ARCHIVE // SD // 2025
Sudan
2025 Edition — sovereign
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Communications
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
[time series]
total: 30,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1
Broadcast media
[time series]
state-owned broadcasters that self-censor but are somewhat independent (2022)
Internet country code
[time series]
.sd
Internet users
[time series]
percent of population: 26% (2020 est.)
Telephones - fixed lines
[time series]
total subscriptions: 156,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1
Telephones - mobile cellular
[time series]
total subscriptions: 34.7 million (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 74 (2022 est.)
Economy
Agricultural products
[time series]
sugarcane, sorghum, milk, onions, groundnuts, sesame seeds, goat milk, bananas, mangoes/guavas, millet (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
Budget
[time series]
revenues: $9.045 billion (2015 est.) expenditures: $9.103 billion (2015 est.) 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
Current account balance
[time series]
-$4.443 billion (2022 est.) -$2.62 billion (2021 est.) -$5.841 billion (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Debt - external
[time series]
$21.65 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
Economic overview
[time series]
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
[time series]
Sudanese pounds (SDG) per US dollar - 546.759 (2022 est.) 370.791 (2021 est.) 53.996 (2020 est.) 45.767 (2019 est.) 24.329 (2018 est.)
Exports
[time series]
$5.908 billion (2022 est.) $6.664 billion (2021 est.) $5.065 billion (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Exports - commodities
[time series]
crude petroleum, gold, oil seeds, sheep and goats, ground nuts (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
Exports - partners
[time series]
UAE 21%, China 17%, Saudi Arabia 16%, Malaysia 9%, Egypt 8% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
GDP (official exchange rate)
[time series]
$49.91 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
GDP - composition, by end use
[time series]
household consumption: 80.7% (2024 est.) government consumption: 16.5% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 2.9% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 1.2% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -1.3% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
[time series]
agriculture: 22.1% (2024 est.) industry: 23% (2024 est.) services: 54.9% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
Imports
[time series]
$11.575 billion (2022 est.) $10.271 billion (2021 est.) $10.52 billion (2020 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Imports - commodities
[time series]
raw sugar, wheat flours, refined petroleum, garments, packaged medicine (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
Imports - partners
[time series]
China 21%, India 19%, Egypt 16%, UAE 14%, Saudi Arabia 7% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Industrial production growth rate
[time series]
-13.1% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
Industries
[time series]
oil, cotton ginning, textiles, cement, edible oils, sugar, soap distilling, shoes, petroleum refining, pharmaceuticals, armaments, automobile/light truck assembly, milling
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
[time series]
138.8% (2022 est.) 359.1% (2021 est.) 163.3% (2020 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Labor force
[time series]
10.949 million (2022 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
Public debt
[time series]
99.5% of GDP (2016 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
[time series]
$94.42 billion (2024 est.) $109.147 billion (2023 est.) $154.672 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars
Real GDP growth rate
[time series]
-13.5% (2024 est.) -29.4% (2023 est.) -1% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
Real GDP per capita
[time series]
$1,900 (2024 est.) $2,200 (2023 est.) $3,100 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars
Remittances
[time series]
2.5% of GDP (2023 est.) 2.9% of GDP (2022 est.) 3.3% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
[time series]
$177.934 million (2017 est.) $168.284 million (2016 est.) $173.516 million (2015 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
Taxes and other revenues
[time series]
7.4% (of GDP) (2016 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP
Unemployment rate
[time series]
11.45% (2023 est.) 7.6% (2022 est.) 11.1% (2021 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
[time series]
total: 12% (2022 est.) male: 11.8% (2022 est.) female: 13.1% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
Energy
Coal
[time series]
exports: 15 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 200 metric tons (2023 est.)
Electricity
[time series]
installed generating capacity: 3.815 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 13.983 billion kWh (2023 est.) imports: 882 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 3.646 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity access
[time series]
electrification - total population: 63.2% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 84% electrification - rural areas: 49.4%
Electricity generation sources
[time series]
fossil fuels: 29.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) hydroelectricity: 68.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) biomass and waste: 0.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy consumption per capita
[time series]
6.145 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Natural gas
[time series]
proven reserves: 84.951 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Petroleum
[time series]
total petroleum production: 68,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 129,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 1.25 billion barrels (2021 est.)
Environment
Carbon dioxide emissions
[time series]
18.242 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) 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.)
