Sudan Facts, Map, Population, GDP

Capital

Khartoum

Population

50,467,278 (2024 est.)

Area

1,861,484 sq km

Location

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

🧭 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

Location

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

Geographic coordinates

15 00 N, 30 00 E

Map references

Africa

Area — total

1,861,484 sq km

Area — land

1,731,671 sq km

Area — water

129,813 sq km

Area - comparative

Slightly less than one-fifth the size of the US

Land boundaries — total

6,819 km

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

Coastline

853 km

Maritime claims — territorial sea

12 nm

Maritime claims — contiguous zone

18 nm

Maritime claims — continental shelf

200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate

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

Terrain

Generally flat, featureless plain; desert dominates the north

Elevation — highest point

Jabal Marrah 3,042 m

Elevation — lowest point

Red Sea 0 m

Elevation — mean elevation

568 m

Natural resources

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

Land use — agricultural land

60.3% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: arable land

Arable land: 11.2% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: permanent crops

Permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: permanent pasture

Permanent pasture: 49% (2023 est.)

Land use — forest

12% (2023 est.)

Land use — other

27.7% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land

15,504 sq km (2019)

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)

Major watersheds (area sq km) — Internal (endorheic basin) drainage

Lake Chad (2,497,738 sq km)

Major aquifers

Nubian Aquifer System, Sudd Basin (Umm Ruwaba Aquifer)

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

Natural hazards

Dust storms and periodic persistent droughts

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

👥 People and Society⬆️ Top

Population — total

50,467,278 (2024 est.)

Population — male

25,335,092

Population — female

25,132,186

Nationality — noun

Sudanese (singular and plural)

Nationality — adjective

Sudanese

Ethnic groups

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

Languages — Languages

Arabic (official), English (official), Nubian, Ta Bedawie, Fur

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)

Religions

Sunni Muslim, small Christian minority

Age structure — 0-14 years

40.1% (male 10,278,453/female 9,949,343)

Age structure — 15-64 years

56.7% (male 14,211,514/female 14,390,486)

Age structure — 65 years and over

3.2% (2024 est.) (male 845,125/female 792,357)

Dependency ratios — total dependency ratio

76.4 (2024 est.)

Dependency ratios — youth dependency ratio

70.7 (2024 est.)

Dependency ratios — elderly dependency ratio

5.7 (2024 est.)

Dependency ratios — potential support ratio

17.5 (2024 est.)

Median age — total

19.5 years (2025 est.)

Median age — male

19 years

Median age — female

19.6 years

Population growth rate

2.54% (2025 est.)

Birth rate

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

Death rate

6 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Net migration rate

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

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

Urbanization — urban population

36.3% of total population (2023)

Urbanization — rate of urbanization

3.43% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas - population

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

Sex ratio — at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

Sex ratio — 0-14 years

1.03 male(s)/female

Sex ratio — 15-64 years

0.99 male(s)/female

Sex ratio — 65 years and over

1.07 male(s)/female

Sex ratio — total population

1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio

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

Infant mortality rate — total

39.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Infant mortality rate — male

46 deaths/1,000 live births

Infant mortality rate — female

34.8 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth — total population

67.8 years (2024 est.)

Life expectancy at birth — male

65.5 years

Life expectancy at birth — female

70.2 years

Total fertility rate

4.41 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

2.15 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source — improved: urban

Urban: 74.2% of population (2022 est.)

Drinking water source — improved: rural

Rural: 59.7% of population (2022 est.)

Drinking water source — improved: total

Total: 64.9% of population (2022 est.)

Drinking water source — unimproved: urban

Urban: 25.8% of population (2022 est.)

Drinking water source — unimproved: rural

Rural: 40.3% of population (2022 est.)

Drinking water source — unimproved: total

Total: 35.1% of population (2022 est.)

Health expenditure — Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

2.8% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure — Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

6.7% of national budget (2022 est.)

Physician density

0.25 physicians/1,000 population (2017)

Hospital bed density

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

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

6.6% (2014)

Alcohol consumption per capita — total

1.93 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Alcohol consumption per capita — beer

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Alcohol consumption per capita — wine

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Alcohol consumption per capita — spirits

0.29 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Alcohol consumption per capita — other alcohols

1.63 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

33% (2014)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) — total

7 years (2015 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) — male

7 years (2015 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) — female

7 years (2015 est.)

🌿 Environment⬆️ Top

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

International environmental agreements — signed, but not ratified

None of the selected agreements

Climate

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

Land use — agricultural land

60.3% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: arable land

Arable land: 11.2% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: permanent crops

Permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: permanent pasture

Permanent pasture: 49% (2023 est.)

