Communications: Broadband - fixed subscriptions: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
(2022 est.) less than 1
Communications: Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total
30,000 (2022 est.)
Communications: Broadcast media
state-owned broadcasters that self-censor but are somewhat independent (2022)
Communications: Internet country code
.sd
Communications: Internet users: percent of population
18.60% (2017 est.)
Communications: Telephones - fixed lines: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
(2022 est.) less than 1
Communications: Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions
156,000 (2022 est.)
Communications: Telephones - mobile cellular: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
74 (2022 est.)
Communications: Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions
34.7 million (2022 est.)
Economy: Agricultural products
sugarcane, sorghum, milk, onions, groundnuts, sesame seeds, goat milk, bananas, mangoes/guavas, millet (2023)
Economy: Budget: expenditures
$9.103 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Budget: revenues
$9.045 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2013
-$5.822 billion (2013 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2014
-$3.545 billion (2014 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2015
-$5.461 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2016
-$4.213 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2017
-$4.611 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2018
-$4.679 billion (2018 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2019
-$4.780 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2020
-$5.841 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2021
-$2.62 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2022
-$4.443 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Debt - external: Debt - external 2022
$22.440 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Debt - external: Debt - external 2023
$21.65 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates
546.759 (2022 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Currency
Sudanese pounds (SDG) per US dollar -
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2013
4.7568 (2013 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2014
5.7369 (2014 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2015
6.0257 (2015 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2016
6.2117 (2016 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2017
6.6834 (2017 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2018
24.3289 (2018 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2019
45.7670 (2019 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2020
53.9960 (2020 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2021
370.791 (2021 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2022
546.759 (2022 est.)
Economy: Exports - commodities
crude petroleum, gold, oil seeds, sheep and goats, ground nuts (2023)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2011
$6.866 billion (2011 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2014
$3.768 billion (2014 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2015
$3.322 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2016
$2.133 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2017
$2.523 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2018
$2.474 billion (2018 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2019
$2.734 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2020
$5.065 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2021
$6.664 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2022
$5.908 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2023
$442.1 million (2023 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2024
$358.1 million (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: exports of goods and services
1.2% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: government consumption
16.5% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption
80.7% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: imports of goods and services
-1.3% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: investment in fixed capital
2.9% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by end use: investment in inventories
0% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture
22.1% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: industry
23% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: services
54.9% (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP - per capita (PPP)
$2,116 (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP (official exchange rate)
$49.91 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: GDP (purchasing power parity) - real
$106.741 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Imports - commodities
raw sugar, wheat flours, refined petroleum, garments, packaged medicine (2023)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2010
$8.993 billion (2010 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2015
$6.184 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2016
$4.381 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2017
$4.838 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2018
$4.597 billion (2018 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2019
$5.713 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2020
$10.52 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2021
$10.271 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2022
$11.575 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2023
$544.9 million (2023 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2024
$633.1 million (2024 est.)
Economy: Industrial production growth rate
-13.1% (2024 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2015
16.91% (2015 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2016
17.75% (2016 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017
32.35% (2017 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018
63.29% (2018 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019
50.99% (2019 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020
163.26% (2020 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021
359.09% (2021 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
138.81% (2022 est.)
Economy: Labor force
10.949 million (2022 est.)
Economy: Public debt: Public debt 2016
99.5% of GDP (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2014
$165.410 billion (2014 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2015
$168.783 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2016
$184.446 billion (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2017
$181.639 billion (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019
$178.286 billion (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020
$156.677 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021
$156.168 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
$154.672 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
$109.147 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
$94.42 billion (2024 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2015
1.91% (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2016
3.47% (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2017
0.71% (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2018
-2.68% (2018 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2019
-2.18% (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2020
-3.63% (2020 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2021
-1.87% (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2022
-0.96% (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2023
-29.43% (2023 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2024
-13.96% (2024 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2014
$4,261 (2014 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2015
$4,217 (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2016
$4,470 (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2017
$4,252 (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2019
$3,914 (2019 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2020
$3,349 (2020 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2021
$3,249 (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2022
$3,355 (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2023
$2,421 (2023 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2013
$619.5 million (2013 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2014
$506.6 million (2014 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2015
$151.4 million (2015 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2020
$495.4 million (2020 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2021
3.3% of GDP (2021 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2022
2.9% of GDP (2022 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2023
2.5% of GDP (2023 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2015
$173.516 million (2015 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2016
$168.284 million (2016 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2017
$177.934 million (2017 est.)
