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
Name day language calendars include detailed name day lists. Some name days coincide with major Christian feasts, for example people whose names are "Chrēstos" or "Christine" have their name day on Christmas, people named after St. Basil have their name day on New Year's Day, "Anastásios" and "Anastasía" on Easter Sunday, "María" and "Mários" on the Dormition or on the Presentation, etc. The traditional format of a name day celebration is an open house: once a family or person may choose to celebrate with invited guests (at home, at a restaurant, a bar or a club) if at all (e.g. following a