Sudan

<p>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. <br><br>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.<br><br>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. </p>

Land

1,731,671 sq km

Total

1,861,484 sq km

Water

129,813 sq km

slightly less than one-fifth the size of the US

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

853 km

Africa

Highest point

Jabal Marrah 3,042 m

Lowest point

Red Sea 0 m

Mean elevation

568 m

15 00 N, 30 00 E

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

15,504 sq km (2019)

Border countries

Central African Republic 174 km; Chad 1,403 km; Egypt 1,276 km; Eritrea 682 km; Ethiopia 744 km; Libya 382 km; South Sudan 2,158 km

Note

<strong>note:</strong> Sudan-South Sudan boundary represents 1 January 1956 alignment; final alignment pending negotiations and demarcation; final sovereignty status of Abyei region pending negotiations between Sudan and South Sudan

number of neighbors

7

Total

6,819 km

Agricultural land

60.3% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 11.2% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 49% (2023 est.)

arable land

11.24%

Forest

12% (2023 est.)

Other

27.7% (2023 est.)

permanent crops

0.12%

No

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

Nubian Aquifer System, Sudd Basin (Umm Ruwaba Aquifer)

<p>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<br><br><strong>note:</strong> [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth</p>

Atlantic Ocean drainage

<em>(Mediterranean Sea)</em> Nile (3,254,853 sq km)

Internal (endorheic basin) drainage

Lake Chad (2,497,738 sq km)

Google Maps

https://goo.gl/maps/bNW7YUJCaqR8zcXn7

OpenStreetMap

https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/192789

Africa

Contiguous zone

18 nm

Continental shelf

200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Territorial sea

12 nm

dust storms and periodic persistent droughts

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

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

Northern Africa

generally flat, featureless plain; desert dominates the north

UTC+03:00

number of time zones

1

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)

Beer

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Other alcohols

1.63 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Spirits

0.29 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Total

1.93 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Wine

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

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

33% (2014)

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

adult female

158 per 1,000

adult male

260 per 1,000

Elderly dependency ratio

5.7 (2024 est.)

Potential support ratio

17.5 (2024 est.)

Total dependency ratio

76.4 (2024 est.)

Youth dependency ratio

70.7 (2024 est.)

Improved: rural

rural: 59.7% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: total

total: 64.9% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: urban

urban: 74.2% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: rural

rural: 40.3% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: total

total: 35.1% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: urban

urban: 25.8% of population (2022 est.)

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

2.15 (2025 est.)

3 % of GDP

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

2.8% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

6.7% of national budget (2022 est.)

0.23%

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

Female

34.8 deaths/1,000 live births

Male

46 deaths/1,000 live births

neonatal

25 deaths/1,000 live births

Total

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

Languages

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

Major-language sample(s)

<br>كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)<br><br>The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. (English)

number of languages

2

Female

70.2 years

Male

65.5 years

Total population

67.8 years (2024 est.)

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

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

Female

19.6 years

Male

19 years

Total

19.5 years (2025 est.)

66 births/1,000 women 15-19

Adjective

Sudanese

Noun

Sudanese (singular and plural)

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

6.6% (2014)

0.25 physicians/1,000 population (2017)

Female

25,132,186

Male

25,335,092

Total

50,467,278 (2024 est.)

2.54% (2025 est.)

Sunni Muslim, small Christian minority

Female

7 years (2015 est.)

Male

7 years (2015 est.)

Total

7 years (2015 est.)

0-14 years

1.03 male(s)/female

15-64 years

0.99 male(s)/female

65 years and over

1.07 male(s)/female

At birth

1.05 male(s)/female

Total population

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

4.41 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Rate of urbanization

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

Urban population

36.3% of total population (2023)

measles

46%

18 states (<em>wilayat</em>, singular - <em>wilayah</em>); 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

<strong>note: </strong>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

Etymology

the name derives from the Arabic words <em>ras </em>(head or end) and <em>al-khurtum</em> (elephant's trunk), referring to the narrow strip of land between the Blue and White Niles where the city is located

Geographic coordinates

15 36 N, 32 32 E

Name

Khartoum

Time difference

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

Citizenship 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

svg

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

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 &ldquo;2019 Constitutional Declaration&rdquo; was signed by the Council and opposition coalition on 4 August 2019

Note

<strong>note: </strong>amended 2020 to incorporate the Juba Agreement for Peace in Sudan; the military suspended several provisions of the Constitutional Declaration in October 2021

alternative spellings

SD, Republic of the Sudan, Jumhūrīyat as-Sūdān

Conventional long form

Republic of the Sudan

Conventional short form

Sudan

Etymology

the name derives from the Arabic <em>balad-as-sudan</em>, meaning "Land of the Black [peoples]"

FIFA code

SDN

Former

Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Sudan

Local long form

Jumhuriyat as-Sudan

local long form (ara)

