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Sudan

2025 Edition · 388 data fields

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Introduction

Background

Long referred to as Nubia, modern-day Sudan was the site of the Kingdom of Kerma (ca. 2500-1500 B.C.) until it was absorbed into the New Kingdom of Egypt. By the 11th century B.C., the Kingdom of Kush gained independence from Egypt; it lasted in various forms until the middle of the 4th century A.D. After the fall of Kush, the Nubians formed three Christian kingdoms of Nobatia, Makuria, and Alodia, with the latter two enduring until around 1500. Between the 14th and 15th centuries, Arab nomads settled much of Sudan, leading to extensive Islamization between the 16th and 19th centuries. Following Egyptian occupation early in the 19th century, an agreement in 1899 set up a joint British-Egyptian government in Sudan, but it was effectively a British colony. Military regimes favoring Islamic-oriented governments have dominated national politics since Sudan gained independence from Anglo-Egyptian co-rule in 1956. During most of the second half of the 20th century, Sudan was embroiled in two prolonged civil wars rooted in northern domination of the largely non-Muslim, non-Arab southern portion of the country. The first civil war ended in 1972, but another broke out in 1983. Peace talks gained momentum in 2002-04, and the final North/South Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005 granted the southern rebels autonomy for six years, followed by a referendum on independence for Southern Sudan. South Sudan became independent in 2011, but Sudan and South Sudan have yet to fully implement security and economic agreements to normalize relations between the two countries. Sudan has also faced conflict in Darfur, Southern Kordofan, and Blue Nile starting in 2003. In 2019, after months of nationwide protests, the 30-year reign of President Omar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR ended when the military forced him out. Economist and former international civil servant Abdalla HAMDOUK al-Kinani was selected to serve as the prime minister of a transitional government as the country prepared for elections in 2022. In late 2021, however, the Sudanese military ousted HAMDOUK and his government and replaced civilian members of the Sovereign Council (Sudan’s collective Head of State) with individuals selected by the military. HAMDOUK was briefly reinstated but resigned in January 2022. General Abd-al-Fatah al-BURHAN Abd-al-Rahman, the Chair of Sudan’s Sovereign Council and Commander-in-Chief of the Sudanese Armed Forces, currently serves as de facto head of state and government. He presides over a Sovereign Council consisting of military leaders, former armed opposition group representatives, and military-appointed civilians. A cabinet of acting ministers handles day-to-day administration.

Geography

Area

Land: 1,731,671 sq km
Total: 1,861,484 sq km
Water: 129,813 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly less than one-fifth the size of the US

Climate

hot and dry; arid desert; rainy season varies by region (April to November)

Coastline

853 km

Continent

Africa

Elevation

Highest point: Jabal Marrah 3,042 m
Lowest point: Red Sea 0 m
Mean elevation: 568 m

Geographic coordinates

15 00 N, 30 00 E

Geography - note

the Nile is Sudan's primary water source; its major tributaries, the White Nile and the Blue Nile, meet at Khartoum to form the River Nile, which flows northward through Egypt to the Mediterranean Sea

Irrigated land

15,504 sq km (2019)

Land boundaries

Border countries: Central African Republic 174 km; Chad 1,403 km; Egypt 1,276 km; Eritrea 682 km; Ethiopia 744 km; Libya 382 km; South Sudan 2,158 km
Note: note: Sudan-South Sudan boundary represents 1 January 1956 alignment; final alignment pending negotiations and demarcation; final sovereignty status of Abyei region pending negotiations between Sudan and South Sudan
number of neighbors: 7
Total: 6,819 km

Land use

Agricultural land: 60.3% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 11.2% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 49% (2023 est.)
arable land: 11.24%
Forest: 12% (2023 est.)
Other: 27.7% (2023 est.)
permanent crops: 0.12%

Landlocked

Location

north-eastern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Egypt and Eritrea

Major aquifers

Nubian Aquifer System, Sudd Basin (Umm Ruwaba Aquifer)

Major rivers (by length in km)

An Nīl (Nile) (shared with Rwanda [s], Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan, and Egypt [m]) - 6,650 km; Blue Nile river mouth (shared with Ethiopia [s]) - 1,600 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Mediterranean Sea) Nile (3,254,853 sq km)
Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Lake Chad (2,497,738 sq km)

Map links

Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/bNW7YUJCaqR8zcXn7
OpenStreetMap: https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/192789