Economy: Taxes and other revenues
7.4% (of GDP) (2016 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2019
11.70% (2019 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2020
11.99% (2020 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2021
11.09% (2021 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2022
7.53% (2022 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2023
11.45% (2023 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): female
13.1% (2022 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): male
11.8% (2022 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): total
12% (2022 est.)
Energy: Coal: exports
15 metric tons (2023 est.)
Energy: Coal: imports
200 metric tons (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity access: electrification - rural areas
49.4%
Energy: Electricity access: electrification - total population
63.2% (2022 est.)
Energy: Electricity access: electrification - urban areas
84%
Energy: Electricity generation sources: biomass and waste
0.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels
29.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: hydroelectricity
68.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: solar
0.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: consumption
13.983 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: imports
882 million kWh (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: installed generating capacity
3.815 million kW (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: transmission/distribution losses
3.646 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Energy: Energy consumption per capita: Total energy consumption per capita 2023
6.145 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Energy: Natural gas: proven reserves
84.951 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Energy: Petroleum: crude oil estimated reserves
1.25 billion barrels (2021 est.)
Energy: Petroleum: refined petroleum consumption
129,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Energy: Petroleum: total petroleum production
68,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: from coal and metallurgical coke
300 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: from petroleum and other liquids
18.242 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: total emissions
18.242 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Climate
hot and dry; arid desert; rainy season varies by region (April to November)
Environment: Environmental issues
water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water; water scarcity and drought; overhunting; soil erosion; desertification; deforestation; loss of biodiversity
Environment: 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
Environment: International environmental agreements: signed, but not ratified
none of the selected agreements
Environment: Land use: agricultural land
60.3% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 11.2% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 49% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: forest
12% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: other
27.7% (2023 est.)
Environment: Methane emissions: agriculture
1,509.6 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Environment: Methane emissions: energy
218.5 kt (2022-2024 est.)
Environment: Methane emissions: other
38.8 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Environment: Methane emissions: waste
198.7 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Environment: Particulate matter emissions
24.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Environment: Total renewable water resources
37.8 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Total water withdrawal: agricultural
25.91 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Total water withdrawal: industrial
75 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Total water withdrawal: municipal
950 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Urbanization: rate of urbanization
3.43% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Environment: Urbanization: urban population
34.87% (2024 est.)
Environment: Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually
2.831 million tons (2024 est.)
Environment: Waste and recycling: percent of municipal solid waste recycled
8.9% (2022 est.)
Geography: Area - comparative
slightly less than one-fifth the size of the US
Geography: Area: land
1,731,671 sq km
Geography: Area: water
129,813 sq km
Geography: Coastline
853 km
Geography: Elevation: highest point
Jabal Marrah 3,042 m
Geography: Elevation: lowest point
Red Sea 0 m
Geography: Elevation: mean elevation
568 m
Geography: Geographic coordinates
15 00 N, 30 00 E
Geography: 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
Geography: Irrigated land
15,504 sq km (2019)
Geography: 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
Geography: Land boundaries: total
6,819 km
Geography: Land use: agricultural land
60.3% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 11.2% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 49% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: forest
12% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: other
27.7% (2023 est.)