Land use — forest

12% (2023 est.)

Land use — other

27.7% (2023 est.)

Urbanization — urban population

36.3% of total population (2023)

Urbanization — rate of urbanization

3.43% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions — total emissions

18.242 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions — from coal and metallurgical coke

300 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions — from petroleum and other liquids

18.242 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Particulate matter emissions

24.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Methane emissions — energy

218.5 kt (2022-2024 est.)

Methane emissions — agriculture

1,509.6 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Methane emissions — waste

198.7 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Methane emissions — other

38.8 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Waste and recycling — municipal solid waste generated annually

2.831 million tons (2024 est.)

Waste and recycling — percent of municipal solid waste recycled

8.9% (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal — municipal

950 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal — industrial

75 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal — agricultural

25.91 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total renewable water resources

37.8 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

🏛️ Government⬆️ Top

Country name — conventional long form

Republic of the Sudan

Country name — conventional short form

Sudan

Country name — local long form

Jumhuriyat as-Sudan

Country name — local short form

As-Sudan

Country name — former

Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Sudan

Country name — etymology

The name derives from the Arabic balad-as-sudan, meaning "Land of the Black [peoples]"

Government type

Presidential republic

Capital — name

Khartoum

Capital — geographic coordinates

15 36 N, 32 32 E

Capital — time difference

UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

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

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

Legal system

Mixed system of Islamic law and English common law

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

International law organization participation

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

Citizenship — citizenship by birth

No

Citizenship — citizenship by descent only

The father must be a citizen of Sudan

Citizenship — dual citizenship recognized

No

Citizenship — residency requirement for naturalization

10 years

Suffrage

17 years of age; universal

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)

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)

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

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

Executive branch — election results

NA

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

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

Judicial branch — judge selection and term of office

National Supreme Court and Constitutional Court judges selected by the Supreme Judicial Council

Judicial branch — subordinate courts

Court of Appeal; other national courts; public courts; district, town, and rural courts

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

Diplomatic representation in the US — chief of mission

Ambassador Mohamed Abdalla IDRIS (since 16 September 2022)

Diplomatic representation in the US — chancery

2210 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation in the US — telephone

[1] (202) 338-8565

Diplomatic representation in the US — FAX

[1] (202) 667-2406

Diplomatic representation in the US — email address and website

Consular@sudanembassy.org https://www.sudanembassy.org/

Diplomatic representation from the US — chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Colleen Crenwelge (since May 2024)

Diplomatic representation from the US — embassy

P.O. Box 699, Kilo 10, Soba, Khartoum

Diplomatic representation from the US — mailing address

2200 Khartoum Place, Washington DC 20521-2200

Diplomatic representation from the US — telephone

[249] 187-0-22000

Diplomatic representation from the US — email address and website

ACSKhartoum@state.gov https://sd.usembassy.gov/

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)

Independence

1 January 1956 (from Egypt and the UK)

National holiday

Independence Day, 1 January (1956)

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

National symbol(s)

Secretary bird

National color(s)

Red, white, black, green

National anthem(s) — title

"Nahnu Djundulla Djundulwatan" (We Are the Army of God and of Our Land)

National anthem(s) — lyrics/music

Sayed Ahmad Muhammad SALIH/Ahmad MURJAN

National anthem(s) — history

Adopted 1956; originally served as the anthem of the Sudanese military

National heritage — total World Heritage Sites

3 (2 cultural, 1 natural)

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)

💹 Economy⬆️ Top

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

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) — Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$94.42 billion (2024 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) — Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$109.147 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) — Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$154.672 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate — Real GDP growth rate 2024

-13.5% (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate — Real GDP growth rate 2023

-29.4% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate — Real GDP growth rate 2022

-1% (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita — Real GDP per capita 2024

$1,900 (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita — Real GDP per capita 2023

$2,200 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita — Real GDP per capita 2022

$3,100 (2022 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$49.91 billion (2024 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) — Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

138.8% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) — Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

359.1% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) — Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020

163.3% (2020 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin — agriculture

22.1% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin — industry

23% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin — services

54.9% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — household consumption

80.7% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — government consumption

16.5% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — investment in fixed capital

2.9% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — investment in inventories

0% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — exports of goods and services

1.2% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — imports of goods and services

-1.3% (2024 est.)

Agricultural products

Sugarcane, sorghum, milk, onions, groundnuts, sesame seeds, goat milk, bananas, mangoes/guavas, millet (2023)

Industries

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

Industrial production growth rate

-13.1% (2024 est.)