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

Contiguous zone: 18 nm
Continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural hazards

dust storms and periodic persistent droughts

Natural resources

petroleum; small reserves of iron ore, copper, chromium ore, zinc, tungsten, mica, silver, gold; hydropower

Population distribution

with the exception of a ribbon of settlement that corresponds to the banks of the Nile, northern Sudan is sparsely populated; sizeable areas of population are found around Khartoum, southeast between the Blue and White Nile Rivers, and throughout South Darfur, as shown on this population distribution map

Subregion

Northern Africa

Terrain

generally flat, featureless plain; desert dominates the north

Time zone

UTC+03:00
number of time zones: 1

People and Society

Age structure

0-14 years: 40.1% (male 10,278,453/female 9,949,343)
15-64 years: 56.7% (male 14,211,514/female 14,390,486)
65 years and over: 3.2% (2024 est.) (male 845,125/female 792,357)

Alcohol consumption per capita

Beer: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Other alcohols: 1.63 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Spirits: 0.29 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Total: 1.93 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Wine: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

32.95 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

33% (2014)

Death rate

6 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
adult female: 158 per 1,000
adult male: 260 per 1,000

Dependency ratios

Elderly dependency ratio: 5.7 (2024 est.)
Potential support ratio: 17.5 (2024 est.)
Total dependency ratio: 76.4 (2024 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 70.7 (2024 est.)

Drinking water source

Improved: rural: rural: 59.7% of population (2022 est.)
Improved: total: total: 64.9% of population (2022 est.)
Improved: urban: urban: 74.2% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: rural: rural: 40.3% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: total: total: 35.1% of population (2022 est.)
Unimproved: urban: urban: 25.8% of population (2022 est.)

Ethnic groups

Sudanese Arab (approximately 70%), Fur, Beja, Nuba, Ingessana, Uduk, Fallata, Masalit, Dajo, Gimir, Tunjur, Berti; there are over 500 ethnic groups

Gross reproduction rate

2.15 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

3 % of GDP
Health expenditure (as % of GDP): 2.8% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 6.7% of national budget (2022 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.23%

Hospital bed density

0.7 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate

Female: 34.8 deaths/1,000 live births
Male: 46 deaths/1,000 live births
neonatal: 25 deaths/1,000 live births
Total: 39.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Languages

Languages: Arabic (official), English (official), Nubian, Ta Bedawie, Fur
Major-language sample(s): كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. (English)
number of languages: 2

Life expectancy at birth

Female: 70.2 years
Male: 65.5 years
Total population: 67.8 years (2024 est.)

Major urban areas - population

6.344 million KHARTOUM (capital), 1.057 million Nyala (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

256 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Median age

Female: 19.6 years
Male: 19 years
Total: 19.5 years (2025 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

66 births/1,000 women 15-19

Nationality

Adjective: Sudanese
Noun: Sudanese (singular and plural)

Net migration rate

-1.55 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

6.6% (2014)

Physician density

0.25 physicians/1,000 population (2017)

Population

Female: 25,132,186
Male: 25,335,092
Total: 50,467,278 (2024 est.)

Population growth rate

2.54% (2025 est.)

Religions

Sunni Muslim, small Christian minority

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

Female: 7 years (2015 est.)
Male: 7 years (2015 est.)
Total: 7 years (2015 est.)

Sex ratio

0-14 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.07 male(s)/female
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.41 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

Rate of urbanization: 3.43% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Urban population: 36.3% of total population (2023)

Vaccination rate

measles: 46%

Government

Administrative divisions

18 states (wilayat, singular - wilayah); Blue Nile, Central Darfur, East Darfur, Gedaref, Gezira, Kassala, Khartoum, North Darfur, North Kordofan, Northern, Red Sea, River Nile, Sennar, South Darfur, South Kordofan, West Darfur, West Kordofan, White Nile
note: note: the peace agreement signed in 2020 included a provision to establish a system of governance to restructure the country's current 18 states into regions

Capital

Etymology: the name derives from the Arabic words ras (head or end) and al-khurtum (elephant's trunk), referring to the narrow strip of land between the Blue and White Niles where the city is located
Geographic coordinates: 15 36 N, 32 32 E
Name: Khartoum
Time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Sudan
Dual citizenship recognized: no
Residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years

