2015 Edition

Background

Military regimes favoring Islamic-oriented governments have dominated national politics since independence from Anglo-Egyptian co-rule in 1956. Sudan was embroiled in two prolonged civil wars during most of the remainder of the 20th century. These conflicts were rooted in northern economic, political, and social domination of largely non-Muslim, non-Arab southern Sudanese. The first civil war ended in 1972 but another broke out in 1983. Peace talks gained momentum in 2002-04 with the signing of several accords. The final North/South Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), signed in January 2005, granted the southern rebels autonomy for six years followed by a referendum on independence for Southern Sudan. The referendum was held in January 2011 and indicated overwhelming support for independence. South Sudan became independent on 9 July 2011. Sudan and South Sudan have yet to fully implement security and economic agreements signed in September 2012 relating to the normalization of relations between the two countries. The final disposition of the contested Abyei region has also to be decided.

Since South Sudan's independence, conflict has broken out between the government and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile states, which has resulted in 1.2 million internally displaced persons or severely affected persons needing humanitarian assistance. A separate conflict, which broke out in the western region of Darfur in 2003, displaced nearly two million people and caused an estimated 200,000 to 400,000 deaths. Violence in Darfur in 2013 resulted in an additional estimated 6,000 civilians killed and 500,000 displaced. The UN and the African Union have jointly commanded a Darfur peacekeeping operation known as the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) since 2007. Peacekeeping troops have struggled to stabilize the situation and have increasingly become targets for attacks by armed groups. Sudan also has faced refugee influxes from neighboring countries, primarily Ethiopia, Eritrea, Chad, Central African Republic, and South Sudan. Armed conflict, poor transport infrastructure, and government denial of access have impeded the provision of humanitarian assistance to affected populations.

Area

land

NA

total

1,861,484 sq km

water

NA

Area - comparative

slightly less than one-fifth the size of the US

Climate

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

Coastline

853 km

Elevation extremes

highest point

Jabal Marrah 3,071 m

lowest point

Red Sea 0 m

Environment - current issues

inadequate supplies of potable water; wildlife populations threatened by excessive hunting; soil erosion; desertification; periodic drought

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

per capita

683.4 cu m/yr (2005)

total

27.59 cu km/yr (4%/1%/95%)

Geographic coordinates

15 00 N, 30 00 E

Geography - note

dominated by the Nile and its tributaries

Irrigated land

18,900 sq km (2010)

Land boundaries

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

total

6,819 km

Land use

arable land 15.7%; permanent crops 0.2%; permanent pasture 84.2%

agricultural land

100%

forest

0%

other

0% (2011 est.)

Location

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

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

18 nm

continental shelf

200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

dust storms and periodic persistent droughts

Natural resources

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

Terrain

generally flat, featureless plain; desert dominates the north

Total renewable water resources

64.5 cu km (2011)

Age structure

0-14 years

40.15% (male 7,359,547/female 7,138,348)

15-24 years

20.5% (male 3,815,524/female 3,587,177)

25-54 years

32.08% (male 5,620,201/female 5,964,277)

55-64 years

4.02% (male 765,137/female 685,577)

65 years and over

3.25% (male 638,495/female 534,570) (2015 est.)

Birth rate

29.19 births/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

27% (2006)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

9% (2010)

Death rate

7.66 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

5.9%

potential support ratio

16.9% (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio

78%

youth dependency ratio

72.1%

Drinking water source

urban: 66% of population

rural: 50.2% of population

total: 55.5% of population

urban: 34% of population

rural: 49.8% of population

total: 44.5% of population (2012 est.)

Education expenditures

2.2% of GDP (2009)

Ethnic groups

Sudanese Arab (approximately 70%), Fur, Beja, Nuba, Fallata

Health expenditures

6.5% of GDP (2013)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.25% (2014 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

2,900 (2014 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

53,200 (2014 est.)

