western part of which forms part of the larger region, and from which South Sudan gained its independence in 2011. The Sudan region extends in some 5,000 km in a band several hundred kilometers wide across Africa. It stretches from the border of Senegal, through southern Mali (formerly known as French Sudan when it was a French colony), Burkina Faso, southern Niger, northern Nigeria, northern Ghana, southern Chad, the western Darfur region of present-day Sudan, and South Sudan. To the north of the region lies the Sahel, a more arid Acacia savanna region
French Colonial Union many of these larger scale backers, the French Colonial Union was not as potent nor nearly as authoritative as it could have been. The Union instead had to rely on less-influential commercial businesses to add to its resume and empower its impact. This was an unfortunate flaw of the French Colonial Union, because it greatly hampered its power whenever the Union voiced its views. One positive was that by having such a strong-minded figure as Chailley-Bert in its offices, the French Colonial Union was able to remain a figure among reform and colonial affairs. French foreign policies in its colonies