Coat of arms

svg: https://mainfacts.com/media/images/coats_of_arms/sd.svg

Constitution

History: previous 1973, 1998, 2005 (interim constitution, which was suspended in April 2019); latest initial draft completed by Transitional Military Council in May 2019; revised draft known as the "Draft Constitutional Charter for the 2019 Transitional Period," or “2019 Constitutional Declaration” was signed by the Council and opposition coalition on 4 August 2019
Note: note: amended 2020 to incorporate the Juba Agreement for Peace in Sudan; the military suspended several provisions of the Constitutional Declaration in October 2021

Country name

alternative spellings: SD, Republic of the Sudan, Jumhūrīyat as-Sūdān
Conventional long form: Republic of the Sudan
Conventional short form: Sudan
Etymology: the name derives from the Arabic balad-as-sudan, meaning "Land of the Black [peoples]"
FIFA code: SDN
Former: Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Sudan
Local long form: Jumhuriyat as-Sudan
local long form (ara): جمهورية السودان
Local short form: As-Sudan

Diplomatic representation from the US

Chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Colleen Crenwelge (since May 2024)
Email address and website: ACSKhartoum@state.gov https://sd.usembassy.gov/
Embassy: P.O. Box 699, Kilo 10, Soba, Khartoum
Mailing address: 2200 Khartoum Place, Washington DC  20521-2200
Note: note: the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum suspended operations (to include visa, passport, and other routine consular services) on 22 April 2023
Telephone: [249] 187-0-22000

Diplomatic representation in the US

Chancery: 2210 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Chief of mission: Ambassador Mohamed Abdalla IDRIS (since 16 September 2022)
Email address and website: consular@sudanembassy.org https://www.sudanembassy.org/
FAX: [1] (202) 667-2406
Telephone: [1] (202) 338-8565

Executive branch

Cabinet: the military forced most members of the Council of Ministers out of office in 2021; a handful of ministers appointed by former armed opposition groups were allowed to retain their posts; at present, most of the members of the Council are appointed senior civil servants serving in an acting-minister capacity
Chief of state: Sovereign Council Chair and Commander-in-Chief of the Sudanese Armed Forces General Abd-al-Fattah al-BURHAN Abd-al-Rahman (since 11 November 2021)
Election results: NA
Election/appointment process: military members of the Sovereign Council are selected by the leadership of the security forces; representatives of former armed groups to the Sovereign Council are selected by the signatories of the Juba Peace Agreement
Expected date of next election: supposed to be held in 2022 or 2023, but the methodology for elections has still not been defined
Head of government: Sovereign Council Chair and Commander-in-Chief of the Sudanese Armed Forces General Abd-al-Fattah al-BURHAN Abd-al-Rahman (since 11 November 2021)
Note: note 1: the 2019 Constitutional Declaration established a collective chief of state of the "Sovereign Council," which was chaired by al-BURHAN; on 25 October 2021, al-BURHAN dissolved the Sovereign Council but reinstated it on 11 November 2021, replacing its civilian members (previously selected by the umbrella civilian coalition the Forces for Freedom and Change) with civilians of the military’s choosing, but then relieved the newly appointed civilian members of their duties on 6 July 2022 note 2: Sovereign Council currently consists of 5 generals

Flag

description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black, with a green isosceles triangle based on the left side meaning: red stands for the struggle for freedom; white for peace, light, and love, black for the people; green for Islam, agriculture, and prosperity history: colors and design are based on the Arab Revolt flag of World War I

Flag description

The flag of Sudan is composed of three equal horizontal bands of red, white and black, with a green isosceles triangle superimposed on the hoist side. The green triangle spans about two-fifth the width of the field with its base on the hoist end.

Flag image

svg: https://flagcdn.com/sd.svg

Government type

presidential republic

Independence

1 January 1956 (from Egypt and the UK)

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; withdrew acceptance of ICCt jurisdiction in 2008

International organization participation

ABEDA, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU (suspended), CAEU, COMESA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Judicial branch

Highest court(s): National Supreme Court (consists of 70 judges organized into panels of 3 judges and includes 4 circuits that operate outside the capital); a Constitutional Court was required in the 2019 Constitutional Declaration, but it has yet to be implemented
Judge selection and term of office: National Supreme Court and Constitutional Court judges selected by the Supreme Judicial Council
Subordinate courts: Court of Appeal; other national courts; public courts; district, town, and rural courts

Legal system

mixed system of Islamic law and English common law

Legislative branch

Note: note: the Parliament of Sudan was dissolved after a coup in April 2019; the August 2019 Constitutional Declaration established Sudan's transitional government; a Transitional Legislative Council (TLC) was to have served as the national legislature during the transitional period until elections could be held, but the TLC has not been created