Hospital bed density

0.8 beds/1,000 population (2012)

Infant mortality rate

female

45.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.)

male

56.87 deaths/1,000 live births

total

51.52 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

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

note

program of "Arabization" in process

Life expectancy at birth

female

65.85 years (2015 est.)

male

61.61 years

total population

63.68 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

68.6% (2015 est.)

male

83.3%

total population

75.9%

Major infectious diseases

animal contact disease

rabies

degree of risk

very high

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever

note

highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2013)

respiratory disease

meningococcal meningitis

vectorborne diseases

malaria, dengue fever, and Rift Valley fever

water contact disease

schistosomiasis

Major urban areas - population

KHARTOUM (capital) 5.129 million (2015)

Maternal mortality rate

311 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

Median age

female

19.6 years (2015 est.)

male

19.1 years

total

19.3 years

Nationality

adjective

Sudanese

noun

Sudanese (singular and plural)

Net migration rate

-4.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

6.6% (2014)

Physicians density

0.28 physicians/1,000 population (2008)

Population

36,108,853 (July 2015 est.)

Population growth rate

1.72% (2015 est.)

Religions

Sunni Muslim, small Christian minority

Sanitation facility access

urban: 43.9% of population

rural: 13.4% of population

total: 23.6% of population

urban: 56.1% of population

rural: 86.6% of population

total: 76.4% of population (2012 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

7 years (2012)

male

7 years

total

7 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.03 male(s)/female

15-24 years

1.06 male(s)/female

25-54 years

0.94 male(s)/female

55-64 years

1.12 male(s)/female

65 years and over

1.19 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

1.02 male(s)/female (2015 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.79 children born/woman (2015 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

25.7% (2008 est.)

male

21.2%

total

22.9%

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

2.54% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

urban population

33.8% of total population (2015)

Administrative divisions

18 states (wilayat, singular - wilayah); Al Gazira, Al Gedaref, Blue Nile, Central Darfur, East Darfur, Kassala, Khartoum, North Darfur, North Kordofan, Northern, Red Sea, River Nile, Sennar, South Darfur, South Kordofan, West Darfur, Western Korodfan, White Nile

Capital

geographic coordinates

15 36 N, 32 32 E

name

Khartoum

time difference

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

Citizenship

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

previous 1998; latest adopted 6 July 2005, effective 9 July 2005 (interim constitution); amended 2015; note - in 2011, the Government of Sudan initiated a process for drafting a new constitution (2015)

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of the Sudan

conventional short form

Sudan

former

Anglo-Egyptian Sudan

local long form

Jumhuriyat as-Sudan

local short form

As-Sudan

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Ambassador Jerry P. LANIER (since 13 May 2014)

embassy

Sharia Ali Abdul Latif Street, Khartoum

FAX

[249] (183) 774-137

mailing address

P.O. Box 699, Kilo 10, Soba, Khartoum; APO AE 09829

telephone

[249] (187)-0-(22000)

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2210 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires FATAHELRAMAN Ali Mohamed

FAX

[1] (202) 667-2406

telephone

[1] (202) 338-8565

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the president; note - the NCP, formerly the National Islamic Front or NIF, dominates al-BASHIR's cabinet

chief of state

President Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR (since 16 October 1993); First Vice President BAKRI Hassan Salih, Second Vice President Hasabu Mohamed ABDEL RAHMIN (both since 3 December 2013); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

election results

Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR reelected president; percent of vote - Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR (NCP) 94.1%, other (15 candidates) 5.9%

elections/appointments

president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in two rounds if needed; last held on 13-16 April 2015 (next to be held in 2020)

head of government

President Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR (since 16 October 1993); First Vice President BAKRI Hassan Salih, Second Vice President Hasabu Mohamed ABDEL RAHMAN (both since 9 December 2013)

Flag description

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with a green isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; colors and design based on the Arab Revolt flag of World War I, but the meanings of the colors are expressed as follows: red signifies the struggle for freedom, white is the color of peace, light, and love, black represents Sudan itself (in Arabic 'Sudan' means black), green is the color of Islam, agriculture, and prosperity

Government type

federal republic ruled by the National Congress Party (NCP), which seized power by military coup in 1989; the CPA-mandated Government of National Unity, which between 2005 and 2011 provided a percentage of leadership posts to the southern Sudan-based Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM), was disbanded following the secession of South Sudan

Independence

1 January 1956 (from Egypt and the UK)

International law organization participation

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

International organization participation

ABEDA, ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, 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, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO (observer)

