{ "Introduction": { "Background": { "text": "
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.
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
water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water; water scarcity and periodic drought; wildlife populations threatened by excessive hunting; soil erosion; desertification; deforestation; loss of biodiversity
" }, "Environment - international agreements": { "party to": { "text": "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": { "text": "none of the selected agreements" } }, "Climate": { "text": "hot and dry; arid desert; rainy season varies by region (April to November)" }, "Land use": { "agricultural land": { "text": "60.3% (2022 est.)" }, "agricultural land: arable land": { "text": "arable land: 11.2% (2022 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent crops": { "text": "permanent crops: 0.1% (2022 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent pasture": { "text": "permanent pasture: 49% (2022 est.)" }, "forest": { "text": "9.6% (2022 est.)" }, "other": { "text": "30% (2022 est.)" } }, "Urbanization": { "urban population": { "text": "36.3% of total population (2023)" }, "rate of urbanization": { "text": "3.43% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)" } }, "Food insecurity": { "severe localized food insecurity": { "text": "due to conflict, civil insecurity, and soaring food prices - about 19.9 million people are currently expected to require emergency food and livelihood assistance, due to the conflict that broke out in mid-April 2023 which severely damaged livelihoods, paralyzed economic activities, triggered a surge in the already high food prices and caused large-scale displacements, with about 1.67 million people displaced inside of the country and about 528,000 people having fled to neighboring countries (2023)" } }, "Revenue from forest resources": { "text": "3.01% of GDP (2018 est.)" }, "Revenue from coal": { "text": "0% of GDP (2018 est.)" }, "Air pollutants": { "particulate matter emissions": { "text": "21.43 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)" }, "carbon dioxide emissions": { "text": "20 megatons (2016 est.)" }, "methane emissions": { "text": "75.1 megatons (2020 est.)" } }, "Waste and recycling": { "municipal solid waste generated annually": { "text": "2,831,291 tons (2015 est.)" } }, "Major rivers (by length in km)": { "text": "
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
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
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) 2023": { "text": "$123.565 billion (2023 est.)" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022": { "text": "$154.672 billion (2022 est.)" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021": { "text": "$156.168 billion (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: data in 2021 dollars" }, "Real GDP growth rate": { "Real GDP growth rate 2023": { "text": "-20.11% (2023 est.)" }, "Real GDP growth rate 2022": { "text": "-0.96% (2022 est.)" }, "Real GDP growth rate 2021": { "text": "-1.87% (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency" }, "Real GDP per capita": { "Real GDP per capita 2023": { "text": "$2,500 (2023 est.)" }, "Real GDP per capita 2022": { "text": "$3,100 (2022 est.)" }, "Real GDP per capita 2021": { "text": "$3,200 (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: data in 2021 dollars" }, "GDP (official exchange rate)": { "text": "$109.266 billion (2023 est.)", "note": "note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate" }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices)": { "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022": { "text": "138.81% (2022 est.)" }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021": { "text": "359.09% (2021 est.)" }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020": { "text": "163.26% (2020 est.)" }, "note": "note: annual % change based on consumer prices" }, "GDP - composition, by sector of origin": { "agriculture": { "text": "5.5% (2023 est.)" }, "industry": { "text": "5.1% (2023 est.)" }, "services": { "text": "7.5% (2023 est.)" }, "note": "note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data" }, "GDP - composition, by end use": { "household consumption": { "text": "80.7% (2023 est.)" }, "government consumption": { "text": "17.4% (2023 est.)" }, "investment in fixed capital": { "text": "2.2% (2023 est.)" }, "investment in inventories": { "text": "0% (2023 est.)" }, "exports of goods and services": { "text": "1.1% (2023 est.)" }, "imports of goods and services": { "text": "-1.4% (2023 est.)" }, "note": "note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection" }, "Agricultural products": { "text": "sugarcane, sorghum, milk, onions, groundnuts, sesame seeds, goat milk, bananas, mangoes/guavas, millet (2023)", "note": "note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage" }, "Industries": { "text": "oil, cotton ginning, textiles, cement, edible oils, sugar, soap distilling, shoes, petroleum refining, pharmaceuticals, armaments, automobile/light truck assembly, milling" }, "Industrial production growth rate": { "text": "-19.71% (2023 est.)", "note": "note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency" }, "Labor force": { "text": "14.149 million (2023 est.)", "note": "note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work" }, "Unemployment rate": { "Unemployment rate 2023": { "text": "11.45% (2023 est.)" }, "Unemployment rate 2022": { "text": "7.53% (2022 