National color(s)

red, white, black, green

National heritage

Selected World Heritage Site locales: Gebel Barkal and the Sites of the Napatan Region (c); Archaeological Sites of the Island of Meroe (c); Sanganeb Marine National Park and Dungonab Bay – Mukkawar Island Marine National Park (n)
Total World Heritage Sites: 3 (2 cultural, 1 natural)

National holiday

Independence Day, 1 January (1956)

National symbol(s)

secretary bird

Political parties

Democratic Unionist Party Democratic Unionist Party or DUP Federal Umma Party Muslim Brotherhood or MB National Congress Party or NCP National Umma Party or NUP Popular Congress Party or PCP Reform Movement Now Sudan National Front Sudanese Communist Party or SCP Sudanese Congress Party or SCoP Umma Party for Reform and Development Unionist Movement Party or UMP
note: note: in November 2019, the transitional government banned the National Congress Party

Start of week

Monday

Suffrage

17 years of age; universal

UN Member

Yes

Economy

Agricultural products

sugarcane, sorghum, milk, onions, groundnuts, sesame seeds, goat milk, bananas, mangoes/guavas, millet (2023)
note: note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Budget

Expenditures: $9.103 billion (2015 est.)
Note: note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
Revenues: $9.045 billion (2015 est.)

Currency

code: SDG
name: Sudanese pound (SDG) [ج.س]

Current account balance

$-4,442,782,663
Current account balance 2020: -$5.841 billion (2020 est.)
Current account balance 2021: -$2.62 billion (2021 est.)
Current account balance 2022: -$4.443 billion (2022 est.)
Note: note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Debt - external

$22.02 billion
Debt - external 2023: $21.65 billion (2023 est.)
Note: note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

Economic overview

low-income Sahel economy devastated by ongoing civil war; major impacts on rural income, basic commodity prices, industrial production, agricultural supply chain, communications and commerce; hyperinflation and currency depreciation worsening food access and humanitarian conditions

Exchange rates

Currency: Sudanese pounds (SDG) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2018: 24.329 (2018 est.)
Exchange rates 2019: 45.767 (2019 est.)
Exchange rates 2020: 53.996 (2020 est.)
Exchange rates 2021: 370.791 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2022: 546.759 (2022 est.)

Exports

$358.1 million
Exports 2020: $5.065 billion (2020 est.)
Exports 2021: $6.664 billion (2021 est.)
Exports 2022: $5.908 billion (2022 est.)
Note: note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - commodities

crude petroleum, gold, oil seeds, sheep and goats, ground nuts (2023)
note: note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

UAE 21%, China 17%, Saudi Arabia 16%, Malaysia 9%, Egypt 8% (2023)
note: note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

Foreign direct investment

net inflows: $548.2 million

GDP - composition, by end use

Exports of goods and services: 1.2% (2024 est.)
Government consumption: 16.5% (2024 est.)
Household consumption: 80.7% (2024 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -1.3% (2024 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 2.9% (2024 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0% (2024 est.)
Note: note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

Agriculture: 22.1% (2024 est.)
Industry: 23% (2024 est.)
Note: note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
Services: 54.9% (2024 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$49.91 billion (2024 est.)
note: note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

GDP per capita (nominal)

$985

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

34.2 (2014)

GNI (gross national income)

$48.09 billion

GNI per capita

$710

Gross domestic investment

3 % of GDP

Imports

$633.07 million
Imports 2020: $10.52 billion (2020 est.)
Imports 2021: $10.271 billion (2021 est.)
Imports 2022: $11.575 billion (2022 est.)
Note: note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - commodities

raw sugar, wheat flours, refined petroleum, garments, packaged medicine (2023)
note: note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

China 21%, India 19%, Egypt 16%, UAE 14%, Saudi Arabia 7% (2023)
note: note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industrial production growth rate

-13.1% (2024 est.)
note: note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Industries

oil, cotton ginning, textiles, cement, edible oils, sugar, soap distilling, shoes, petroleum refining, pharmaceuticals, armaments, automobile/light truck assembly, milling

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

138.81%
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020: 163.3% (2020 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021: 359.1% (2021 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 138.8% (2022 est.)
Note: note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Labor force

10.949 million (2022 est.)
note: note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
total: 10.95 million persons

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 39.77%
industry: 13.98%
services: 46.24%

Public debt

Public debt 2016: 99.5% of GDP (2016 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

$106.74 billion
Note: note: data in 2021 dollars
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $154.672 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $109.147 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024: $94.42 billion (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

-13.96%
Note: note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
Real GDP growth rate 2022: -1% (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023: -29.4% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2024: -13.5% (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita

$2,116
Note: note: data in 2021 dollars
Real GDP per capita 2022: $3,100 (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023: $2,200 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2024: $1,900 (2024 est.)