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

National Supreme Court (consists of 70 judges organized into panels of 3 judges; court includes 4 circuits that operate outside the capital); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 justices including the court president); note - the Constitutional Court resides outside the national judiciary

judge selection and term of office

National Supreme Court and Constitutional Court judges appointed by the president of the republic upon the recommendation of the National Judicial Service Commission, an independent body chaired by the chief justice of the republic and members including other judges and judicial and legal officials; Supreme Court judge tenure NA; Constitutional Court judges appointed for 7 years

subordinate courts

National Court of Appeals; other national courts (not specified in the 2005 Interim National Constitution as to national or local authority); township and rural (peoples') courts

Legal system

mixed legal system of Islamic law and English common law

Legislative branch

description

bicameral National Legislature consists of the Council of States or Majlis Weleyat (50 seats; members indirectly elected - 2 each by the 25 state legislatures to serve 6-year terms) and the National Assembly or Majlis Watani (426 seats; 213 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, 128 for women only directly elected by proportional representation vote, and 85 directly elected by proportional representation vote; members serve 6-year terms)

election results

National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NCP 323, DUP 25, Democratic Unionist Party 15, other 44, independent 19

elections

last held on 13-15 April 2015 (next to be held in 2021)

note

the mandate of the members from the south was terminated upon independence by the Republic of South Sudan effective 9 July 2011 and membership in Sudan's National Assembly was reduced to 354; it is unclear whether this total will be retained for the next election or whether the previous total of 450 will be reconstituted

National anthem

lyrics/music

Sayed Ahmad Muhammad SALIH/Ahmad MURJAN

name

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

note

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

National holiday

Independence Day, 1 January (1956)

National symbol(s)

secretary bird; national colors: red, white, black, green

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Unionist Party or DUP [Jalal al-DIGAIR]

Democratic Unionist Party [Muhammad Uthman al-MIRGHANI]

Muslim Brotherhood or MB

National Congress Party or NCP [Umar Hassan al-BASHIR]

National Umma Party or UP [Siddiq al-MAHDI]

Popular Congress Party or PCP [Hassan al-TURABI]

Reform Now Party or RNP [Dr. Ghazi Salah al-DEEN]

Sudanese Communist Party or SCP [Mohammed Moktar Al-KHATEEB]

Sudanese Congress Party [Ibrahim Al-SHEIKH]

Unionist Movement Party or UMP [Nagla AL-AZHARI]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Darfur rebel groups including the Justice and Equality Movement or JEM [Gibril Fidail IBRAHIM], Sudan Liberation Movement or SLM-AW [Abdel Wahid NUR,various factional leaders], Sudan Liberation or SLM-MM [Minni Arkou MINAWI]

National Consensus Front or NCF [Farouq ABU ISSA]

Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North or SPLM-N [Malik AGAR]

Sudan Revolutionary Front or SRF [Malik AGAR]

Suffrage

17 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

cotton, groundnuts (peanuts), sorghum, millet, wheat, gum arabic, sugarcane, cassava (manioc, tapioca), mangoes, papaya, bananas, sweet potatoes, sesame seeds; sheep and other livestock

Budget

expenditures

$9 billion (2014 est.)

revenues

$6.548 billion

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-3.3% of GDP (2014 est.)

Current account balance

-$5.739 billion (2014 est.)

-$5.909 billion (2013 est.)

Debt - external

$48.17 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$45.56 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Economy - overview

Sudan is an extremely poor country that has experienced protracted social conflict, civil war, and, in July 2011, the loss of three-quarters of its oil production due to the secession of South Sudan. The oil sector had driven much of Sudan's GDP growth since 1999. For nearly a decade, the economy boomed on the back of rising oil production, high oil prices, and significant inflows of foreign direct investment. Since the economic shock of South Sudan's secession, Sudan has struggled to stabilize its economy and make up for the loss of foreign exchange earnings. The interruption of oil production in South Sudan in 2012 for over a year and the consequent loss of oil transit fees further exacerbated the fragile state of Sudan’s economy. Sudan is also subject to comprehensive US sanctions. Sudan is attempting to develop non-oil sources of revenues, such as gold mining, while carrying out an austerity program to reduce expenditures. The world’s largest exporter of gum Arabic, Sudan produces 75-80% of the world’s total output. Agriculture continues to employ 80% of the work force. Sudan introduced a new currency, still called the Sudanese pound, following South Sudan's secession, but the value of the currency has fallen since its introduction. Khartoum formally devalued the currency in June 2012, when it passed austerity measures that included gradually repealing fuel subsidies. Sudan also faces rising inflation, which reached 47% on an annual basis in November 2012 but subsided to 37% in 2014. Ongoing conflicts in Southern Kordofan, Darfur, and the Blue Nile states, lack of basic infrastructure in large areas, and reliance by much of the population on subsistence agriculture keep close to half of the population at or below the poverty line.