جمهورية السودان

Local short form

As-Sudan

Chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Charg&eacute; d'Affaires Colleen Crenwelge (since May 2024)

Email address and website

<br>ACSKhartoum@state.gov<br><br>https://sd.usembassy.gov/

Embassy

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

Mailing address

2200 Khartoum Place, Washington DC&nbsp; 20521-2200

Note

<strong>note:</strong>  the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum suspended operations (to include visa, passport, and other routine consular services) on 22 April 2023

Telephone

[249] 187-0-22000

Chancery

2210 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Chief of mission

Ambassador Mohamed Abdalla IDRIS&nbsp;(since 16 September 2022)

Email address and website

<br>consular@sudanembassy.org<br><br>https://www.sudanembassy.org/

FAX

[1] (202) 667-2406

Telephone

[1] (202) 338-8565

Cabinet

the military forced most members of the Council of Ministers out of office in 2021; a handful of ministers appointed by former armed opposition groups were allowed to retain their posts; at present, most of the members of the Council are appointed senior civil servants serving in an acting-minister capacity

Chief of state

Sovereign Council Chair and Commander-in-Chief of the Sudanese Armed Forces General Abd-al-Fattah al-BURHAN Abd-al-Rahman (since 11 November 2021)

Election results

NA

Election/appointment process

military members of the Sovereign Council are selected by the leadership of the security forces; representatives of former armed groups to the Sovereign Council are selected by the signatories of the Juba Peace Agreement

Expected date of next election

supposed to be held in 2022 or 2023, but the methodology for elections has still not been defined

Head of government

Sovereign Council Chair and Commander-in-Chief of the Sudanese Armed Forces General Abd-al-Fattah al-BURHAN Abd-al-Rahman (since 11 November 2021)

Note

<strong>note 1:</strong> 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<br><br><strong>note 2:</strong> Sovereign Council currently consists of 5 generals

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

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

svg

https://flagcdn.com/sd.svg

presidential republic

1 January 1956 (from Egypt and the UK)

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

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)

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

mixed system of Islamic law and English common law

Note

<strong>note:</strong>  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

red, white, black, green

Selected World Heritage Site locales

Gebel Barkal and the Sites of the Napatan Region (c); Archaeological Sites of the Island of Meroe (c); Sanganeb Marine National Park and Dungonab Bay – Mukkawar Island Marine National Park (n)

Total World Heritage Sites

3 (2 cultural, 1 natural)

Independence Day, 1 January (1956)

secretary bird

Democratic Unionist Party<br>Democratic Unionist Party or DUP<br>Federal Umma Party<br>Muslim Brotherhood or MB<br>National Congress Party or NCP<br>National Umma Party or NUP<br>Popular Congress Party or PCP<br>Reform Movement Now<br>Sudan National Front<br>Sudanese Communist Party or SCP<br>Sudanese Congress Party or SCoP<br>Umma Party for Reform and Development<br>Unionist Movement Party or UMP

note

<strong>note:  </strong>in November 2019, the transitional government banned the National Congress Party

Monday

17 years of age; universal

Yes

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

note

<b>note:</b> top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Expenditures

$9.103 billion (2015 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Revenues

$9.045 billion (2015 est.)

code

SDG

name

Sudanese pound (SDG) [ج.س]

$-4,442,782,663

Current account balance 2020

-$5.841 billion (2020 est.)

Current account balance 2021

-$2.62 billion (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

-$4.443 billion (2022 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

$22.02 billion

Debt - external 2023

$21.65 billion (2023 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> present value of external debt in current US dollars

<p>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</p>

Currency

Sudanese pounds (SDG) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2018

24.329 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

45.767 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

53.996 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

370.791 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

546.759 (2022 est.)

$358.1 million

Exports 2020

$5.065 billion (2020 est.)

Exports 2021

$6.664 billion (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$5.908 billion (2022 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

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

note

<b>note:</b> top five export commodities based on value in dollars

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

note

<b>note:</b> top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

net inflows

$548.2 million

Exports of goods and services

1.2% (2024 est.)

Government consumption

16.5% (2024 est.)

Household consumption

80.7% (2024 est.)

Imports of goods and services

-1.3% (2024 est.)

Investment in fixed capital

2.9% (2024 est.)

Investment in inventories

0% (2024 est.)

Note

<strong>note:</strong> figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Agriculture

22.1% (2024 est.)

Industry

23% (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Services

54.9% (2024 est.)

$49.91 billion (2024 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> data in current dollars at official exchange rate

$985

34.2 (2014)

$48.09 billion

$710

3 % of GDP

$633.07 million

Imports 2020

$10.52 billion (2020 est.)