Remittances

$900 million
Note: note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Remittances 2021: 3.3% of GDP (2021 est.)
Remittances 2022: 2.9% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2023: 2.5% of GDP (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Note: note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2015: $173.516 million (2015 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2016: $168.284 million (2016 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2017: $177.934 million (2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

7.4% (of GDP) (2016 est.)
note: note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Unemployment rate

7.53%
Note: note: % of labor force seeking employment
Unemployment rate 2021: 11.1% (2021 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022: 7.6% (2022 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023: 11.45% (2023 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

Female: 13.1% (2022 est.)
Male: 11.8% (2022 est.)
Note: note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
Total: 12% (2022 est.)

Energy

Coal

Exports: 15 metric tons (2023 est.)
Imports: 200 metric tons (2023 est.)

Electricity

Consumption: 13.983 billion kWh (2023 est.)
consumption per capita: 279 kWh
Imports: 882 million kWh (2023 est.)
Installed generating capacity: 3.815 million kW (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 3.646 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

Electrification - rural areas: 49.4%
Electrification - total population: 63.2% (2022 est.)
Electrification - urban areas: 84%

Electricity generation sources

Biomass and waste: 0.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Fossil fuels: 29.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
hydroelectric: 71.36%
Hydroelectricity: 68.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
nuclear: 0%
renewable: 58.05%
Solar: 0.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

412 kg of oil equivalent
Total energy consumption per capita 2023: 6.145 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Natural gas

Proven reserves: 84.951 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

Crude oil estimated reserves: 1.25 billion barrels (2021 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 129,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Total petroleum production: 68,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Renewable energy consumption

61%

Communications

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

per 100 inhabitants: 0 per 100
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1
Total: 30,000 (2022 est.)

Broadcast media

state-owned broadcasters that self-censor but are somewhat independent (2022)

Internet country code

.sd

Internet users

Percent of population: 26% (2020 est.)

Postal code format

#####

Telephone calling code

+249

Telephones - fixed lines

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1
Total subscriptions: 156,000 (2022 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100: 70 per 100
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 74 (2022 est.)
Total subscriptions: 34.7 million (2022 est.)

Transportation

Air transport

passengers carried: 911,090 passengers
registered carrier departures: 9,330 departures

Airports

45 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Driving side

Right

Heliports

8 (2025)

Merchant marine

By type: other 14
Total: 14 (2023)

Ports

Key ports: Al Khair Oil Terminal, Beshayer Oil Terminal, Port Sudan, Sawakin Harbor
Large: 0
Medium: 2
Ports with oil terminals: 3
Small: 2
Total ports: 4 (2024)
Very small: 0

Railways

Narrow gauge: 5,851 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge
Note: 1,400 km 0.600-m gauge for cotton plantations
Total: 7,251 km (2014)

Vehicle registration code

SUD

Military and Security

Land forces

armored vehicles
tanks

Military - note

the primary responsibilities of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) are border control, external defense, and internal security; SAF operations have traditionally been supported by militia and paramilitary forces, particularly the Rapid Support Forces (RSF); in the Spring of 2023, fighting broke out between the SAF and the RSF, particularly around the capital Khartoum and in the western region of Darfur, amid disputes over an internationally-backed plan for a transition towards civilian rule; fighting subsequently spread and continued into 2025 with reports of atrocities, ethnic cleansing, food insecurity, heavy civilian casualties, and millions of internally displaced persons; each side is supported by allied militias and both reportedly have received foreign support the Sudanese military has been a dominant force in the ruling of the country since its independence in 1956; in addition, the military has a large role in the country's economy, reportedly controlling over 200 commercial companies, including businesses involved in gold mining, rubber production, agriculture, and meat exports the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) has operated in the disputed Abyei region along the border between Sudan and South Sudan since 2011; UNISFA's mission includes ensuring security, protecting civilians, strengthening the capacity of the Abyei Police Service, de-mining, monitoring/verifying the redeployment of armed forces from the area, and facilitating the flow of humanitarian aid; as of 2025, UNISFA had approximately 3,800 personnel assigned (2025)