Geography: Major aquifers
Nubian Aquifer System, Sudd Basin (Umm Ruwaba Aquifer)
Geography: 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
Geography: Major watersheds (area sq km): Atlantic Ocean drainage
(Mediterranean Sea) Nile (3,254,853 sq km)
Geography: Major watersheds (area sq km): Internal (endorheic basin) drainage
Lake Chad (2,497,738 sq km)
Geography: Map references
Africa
Geography: Maritime claims: contiguous zone
18 nm
Geography: Maritime claims: continental shelf
200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Geography: Maritime claims: territorial sea
12 nm
Geography: Natural hazards
dust storms and periodic persistent droughts
Geography: 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
Geography: Terrain
generally flat, featureless plain; desert dominates the north
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
Government: 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
Government: Capital: geographic coordinates
15 36 N, 32 32 E
Government: Capital: time difference
UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Government: Citizenship: citizenship by birth
no
Government: Citizenship: citizenship by descent only
the father must be a citizen of Sudan
Government: Citizenship: dual citizenship recognized
no
Government: Citizenship: residency requirement for naturalization
10 years
Government: 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
Government: Country name: conventional short form
Sudan
Government: Country name: etymology
the name derives from the Arabic balad-as-sudan , meaning "Land of the Black [peoples]"
Government: Country name: former
Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Sudan
Government: Country name: local long form
Jumhuriyat as-Sudan
Government: Country name: local short form
As-Sudan
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission
Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Colleen Crenwelge (since May 2024)
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: email address and website
ACSKhartoum@state.gov https://sd.usembassy.gov/
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: embassy
P.O. Box 699, Kilo 10, Soba, Khartoum
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: mailing address
2200 Khartoum Place, Washington DC 20521-2200
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: telephone
[249] 187-0-22000
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: chancery
2210 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission
Ambassador Mohamed Abdalla IDRIS (since 16 September 2022)
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: email address and website
consular@sudanembassy.org https://www.sudanembassy.org/
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: FAX
[1] (202) 667-2406
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: telephone
[1] (202) 338-8565
Government: 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
Government: Executive branch: 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)
Government: Executive branch: election results
NA
Government: Executive branch: 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
Government: Executive branch: expected date of next election
supposed to be held in 2022 or 2023, but the methodology for elections has still not been defined
Government: Executive branch: 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)
Government: 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
Government: International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; withdrew acceptance of ICCt jurisdiction in 2008
Government: 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)
Government: 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
Government: Judicial branch: judge selection and term of office
National Supreme Court and Constitutional Court judges selected by the Supreme Judicial Council
Government: Judicial branch: subordinate courts
Court of Appeal; other national courts; public courts; district, town, and rural courts
Government: Legal system
mixed system of Islamic law and English common law
Government: National anthem(s): history
adopted 1956; originally served as the anthem of the Sudanese military
Government: National anthem(s): lyrics/music
Sayed Ahmad Muhammad SALIH/Ahmad MURJAN
Government: National color(s)
red, white, black, green
Government: 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)
Government: National heritage: total World Heritage Sites
3 (2 cultural, 1 natural)
Government: National holiday
Independence Day, 1 January (1956)
Government: National symbol(s)
secretary bird
Government: 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
Government: Suffrage
17 years of age; universal
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.
Military and Security: 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: 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)
Military and Security: 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 and Security: 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)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2015
2.71% (2015 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2016
2.28% (2016 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2017
3.29% (2017 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2018
1.78% (2018 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2019
2.4% of GDP (2019 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2020
0.98% (2020 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2021
0.93% (2021 est.)
Military and Security: 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)
People and Society: Age structure: 0-14 years
40.1% (male 10,278,453/female 9,949,343)
People and Society: Age structure: 15-64 years
56.7% (male 14,211,514/female 14,390,486)
People and Society: Age structure: 65 years and over
3.2% (2024 est.) (male 845,125/female 792,357)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: beer
0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: other alcohols
1.63 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: spirits
0.29 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: total
1.93 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Alcohol consumption per capita: wine
0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
People and Society: Birth rate
32.95 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Children under the age of 5 years underweight
33% (2014)
People and Society: Current health expenditure
2.85% (2023 est.)