est.)" }, "Unemployment rate 2021": { "text": "11.47% (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: % of labor force seeking employment" }, "Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)": { "total": { "text": "18.2% (2023 est.)" }, "male": { "text": "18.5% (2023 est.)" }, "female": { "text": "17.5% (2023 est.)" }, "note": "note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment" }, "Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income": { "Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2014": { "text": "34.2 (2014 est.)" }, "note": "note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality" }, "Household income or consumption by percentage share": { "lowest 10%": { "text": "3.2% (2014 est.)" }, "highest 10%": { "text": "27.8% (2014 est.)" }, "note": "note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population" }, "Remittances": { "Remittances 2023": { "text": "0.92% of GDP (2023 est.)" }, "Remittances 2022": { "text": "2.9% of GDP (2022 est.)" }, "Remittances 2021": { "text": "3.27% of GDP (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities" }, "Budget": { "revenues": { "text": "$9.045 billion (2015 est.)" }, "expenditures": { "text": "$9.103 billion (2015 est.)" }, "note": "note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated" }, "Public debt": { "Public debt 2017": { "text": "121.6% of GDP (2017 est.)" } }, "Taxes and other revenues": { "text": "7.39% (of GDP) (2016 est.)", "note": "note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP" }, "Current account balance": { "Current account balance 2022": { "text": "-$4.443 billion (2022 est.)" }, "Current account balance 2021": { "text": "-$2.62 billion (2021 est.)" }, "Current account balance 2020": { "text": "-$5.841 billion (2020 est.)" }, "note": "note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars" }, "Exports": { "Exports 2022": { "text": "$5.908 billion (2022 est.)" }, "Exports 2021": { "text": "$6.664 billion (2021 est.)" }, "Exports 2020": { "text": "$5.065 billion (2020 est.)" }, "note": "note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars" }, "Exports - partners": { "text": "UAE 21%, China 17%, Saudi Arabia 16%, Malaysia 9%, Egypt 8% (2023)", "note": "note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports" }, "Exports - commodities": { "text": "crude petroleum, gold, oil seeds, sheep and goats, ground nuts (2023)", "note": "note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars" }, "Imports": { "Imports 2022": { "text": "$11.575 billion (2022 est.)" }, "Imports 2021": { "text": "$10.271 billion (2021 est.)" }, "Imports 2020": { "text": "$10.52 billion (2020 est.)" }, "note": "note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars" }, "Imports - partners": { "text": "China 21%, India 19%, Egypt 16%, UAE 14%, Saudi Arabia 7% (2023)", "note": "note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports" }, "Imports - commodities": { "text": "raw sugar, wheat flours, refined petroleum, garments, packaged medicine (2023)", "note": "note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars" }, "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold": { "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2017": { "text": "$177.934 million (2017 est.)" }, "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2016": { "text": "$168.284 million (2016 est.)" }, "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2015": { "text": "$173.516 million (2015 est.)" }, "note": "note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars" }, "Debt - external": { "Debt - external 2023": { "text": "$21.878 billion (2023 est.)" }, "note": "note: present value of external debt in current US dollars" }, "Exchange rates": { "Currency": { "text": "Sudanese pounds (SDG) per US dollar -" }, "Exchange rates 2022": { "text": "546.759 (2022 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2021": { "text": "370.791 (2021 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2020": { "text": "53.996 (2020 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2019": { "text": "45.767 (2019 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2018": { "text": "24.329 (2018 est.)" } } }, "Energy": { "Electricity access": { "electrification - total population": { "text": "63.2% (2022 est.)" }, "electrification - urban areas": { "text": "84%" }, "electrification - rural areas": { "text": "49.4%" } }, "Electricity": { "installed generating capacity": { "text": "3.815 million kW (2023 est.)" }, "consumption": { "text": "13.983 billion kWh (2023 est.)" }, "imports": { "text": "882 million kWh (2023 est.)" }, "transmission/distribution losses": { "text": "3.646 billion kWh (2023 est.)" } }, "Electricity generation sources": { "fossil fuels": { "text": "29.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)" }, "solar": { "text": "0.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)" }, "hydroelectricity": { "text": "68.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)" }, "biomass and waste": { "text": "0.