Exchange rates

Sudanese pounds (SDG) per US dollar -

5.74 (2014 est.)

5.74 (2013 est.)

3.57 (2012 est.)

2.68 (2011 est.)

2.31 (2010 est.)

Exports

$4.35 billion (2014 est.)

$4.79 billion (2013 est.)

Exports - commodities

gold; oil and petroleum products; cotton, sesame, livestock, peanuts, gum arabic, sugar

Exports - partners

Macau 30.2%, UAE 30.2%, Saudi Arabia 14.6%, Egypt 4.9% (2014)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

(2014 est.)

exports of goods and services

9.1%

government consumption

6.7%

household consumption

78.5%

imports of goods and services

-12.6%

investment in fixed capital

19.1%

investment in inventories

-0.8%

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

29.2%

industry

20.4%

services

50.4% (2014 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$4,300 (2014 est.)

$4,100 (2013 est.)

$4,000 (2012 est.)

note

data are in 2014 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

3.6% (2014 est.)

3.9% (2013 est.)

-3.4% (2012 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$74.77 billion (2014 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$160.2 billion (2014 est.)

$154.7 billion (2013 est.)

$148.8 billion (2012 est.)

note

data are in 2014 US dollars

Gross national saving

9.6% of GDP (2014 est.)

11.1% of GDP (2013 est.)

9.4% of GDP (2012 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

26.7% (2009 est.)

lowest 10%

2.7%

Imports

$8.106 billion (2014 est.)

$8.728 billion (2013 est.)

Imports - commodities

foodstuffs, manufactured goods, refinery and transport equipment, medicines, chemicals, textiles, wheat

Imports - partners

Macau 20.1%, UAE 10.2%, India 8%, Malaysia 7.4%, Egypt 5.3%, Saudi Arabia 4.5% (2014)

Industrial production growth rate

6.7% (2014 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

36.9% (2014 est.)

36.5% (2013 est.)

Labor force

11.92 million (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

80%

industry

7%

services

13% (1998 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Population below poverty line

46.5% (2009 est.)

Public debt

73.4% of GDP (2014 est.)

78.7% of GDP (2013 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$172.4 million (31 December 2015 est.)

$181.5 million (31 December 2014 est.)

Stock of broad money

$13 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$11.66 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$22.69 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$21.42 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$14.83 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$13.3 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$8.024 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$7.06 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

8.8% of GDP (2014 est.)

Unemployment rate

13.6% (2014 est.)

14.8% (2013 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

16.45 million Mt (2011 est.)

Crude oil - exports

5,355 bbl/day (2012 est.)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2012 est.)

Crude oil - production

64,770 bbl/day (2014 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

1.25 billion bbl (1 January 2015 est.)

Electricity - consumption

5.665 billion kWh (2010 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2013 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

30.7% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

66.3% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

3% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2013 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

2.083 million kW (2012 est.)

Electricity - production

7.193 billion kWh (2012 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2013 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2013 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2013 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2013 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

21.24 billion cu m (1 January 2013 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

26,750 bbl/day (2013 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

1,496 bbl/day (2012 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

6,199 bbl/day (2012 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

124,900 bbl/day (2010 est.)

Broadcast media

the Sudanese Government directly controls TV and radio, requiring that both media reflect government policies; TV has a permanent military censor; a private radio station is in operation (2007)

Internet country code

.sd

Internet users

percent of population

24.0% (2014 est.)

total

8.5 million

Radio broadcast stations

AM 12, FM 1, shortwave 1 (1998)

Telephone system

domestic

consists of microwave radio relay, cable, fiber optic, radiotelephone communications, tropospheric scatter, and a domestic satellite system with 14 earth stations

general assessment

well-equipped system by regional standards and being upgraded; cellular communications started in 1996 and have expanded substantially with wide coverage of most major cities

international

country code - 249; linked to the EASSy and FLAG fiber-optic submarine cable systems; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Arabsat (2010)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

1 (2014 est.)

total subscriptions

420,000

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

78 (2014 est.)

total

27.8 million

Television broadcast stations

3 (1997)