People and Society: Death rate
6 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: elderly dependency ratio
5.7 (2024 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: potential support ratio
17.5 (2024 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio
76.4 (2024 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: youth dependency ratio
70.7 (2024 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: improved: rural
rural: 59.7% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: improved: total
total: 64.9% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: improved: urban
urban: 74.2% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: unimproved: rural
rural: 40.3% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: unimproved: total
total: 35.1% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: unimproved: urban
urban: 25.8% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Ethnic groups
Sudanese Arab (approximately 70%), Fur, Beja, Nuba, Ingessana, Uduk, Fallata, Masalit, Dajo, Gimir, Tunjur, Berti; there are over 500 ethnic groups
People and Society: Gross reproduction rate
2.15 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
2.8% of GDP (2021)
People and Society: Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
6.7% of national budget (2022 est.)
People and Society: HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
0.20% (2024 est.)
People and Society: Hospital bed density
0.7 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: female
34.8 deaths/1,000 live births
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: male
46 deaths/1,000 live births
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: total
42.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
People and Society: Languages: Languages
Arabic (official), English (official), Nubian, Ta Bedawie, Fur
People and Society: Languages: 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)
People and Society: Life expectancy at birth: female
69.8 years (2024 est.)
People and Society: Life expectancy at birth: male
63.4 years (2024 est.)
People and Society: Major urban areas - population
6.344 million KHARTOUM (capital), 1.057 million Nyala (2023)
People and Society: Maternal mortality ratio
256 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
People and Society: Median age: female
19.6 years
People and Society: Median age: male
19 years
People and Society: Nationality: adjective
Sudanese
People and Society: Net migration rate
-1.55 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Obesity - adult prevalence rate
6.6% (2014)
People and Society: Physician density
0.25 physicians/1,000 population (2017)
People and Society: Population
50,448,963 (2024 est.)
People and Society: 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
People and Society: Population growth rate
2.54% (2025 est.)
People and Society: Population: female
25,132,186
People and Society: Population: male
25,335,092
People and Society: School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): female
7 years (2015 est.)
People and Society: School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): male
7 years (2015 est.)
People and Society: School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total
7 years (2015 est.)
People and Society: Sex ratio: 0-14 years
1.03 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: 15-64 years
0.99 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: 65 years and over
1.07 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: at birth
1.05 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: total population
1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
People and Society: Total fertility rate
4.26 children born/woman (2024 est.)
People and Society: Urbanization: rate of urbanization
3.43% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
People and Society: Urbanization: urban population
34.87% (2024 est.)
Terrorism: Terrorist group(s)
Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); al-Qa’ida; Harakat Sawa’d Misr
Transnational Issues: Refugees and internally displaced persons: IDPs
11,559,970 (2024 est.)
Transnational Issues: Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees
837,988 (2024 est.)
Transnational Issues: 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
Transportation: Airports
45 (2025)
Transportation: Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
ST
Transportation: Heliports
8 (2025)
Transportation: Merchant marine: by type
other 14
Transportation: Merchant marine: total
14 (2023)
Transportation: Ports: key ports
Al Khair Oil Terminal, Beshayer Oil Terminal, Port Sudan, Sawakin Harbor
Transportation: Ports: large
0
Transportation: Ports: medium
2
Transportation: Ports: ports with oil terminals
3
Transportation: Ports: small
2
Transportation: Ports: total ports
4 (2024)
Transportation: Ports: very small
0
Transportation: Railways: narrow gauge
5,851 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge
Transportation: Railways: total
7,251 km (2014)
Warning: Some information might be outdated or incorrect, please check statistics before using(most of the economical stats are correct, its mostly the Population stats that are incorrect). Some dates are listed but some are missed, if you have any issues please report it to the Github at github.com.