Climate
[time series]
hot and dry; arid desert; rainy season varies by region (April to November)
Environmental issues
[time series]
water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water; water scarcity and drought; overhunting; soil erosion; desertification; deforestation; loss of biodiversity
International environmental agreements
[time series]
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
Land use
[time series]
agricultural land: 60.3% (2023 est.) arable land: 11.2% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 49% (2023 est.) forest: 12% (2023 est.) other: 27.7% (2023 est.)
Methane emissions
[time series]
energy: 218.5 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 1,509.6 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 198.7 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 38.8 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Particulate matter emissions
[time series]
24.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Total renewable water resources
[time series]
37.8 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Total water withdrawal
[time series]
municipal: 950 million cubic meters (2022 est.) industrial: 75 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 25.91 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Urbanization
[time series]
urban population: 36.3% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.43% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Waste and recycling
[time series]
municipal solid waste generated annually: 2.831 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 8.9% (2022 est.)
Geography
Area
[time series]
total : 1,861,484 sq km land: 1,731,671 sq km water: 129,813 sq km
Area - comparative
[time series]
slightly less than one-fifth the size of the US
Climate
[time series]
hot and dry; arid desert; rainy season varies by region (April to November)
Coastline
[time series]
853 km
Elevation
[time series]
highest point: Jabal Marrah 3,042 m lowest point: Red Sea 0 m mean elevation: 568 m
Geographic coordinates
[time series]
15 00 N, 30 00 E
Geography - note
[time series]
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
[time series]
15,504 sq km (2019)
Land boundaries
[time series]
total: 6,819 km border countries (7): 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: 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
Land use
[time series]
agricultural land: 60.3% (2023 est.) arable land: 11.2% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 49% (2023 est.) forest: 12% (2023 est.) other: 27.7% (2023 est.)
Location
[time series]
north-eastern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Egypt and Eritrea
Major aquifers
[time series]
Nubian Aquifer System, Sudd Basin (Umm Ruwaba Aquifer)
Major rivers (by length in km)
[time series]
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)
[time series]
Atlantic Ocean drainage: (Mediterranean Sea) Nile (3,254,853 sq km) Internal (endorheic basin) drainage: Lake Chad (2,497,738 sq km)
Map references
[time series]
Africa
Maritime claims
[time series]
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 18 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Natural hazards
[time series]
dust storms and periodic persistent droughts
Natural resources
[time series]
petroleum; small reserves of iron ore, copper, chromium ore, zinc, tungsten, mica, silver, gold; hydropower
Population distribution
[time series]
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
Terrain
[time series]
generally flat, featureless plain; desert dominates the north
Government
Administrative divisions
[time series]
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: 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
[time series]
name: Khartoum geographic coordinates: 15 36 N, 32 32 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) 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
Citizenship
[time series]
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
Constitution
[time series]
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: 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
[time series]
conventional long form: Republic of the Sudan conventional short form: Sudan local long form: Jumhuriyat as-Sudan local short form: As-Sudan former: Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Sudan etymology: the name derives from the Arabic balad-as-sudan , meaning "Land of the Black [peoples]"
Diplomatic representation from the US
[time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charg d'Affaires Colleen Crenwelge (since May 2024) embassy: P.O. Box 699, Kilo 10, Soba, Khartoum mailing address: 2200 Khartoum Place, Washington DC 20521-2200 telephone: [249] 187-0-22000 email address and website: ACSKhartoum@state.gov https://sd.usembassy.gov/ note: the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum suspended operations (to include visa, passport, and other routine consular services) on 22 April 2023
Diplomatic representation in the US
[time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador Mohamed Abdalla IDRIS (since 16 September 2022) chancery: 2210 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 338-8565 FAX: [1] (202) 667-2406 email address and website: consular@sudanembassy.org https://www.sudanembassy.org/
Executive branch
[time series]
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) 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) 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 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 election results: NA expected date of next election: supposed to be held in 2022 or 2023, but the methodology for elections has still not been defined 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
[time series]
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 type
[time series]
presidential republic
Independence
[time series]
1 January 1956 (from Egypt and the UK)
International law organization participation
[time series]
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; withdrew acceptance of ICCt jurisdiction in 2008
International organization participation