Military and security forces

Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF): Ground Force (Sudanese Army), Sudanese Navy, Sudanese Air Force; Rapid Support Forces (RSF); Border Guards Ministry of Interior: Sudan Police Forces (SPF), Central Reserve Police (CRP) (2025)
active duty personnel: 144,000
note: note 1: the RSF is a semi-autonomous paramilitary force formed in 2013 to fight armed rebel groups in Sudan, with Mohammed Hamdan DAGALO (aka Hemeti) as its commander; it was initially placed under the National Intelligence and Security Service, then came under the direct command of former president Omar al-BASHIR, who boosted the RSF as his own personal security force; as a result, the RSF was better funded and equipped than the regular armed forces; the RSF has since recruited from all parts of Sudan beyond its original Darfuri Arab groups but remains under the personal patronage and control of DAGALO note 2: the Central Reserve Police (aka Abu Tira) is a combat-trained paramilitary force note 3: the October 2020 peace agreement provided for the establishment of a Joint Security Keeping Forces (JSKF) tasked with securing the Darfur region in the place of the UN African Union Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID), a joint African Union-UN peacekeeping force that operated in the war-torn region from 2007-December 2020; the force was intended to include the SAF, RSF, police, intelligence, and representatives from armed groups involved in peace negotiations; while the first 2,000 members of the JSKF completed training in September 2022, the status of the force since the start of the civil war is not available note 4: there are also numerous armed militias operating in Sudan
percent of total labor force: 1.34 %

Military and security service personnel strengths

prior to the outbreak of fighting between the SAF and the RSF in 2023, size estimates for Sudan's armed forces varied widely: up to 200,000 SAF; up to 100,000 RSF; up to 80,000 Central Reserve Police (2023)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the SAF's inventory includes a mix of mostly Chinese, Russian/Soviet, and some domestically produced weapons systems; Sudan has a state-run defense industry, which mostly manufactures copies of foreign-supplied armaments, such as armored vehicles, under license (2025)
note: note 1: Sudan has been under a UN Security Council approved arms embargo since 2005 as a result of violence in Darfur; in September 2025, the embargo was extended for another year note 2: the RSF traditionally has been a lightly armed paramilitary force but over the years is reported to have acquired some heavier armaments such as armored vehicles, artillery, and anti-aircraft guns; it has captured some SAF arms and equipment during the ongoing conflict; since the start of the conflict, both the RSF and the SAF are reported to have received additional weaponry from various foreign suppliers

Military expenditures

1 % of GDP
current USD: $375,212,619
Military Expenditures 2017: 3.6% of GDP (2017 est.)
Military Expenditures 2018: 2% of GDP (2018 est.)
Military Expenditures 2019: 2.4% of GDP (2019 est.)
Military Expenditures 2020: 1% of GDP (2020 est.)
Military Expenditures 2021: 1% of GDP (2021 est.)
Note: note: many defense expenditures are probably off-budget
percent of central government expenditure: 9.50 %
percent of GDP: 0.93 % of GDP

Military service age and obligation

18-33 years of age for compulsory or voluntary military service for men and women; service obligation 12-24 months (2025)
note: note: official implementation of compulsory service is reportedly uneven; both the SAF and the RSF have been accused of engaging in forced recruitment of men and boys during the ongoing conflict

Military strength ranking

PowerIndex score: 1.3563

Transnational Issues

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs: 11,559,970 (2024 est.)
Refugees: 837,988 (2024 est.)

Trafficking in persons

Tier rating: Tier 3 — Sudan does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; therefore, Sudan remained on Tier 3; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/sudan

Terrorism

Terrorist group(s)

Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); al-Qa’ida; Harakat Sawa’d Misr
note: note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide

Environment

Carbon dioxide emissions

From coal and metallurgical coke: 300 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 18.242 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Total emissions: 18.242 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Environmental issues

water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water; water scarcity and drought; overhunting; soil erosion; desertification; deforestation; loss of biodiversity

International environmental agreements

Party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
Signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Methane emissions

Agriculture: 1,509.6 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Energy: 218.5 kt (2022-2024 est.)
Other: 38.8 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Waste: 198.7 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Particulate matter emissions

24.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Protected areas

3 % of total land area

Renewable electricity output

-4 % of total

Total renewable water resources

37.8 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal

673 % of internal resources
Agricultural: 25.91 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Industrial: 75 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Municipal: 950 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Waste and recycling

Municipal solid waste generated annually: 2.831 million tons (2024 est.)
Percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 8.9% (2022 est.)