Most Sudanese Arabs live in small rural villages. They grow grains, vegetables, and cotton, and raise livestock, all of which are used for food or trade.Some Sudanese Arabs live in towns or cities. They have a greater variety of occupations, but weaker family ties than those who live in the villages.Other Sudanese Arabs have continued living the nomadic lifestyle of their ancestors. They have temporary dwellings and move from place to place with their herds. Camels are used to transport them across desert lands, and their economy is based primarily on stock breeding and trade. Rigid codes of honor, loyalty, hostility, and hospitality are among those values that have remained strong throughout the centuries.

The first "pure" Arabs were called "Bedouins." They were tribal nomads from Saudi Arabia, famous for their love of poetry and war. The Sudanese are a tribe who branched off of the Bedouins. They are a heterogeneous people with a mixture of diverse blood and cultures.

In the Arab culture, children are considered to be a family's greatest asset, providing both workers and security for the parents as they grow older. Although boys and girls may be raised together when they are young, they are treated differently. Mothers show great affection towards the boys, pampering them and responding to their every wish. Girls are shown some affection, but are not pampered. The boys are taught by their fathers to obey and respect older males. Girls are taught the values of obedience to their future husbands. Teenagers are not permitted to have any contact with the opposite sex until after marriage.