Labor force

10.949 million (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate — Unemployment rate 2023

11.45% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate — Unemployment rate 2022

7.6% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate — Unemployment rate 2021

11.1% (2021 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) — total

12% (2022 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) — male

11.8% (2022 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) — female

13.1% (2022 est.)

Remittances — Remittances 2023

2.5% of GDP (2023 est.)

Remittances — Remittances 2022

2.9% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances — Remittances 2021

3.3% of GDP (2021 est.)

Budget — revenues

$9.045 billion (2015 est.)

Budget — expenditures

$9.103 billion (2015 est.)

Public debt — Public debt 2016

99.5% of GDP (2016 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

7.4% (of GDP) (2016 est.)

Current account balance — Current account balance 2022

-$4.443 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance — Current account balance 2021

-$2.62 billion (2021 est.)

Current account balance — Current account balance 2020

-$5.841 billion (2020 est.)

Exports — Exports 2022

$5.908 billion (2022 est.)

Exports — Exports 2021

$6.664 billion (2021 est.)

Exports — Exports 2020

$5.065 billion (2020 est.)

Exports - partners

UAE 21%, China 17%, Saudi Arabia 16%, Malaysia 9%, Egypt 8% (2023)

Exports - commodities

Crude petroleum, gold, oil seeds, sheep and goats, ground nuts (2023)

Imports — Imports 2022

$11.575 billion (2022 est.)

Imports — Imports 2021

$10.271 billion (2021 est.)

Imports — Imports 2020

$10.52 billion (2020 est.)

Imports - partners

China 21%, India 19%, Egypt 16%, UAE 14%, Saudi Arabia 7% (2023)

Imports - commodities

Raw sugar, wheat flours, refined petroleum, garments, packaged medicine (2023)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold — Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2017

$177.934 million (2017 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold — Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2016

$168.284 million (2016 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold — Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2015

$173.516 million (2015 est.)

Debt - external — Debt - external 2023

$21.65 billion (2023 est.)

Exchange rates — Currency

Sudanese pounds (SDG) per US dollar -

Exchange rates — Exchange rates 2022

546.759 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates — Exchange rates 2021

370.791 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates — Exchange rates 2020

53.996 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates — Exchange rates 2019

45.767 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates — Exchange rates 2018

24.329 (2018 est.)

⚡ Energy⬆️ Top

Electricity access — electrification - total population

63.2% (2022 est.)

Electricity access — electrification - urban areas

84%

Electricity access — electrification - rural areas

49.4%

Electricity — installed generating capacity

3.815 million kW (2023 est.)

Electricity — consumption

13.983 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity — imports

882 million kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity — transmission/distribution losses

3.646 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources — fossil fuels

29.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources — solar

0.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources — hydroelectricity

68.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources — biomass and waste

0.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal — exports

15 metric tons (2023 est.)

Coal — imports

200 metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum — total petroleum production

68,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Petroleum — refined petroleum consumption

129,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Petroleum — crude oil estimated reserves

1.25 billion barrels (2021 est.)

Natural gas — proven reserves

84.951 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Energy consumption per capita — Total energy consumption per capita 2023

6.145 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

📡 Communications⬆️ Top

Telephones - fixed lines — total subscriptions

156,000 (2022 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines — subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

(2022 est.) less than 1

Telephones - mobile cellular — total subscriptions

34.7 million (2022 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular — subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

74 (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.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions — total

30,000 (2022 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions — subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

(2022 est.) less than 1

🚚 Transportation⬆️ Top

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

ST

Airports

45 (2025)

Heliports

8 (2025)

Railways — total

7,251 km (2014)

Railways — narrow gauge

5,851 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge

Merchant marine — total

14 (2023)

Merchant marine — by type

Other 14

Ports — total ports

4 (2024)

Ports — large

0

Ports — medium

2

Ports — small

2

Ports — very small

0

Ports — ports with oil terminals

3

Ports — key ports

Al Khair Oil Terminal, Beshayer Oil Terminal, Port Sudan, Sawakin Harbor

🛡️ Military and Security⬆️ Top

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 expenditures — Military Expenditures 2021

1% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military expenditures — Military Expenditures 2020

1% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military expenditures — Military Expenditures 2019

2.4% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military expenditures — Military Expenditures 2018

2% of GDP (2018 est.)

Military expenditures — Military Expenditures 2017

3.6% of GDP (2017 est.)

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)

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)

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)

🚨 Terrorism⬆️ Top

Terrorist group(s)

Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); al-Qa’ida; Harakat Sawa’d Misr

🌐 Transnational Issues⬆️ Top

Refugees and internally displaced persons — refugees

837,988 (2024 est.)

Refugees and internally displaced persons — IDPs

11,559,970 (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