Sudan, the third largest country in Africa, was home to numerous ancient civilizations, such as the Kingdom of Kush, Kerma, Nobatia, Alodia, Makuria, Meroë and others, and thus has a long tradition of cultural diversity. The culture of the country is the amalgamation of the behaviors, practices, and beliefs of about 578 ethnic groups, communicating in 145 different languages. With such a vast literary tradition, it comes as no surprise that the nation produced Ibrahim 'Ali Salman who is regarded as the most famous contemporary poet of the Arab Manasir and is simple referred to as "Ibrahim the poet". Sudanese music is also very diverse though years of political instability and chaos has deeply affected the country’s rich musical legacy. In the late 20th century, many of the country's most prominent poets, like Mahjoub Sharif, were imprisoned while others, like Mohammed el Amin and Mohammed Wardi fled the country. Well-built, strong and athletic, the Sudanese are known for their love for sports, especially athletics (track and field) and football. Sportsmen like Haitham Mustafa, Hassan El Kashief, and Ismail Ahmed Ismail have made the country proud on a pan-African basis. This section provides you information about the life and works of famous Sudanese people.