Airports

74 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

2

2,438 to 3,047 m

10

over 3,047 m

2

total

16

under 914 m

2 (2013)

Airports - with unpaved runways

12 (2013)

1,524 to 2,437 m

17

2,438 to 3,047 m

1

914 to 1,523 m

28

total

58

Heliports

6 (2013)

Merchant marine

by type

cargo 2 (2010)

total

2

Pipelines

gas 156 km; oil 4,070 km; refined products 1,613 km (2013)

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s)

Port Sudan

Railways

narrow gauge

5,851 km 1.067-m gauge; 1,400 km 0.600-m gauge for cotton plantations (20014)

total

7,251 km

Roadways

paved

4,320 km

total

11,900 km

unpaved

7,580 km (2000)

Waterways

4,068 km (1,723 km open year round on White and Blue Nile Rivers) (2011)

Manpower available for military service

females age 16-49

10,411,443 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

10,433,973

Manpower fit for military service

females age 16-49

6,840,885 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

6,475,530

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

512,476 (2010 est.)

male

532,030

Military branches

Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF): Land Forces, Navy (includes Marines), Sudanese Air Force (Sikakh al-Jawwiya as-Sudaniya), Popular Defense Forces (2011)

Military service age and obligation

18-33 years of age for male and female compulsory or voluntary military service; 1-2 year service obligation; a requirement that completion of national service was mandatory before entering public or private sector employment has been cancelled (2012)

Disputes - international

the effects of Sudan's almost constant ethnic and rebel militia fighting since the mid-20th century have penetrated all of the neighboring states; Chad wishes to be a helpful mediator in resolving the Darfur conflict, and in 2010 established a joint border monitoring force with Sudan, which has helped to reduce cross-border banditry and violence; as of mid-2013, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, Israel, the Central African Republic, and South Sudan provided shelter for more than 600,000 Sudanese refugees; during the same period, Sudan, in turn, hosted about 115,000 Eritreans, 32,000 Chadians, and smaller numbers of Ethiopians and Central Africans; Sudan accuses Eritrea of supporting Sudanese rebel groups; efforts to demarcate the porous boundary with Ethiopia proceed slowly due to civil and ethnic fighting in eastern Sudan; Sudan claims but Egypt de facto administers security and economic development of the Halaib region north of the 22nd parallel boundary; periodic violent skirmishes with Sudanese residents over water and grazing rights persist among related pastoral populations along the border with the Central African Republic; South Sudan-Sudan boundary represents 1 January 1956 alignment, final alignment pending negotiations and demarcation; final sovereignty status of Abyei Area pending negotiations between South Sudan and Sudan

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs

3.1 million (civil war 1983-2005; ongoing conflict in Darfur region; government and rebel fighting along South Sudan border; inter-tribal clashes) (2015)

refugees (country of origin)

109,196 (Eritrea); 42,334 (Chad); 5,495 (Ethiopia) (2014); 5,540 (Yemen) (2015); 194,888 (South Sudan) (2016)

Trafficking in persons

current situation

Sudan is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; Sudanese women and girls, particularly those from rural areas or who are internally displaced, are vulnerable to forced labor as domestic workers in homes throughout the country; Sudanese women and girls are subjected to domestic servitude in Middle Eastern countries and to forced sex trafficking in Europe; some Sudanese men who voluntarily migrate to the Middle East as low-skilled laborers face conditions indicative of forced labor; Sudanese children in Darfur are forcibly conscripted, at times through abduction, and used by armed groups and government security forces, while Sudanese children in Saudi Arabia are used in forced begging and street vending; Sudan is a transit and destination country for Ethiopian, Eritrean, and Filipina women subjected to domestic servitude in Sudan and Middle Eastern countries, as well as a destination country for women sex trafficked from East African countries and possibly Thailand

tier rating

Tier 3 - Sudan does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; in 2013, the government enacted an anti-trafficking law, raised the age of military recruitment to 18, rescued and assisted an increased number of trafficking victims, and made efforts to bring traffickers to justice; however, its law enforcement, protection, or prevention measures to address human trafficking remained ad hoc; the government did not employ a system for proactively identifying trafficking victims among vulnerable population or a referral process for transferring victims to organizations providing care; in 2013, Sudan’s armed forces and proxy militia continued to recruit child soldiers and did not conclude a proposed joint action plan with the UN to address the issue (2014)