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)" } }, "Coal": { "exports": { "text": "15 metric tons (2023 est.)" }, "imports": { "text": "200 metric tons (2023 est.)" } }, "Petroleum": { "total petroleum production": { "text": "68,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)" }, "refined petroleum consumption": { "text": "129,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)" }, "crude oil estimated reserves": { "text": "1.25 billion barrels (2021 est.)" } }, "Natural gas": { "proven reserves": { "text": "84.951 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)" } }, "Carbon dioxide emissions": { "total emissions": { "text": "18.242 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)" }, "from coal and metallurgical coke": { "text": "300 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)" }, "from petroleum and other liquids": { "text": "18.242 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)" } }, "Energy consumption per capita": { "Total energy consumption per capita 2023": { "text": "6.145 million Btu/person (2023 est.)" } } }, "Communications": { "Telephones - fixed lines": { "total subscriptions": { "text": "156,000 (2022 est.)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "(2022 est.) less than 1" } }, "Telephones - mobile cellular": { "total subscriptions": { "text": "34.7 million (2022 est.)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "74 (2022 est.)" } }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { "text": "Sudan emerged as a poorer country when South Sudan separated from it in 2011; although Sudan has about four times the population of South Sudan, the latter benefits from its control of the majority of known oil reserves; the Sudanese economy has been affected by hyperinflation in recent years, partly the result of the loss of oil revenue but also due to domestic volatility and social unrest; the difficult economic conditions have meant that for several years telcos have reported revenue under hyper inflationary reporting standards; pressure on revenue has made it difficult for operators to invest in infrastructure upgrades, and so provide improved services to customers; despite this, the number of mobile subscribers increased 7% in 2021, year-on-year; this level of growth is expected to have been maintained in 2022, though could slow from 2023; the country’s poor fixed-line infrastructure has helped the development of mobile broadband services; after fighting started in April 2023, much of the telecommunications infrastructure was damaged (2023)" }, "domestic": { "text": "teledensity fixed-line is 1 per 100 and mobile-cellular is 74 telephones per 100 persons (2022)" }, "international": { "text": "country code - 249; landing points for the EASSy, FALCON and SAS-1,-2, fiber-optic submarine cable systems linking Africa, the Middle East, Indian Ocean Islands and Asia; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2019)" } }, "Broadcast media": { "text": "Following the establishment of Sudan’s transitional government in August 2019, government-owned broadcasters became increasingly independent from government and military control. Following the October 2021 military takeover, additional restrictions were imposed on these government-owned broadcasters, which now practice a heightened degree of self-censorship but still operate more independently than in the pre-2019 environment. (2022)" }, "Internet country code": { "text": ".sd" }, "Internet users": { "percent of population": { "text": "29% (2022 est.)" } }, "Broadband - fixed subscriptions": { "total": { "text": "30,000 (2022 est.)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "(2022 est.) less than 1" } } }, "Transportation": { "National air transport system": { "number of registered air carriers": { "text": "9 (2020)" }, "inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers": { "text": "42" }, "annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers": { "text": "269,958 (2018)" } }, "Civil aircraft registration country code prefix": { "text": "ST" }, "Airports": { "text": "45 (2025)" }, "Heliports": { "text": "8 (2025)" }, "Pipelines": { "text": "156 km gas, 4,070 km oil, 1,613 km refined products (2013)" }, "Railways": { "total": { "text": "7,251 km (2014)" }, "narrow gauge": { "text": "5,851 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge" }, "note": "1,400 km 0.600-m gauge for cotton plantations" }, "Roadways": { "total": { "text": "30,000 km" }, "paved": { "text": "8,000 km" }, "unpaved": { "text": "22,000 km" }, "urban": { "text": "1,000 km (2019)" } }, "Waterways": { "text": "4,068 km (2011) (1,723 km open year-round on White and Blue Nile Rivers)" }, "Merchant marine": { "total": { "text": "14 (2023)" }, "by type": { "text": "other 14" } }, "Ports": { "total ports": { "text": "4 (2024)" }, "large": { "text": "0" }, "medium": { "text": "2" }, "small": { "text": "2" }, "very small": { "text": "0" }, "ports with oil terminals": { "text": "3" }, "key ports": { "text": "Al Khair Oil Terminal, Beshayer Oil Terminal, Port Sudan, Sawakin Harbor" } } }, "Military and Security": { "Military and security forces": { "text": "Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF): Ground Force, Navy, Sudanese Air Force; Rapid Support Forces (RSF); Border Guardsthe primary responsibilities of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) are internal security, border control, and countering potential external threats from its neighbors; SAF operations have traditionally been supported by militia and paramilitary forces, particularly the Rapid Support Forces (RSF); in the Spring of 2023, heavy fighting broke out between the SAF and the paramilitary 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 has since spread and continued into 2025 with reports of atrocities, ethnic cleansing, food insecurity, heavy civilian casualties, and millions of internally displaced persons
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