Imports 2021

$10.271 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$11.575 billion (2022 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

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

note

<b>note:</b> top five import commodities based on value in dollars

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

note

<b>note:</b> top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

-13.1% (2024 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

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

138.81%

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020

163.3% (2020 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

359.1% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

138.8% (2022 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> annual % change based on consumer prices

10.949 million (2022 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

total

10.95 million persons

agriculture

39.77%

industry

13.98%

services

46.24%

Public debt 2016

99.5% of GDP (2016 est.)

$106.74 billion

Note

<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$154.672 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$109.147 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$94.42 billion (2024 est.)

-13.96%

Note

<b>note:</b> annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2022

-1% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

-29.4% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

-13.5% (2024 est.)

$2,116

Note

<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2022

$3,100 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$2,200 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$1,900 (2024 est.)

$900 million

Note

<b>note:</b> personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2021

3.3% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

2.9% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

2.5% of GDP (2023 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2015

$173.516 million (2015 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2016

$168.284 million (2016 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2017

$177.934 million (2017 est.)

7.4% (of GDP) (2016 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

7.53%

Note

<b>note:</b> % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2021

11.1% (2021 est.)

Unemployment rate 2022

7.6% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

11.45% (2023 est.)

Female

13.1% (2022 est.)

Male

11.8% (2022 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Total

12% (2022 est.)

Exports

15 metric tons (2023 est.)

Imports

200 metric tons (2023 est.)

Consumption

13.983 billion kWh (2023 est.)

consumption per capita

279 kWh

Imports

882 million kWh (2023 est.)

Installed generating capacity

3.815 million kW (2023 est.)

Transmission/distribution losses

3.646 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electrification - rural areas

49.4%

Electrification - total population

63.2% (2022 est.)

Electrification - urban areas

84%

Biomass and waste

0.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Fossil fuels

29.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectric

71.36%

Hydroelectricity

68.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

nuclear

0%

renewable

58.05%

Solar

0.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

412 kg of oil equivalent

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

6.145 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Proven reserves

84.951 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Crude oil estimated reserves

1.25 billion barrels (2021 est.)

Refined petroleum consumption

129,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Total petroleum production

68,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

61%

per 100 inhabitants

0 per 100

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

(2022 est.) less than 1

Total

30,000 (2022 est.)

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

.sd

Percent of population

26% (2020 est.)

#####

+249

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

(2022 est.) less than 1

Total subscriptions

156,000 (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100

70 per 100

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

74 (2022 est.)

Total subscriptions

34.7 million (2022 est.)

passengers carried

911,090 passengers

registered carrier departures

9,330 departures

45 (2025)

ST

Right

8 (2025)

By type

other 14

Total

14 (2023)

Key ports

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

Large

0

Medium

2

Ports with oil terminals

3

Small

2

Total ports

4 (2024)

Very small

0

Narrow gauge

5,851 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge

Note

1,400 km 0.600-m gauge for cotton plantations

Total

7,251 km (2014)

SUD

armored vehicles

tanks

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<br><br>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<br><br>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)

Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF): Ground Force (Sudanese Army), Sudanese Navy, Sudanese Air Force; Rapid Support Forces (RSF); Border Guards<br><br>Ministry of Interior: Sudan Police Forces (SPF), Central Reserve Police (CRP) (2025)

active duty personnel

144,000

note

<strong>note 1:</strong> 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<br><br><strong>note 2:</strong> the Central Reserve Police (aka Abu Tira) is a combat-trained paramilitary force<br><br><strong>note 3:</strong> 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<br><br><strong>note 4:</strong> there are also numerous armed militias operating in Sudan

percent of total labor force

1.34 %

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)

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

<strong>note 1:</strong> 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<br><br><strong>note 2: </strong> 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

1 % of GDP

current USD

$375,212,619

Military Expenditures 2017

3.6% of GDP (2017 est.)

Military Expenditures 2018

2% of GDP (2018 est.)

Military Expenditures 2019

2.4% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military Expenditures 2020

1% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

1% of GDP (2021 est.)

Note

<strong>note:</strong> many defense expenditures are probably off-budget

percent of central government expenditure

9.50 %

percent of GDP

0.93 % of GDP

18-33 years of age for compulsory or voluntary military service for men and women; service obligation 12-24 months (2025)

note

<strong>note:</strong> 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

PowerIndex score

1.3563

IDPs

11,559,970 (2024 est.)

Refugees

837,988 (2024 est.)

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

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

note

<strong>note:</strong> 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

From coal and metallurgical coke

300 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

From petroleum and other liquids

18.242 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Total emissions

18.242 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

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

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

Agriculture

1,509.6 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Energy

218.5 kt (2022-2024 est.)

Other

38.8 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Waste

198.7 kt (2019-2021 est.)

24.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

3 % of total land area

-4 % of total

37.8 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

673 % of internal resources

Agricultural

25.91 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Industrial

75 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Municipal

950 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Municipal solid waste generated annually

2.831 million tons (2024 est.)

Percent of municipal solid waste recycled

8.9% (2022 est.)