[time series]
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
[time series]
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
[time series]
mixed system of Islamic law and English common law
Legislative branch
[time series]
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 anthem(s)
[time series]
title: "Nahnu Djundulla Djundulwatan" (We Are the Army of God and of Our Land) lyrics/music: Sayed Ahmad Muhammad SALIH/Ahmad MURJAN history: adopted 1956; originally served as the anthem of the Sudanese military
National color(s)
[time series]
red, white, black, green
National heritage
[time series]
total World Heritage Sites: 3 (2 cultural, 1 natural) 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)
National holiday
[time series]
Independence Day, 1 January (1956)
National symbol(s)
[time series]
secretary bird
Political parties
[time series]
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: in November 2019, the transitional government banned the National Congress Party
Suffrage
[time series]
17 years of age; universal
Introduction
Background
[time series]
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
[time series]
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
[time series]
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) 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
Military and security service personnel strengths
[time series]
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
[time series]
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 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
[time series]
1% of GDP (2021 est.) 1% of GDP (2020 est.) 2.4% of GDP (2019 est.) 2% of GDP (2018 est.) 3.6% of GDP (2017 est.) note: many defense expenditures are probably off-budget
Military service age and obligation
[time series]
18-33 years of age for compulsory or voluntary military service for men and women; service obligation 12-24 months (2025) 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
People and Society
Age structure
[time series]
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
[time series]
total: 1.93 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0.29 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 1.63 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Birth rate
[time series]
32.95 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
[time series]
33% (2014)
Death rate
[time series]
6 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Dependency ratios
[time series]
total dependency ratio: 76.4 (2024 est.) youth dependency ratio: 70.7 (2024 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 5.7 (2024 est.) potential support ratio: 17.5 (2024 est.)
Drinking water source
[time series]
urban: 74.2% of population (2022 est.) rural: 59.7% of population (2022 est.) total: 64.9% of population (2022 est.) urban: 25.8% of population (2022 est.) rural: 40.3% of population (2022 est.) total: 35.1% of population (2022 est.)
Ethnic groups
[time series]
Sudanese Arab (approximately 70%), Fur, Beja, Nuba, Ingessana, Uduk, Fallata, Masalit, Dajo, Gimir, Tunjur, Berti; there are over 500 ethnic groups
Gross reproduction rate
[time series]
2.15 (2025 est.)
Health expenditure
[time series]
2.8% of GDP (2021) 6.7% of national budget (2022 est.)
Hospital bed density
[time series]
0.7 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)
Infant mortality rate
[time series]
total: 39.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 46 deaths/1,000 live births female: 34.8 deaths/1,000 live births
Languages
[time series]
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)
Life expectancy at birth
[time series]
total population: 67.8 years (2024 est.) male: 65.5 years female: 70.2 years
Major urban areas - population
[time series]
6.344 million KHARTOUM (capital), 1.057 million Nyala (2023)
Maternal mortality ratio
[time series]
256 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Median age
[time series]
total: 19.5 years (2025 est.) male: 19 years female: 19.6 years
Nationality
[time series]
noun: Sudanese (singular and plural) adjective: Sudanese
Net migration rate
[time series]
-1.55 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
[time series]
6.6% (2014)
Physician density
[time series]
0.25 physicians/1,000 population (2017)
Population
[time series]
total: 50,467,278 (2024 est.) male: 25,335,092 female: 25,132,186
Population distribution
[time series]
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
Population growth rate
[time series]
2.54% (2025 est.)
Religions
[time series]
Sunni Muslim, small Christian minority
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
[time series]
total: 7 years (2015 est.) male: 7 years (2015 est.) female: 7 years (2015 est.)
Sex ratio
[time series]
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 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 total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Total fertility rate
[time series]
4.41 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Urbanization
[time series]
urban population: 36.3% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 3.43% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Terrorism
Terrorist group(s)
[time series]
Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); al-Qa ida; Harakat Sawa d Misr 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
Transnational Issues
Refugees and internally displaced persons
[time series]
refugees: 837,988 (2024 est.) IDPs: 11,559,970 (2024 est.)
Trafficking in persons
[time series]
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
[time series]
45 (2025)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
[time series]
ST
Heliports
[time series]
8 (2025)
Merchant marine
[time series]
total: 14 (2023) by type: other 14
Ports
[time series]
total ports: 4 (2024) large: 0 medium: 2 small: 2 very small: 0 ports with oil terminals: 3 key ports: Al Khair Oil Terminal, Beshayer Oil Terminal, Port Sudan, Sawakin Harbor
Railways
[time series]
total: 7,251 km (2014) narrow gauge: 5,851 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge 1,400 km 0.600-m gauge for cotton plantations