Page last updated on January 30, 2014
Military regimes favoring Islamic-oriented governments have dominated national politics since independence from the UK 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 broke out again in 1983. The second war and famine-related effects resulted in more than four million people displaced and, according to rebel estimates, more than two million deaths over a period of two decades. 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. Since southern independence Sudan has been combating rebels from the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile states. A separate conflict, which broke out in the western region of Darfur in 2003, has displaced nearly two million people and caused an estimated 200,000 to 400,000 deaths. The UN took command of the Darfur peacekeeping operation from the African Union in December 2007. Peacekeeping troops have struggled to stabilize the situation, which has become increasingly regional in scope and has brought instability to eastern Chad. Sudan also has faced large refugee influxes from neighboring countries primarily Ethiopia and Chad. Armed conflict, poor transport infrastructure, and lack of government support have chronically obstructed the provision of humanitarian assistance to affected populations.
north-eastern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Egypt and Eritrea
total: 1,861,484 sq km
country comparison to the world: 16
land: NA
water: NA
slightly less than one-fifth the size of the US
total: 6,751 km
border countries: Central African Republic 175 km, Chad 1,360 km, Egypt 1,275 km, Eritrea 605 km, Ethiopia 769 km, Libya 383 km, South Sudan 2,184 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
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 18 nm
continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation
hot and dry; arid desert; rainy season varies by region (April to November)
generally flat, featureless plain; desert dominates the north
lowest point: Red Sea 0 m
highest point: Jabal Marrah 3,071 m
petroleum; small reserves of iron ore, copper, chromium ore, zinc, tungsten, mica, silver, gold; hydropower
arable land: 6.76%
permanent crops: 0.07%
other: 93.17% (2011)
total: 27.59 cu km/yr (4%/1%/95%)
per capita: 683.4 cu m/yr (2005)
dust storms and periodic persistent droughts
inadequate supplies of potable water; wildlife populations threatened by excessive hunting; soil erosion; desertification; periodic drought
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
dominated by the Nile and its tributaries
noun: Sudanese (singular and plural)
adjective: Sudanese
Sudanese Arab (approximately 70%), Fur, Beja, Nuba, Fallata
Arabic (official), English (official), Nubian, Ta Bedawie, Fur
note: program of "Arabization" in process
Sunni Muslim, small Christian minority
34,847,910
country comparison to the world: 36
0-14 years: 41.4% (male 7,337,924/female 7,104,702)
15-24 years: 20% (male 3,596,729/female 3,376,682)
25-54 years: 31.4% (male 5,316,659/female 5,639,494)
55-64 years: 3.8% (male 711,596/female 620,962)
65 years and over: 3.3% (male 629,312/female 513,850) (2013 est.)
total dependency ratio: 79.9 %
youth dependency ratio: 74.1 %
elderly dependency ratio: 5.8 %
potential support ratio: 17.1 (2013)
total: 18.9 years
male: 18.6 years
female: 19.1 years (2013 est.)
1.83% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 65
30.84 births/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 42
8.09 deaths/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 95
-4.44 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 190
urban population: 33.2% of total population (2011)
rate of urbanization: 2.6% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
KHARTOUM (capital) 5.021 million (2009)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 1.16 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.24 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2013 est.)
730 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)
country comparison to the world: 9
total: 54.23 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 35
male: 59.75 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 48.43 deaths/1,000 live births (2013 est.)
total population: 62.95 years
country comparison to the world: 185
male: 60.93 years
female: 65.07 years (2013 est.)
4.05 children born/woman (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 39
8.4% of GDP (2011)
country comparison to the world: 57
0.28 physicians/1,000 population (2008)
0.7 beds/1,000 population (2009)
1.1% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 44
260,000 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 22
12,000 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 23
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria, dengue fever, and Rift Valley fever
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
respiratory disease: meningococcal meningitis
animal contact disease: rabies
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)
6% (2008)
country comparison to the world: 150
31.7% (2006)
country comparison to the world: 12
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 71.9%
male: 80.7%
female: 63.2%
note: pre-secession of South Sudan (2011 est.)
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
Federal republic ruled by the National Congress Party the (NCP), which came to power by military coup in 1989; the CPA-mandated Government of National Unity, which since 2005 provided a percentage of leadership posts to the south Sudan-based Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM), was disbanded following the secession of South Sudan.
name: Khartoum
geographic coordinates: 15 36 N, 32 32 E
time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
17 states (wilayat, singular - wilayah); Al Bahr al Ahmar (Red Sea), Al Jazira (Gezira), Al Khartoum (Khartoum), Al Qadarif (Gedaref), An Nil al Abyad (White Nile), An Nil al Azraq (Blue Nile), Ash Shimaliyya (Northern), Gharb Darfur (Western Darfur), Janub Darfur (Southern Darfur), Janub Kurdufan (Southern Kordofan), Kassala, Nahr an Nil (River Nile), Sharq Darfur (Eastern Darfur), Shimal Darfur (Northern Darfur), Shimal Kurdufan (Northern Kordofan), Sinnar, Wasat Darfur (Central Darfur)
1 January 1956 (from Egypt and the UK)
Independence Day, 1 January (1956)
previous 1998; latest (interim) adopted 6 July 2005, effective 9 July 2005; note - in 2011, the Government of Sudan initiated a process for drafting a new constitution (2013)
mixed legal system of Islamic law and English common law
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; withdrew acceptance of ICCt jurisdiction in 2008
17 years of age; universal
chief of state: President Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR (since 16 October 1993); First Vice President Bakri Hassan SALEH, Second Vice President Hassabo Mohamed Abdul RAHMAN (both since 8 December 2013) note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR (since 16 October 1993); First Vice President Bakri Hassan SALEH, Second Vice President Hassabo Mohamed Abdul RAHMAN (both since 8 December 2013)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president; note - the NCP (formerly the National Islamic Front or NIF) dominates al-BASHIR's cabinet
elections: election on 11-15 April 2010 (next to be held in 2015)
election results: Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR reelected president; percent of vote - Umar Hassan Ahmad al-BASHIR 68.2%, Yasir ARMAN 21.7%, Abdullah Deng NHIAL 3.9%, others 6.2%
note: al-BASHIR assumed power as chairman of Sudan's Revolutionary Command Council for National Salvation (RCC) in June 1989 and served concurrently as chief of state, chairman of the RCC, prime minister, and minister of defense until mid-October 1993 when he was appointed president by the RCC; he was elected president by popular vote for the first time in March 1996
bicameral National Legislature consists of a Council of States (50 seats; members indirectly elected by state legislatures to serve six-year terms) and a National Assembly (450 seats; 60% from geographic constituencies, 25% from a women's list, and 15% from party lists; members to serve six-year terms)
elections: last held on 11-15 April 2010 (next to be held in 2016)
election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NCP 323, SPLM 99, PCP 4, DUP 4, UFP 3, URDP 2, DUPO 2, SPLM-DC 2, other 7, vacant 4; composition of National Assembly following South Sudan's independence - seats by party - NCP 317, SPLM 8, PCP 4, DUP 4, UFP 3, URDP 2, DUPO 1, UP 1, UNP 1, UCLP 1, MB 1, independent 3, vacant 8
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
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
Democratic Unionist Party or DUP [Hatim al-SIR]
Umma Party [SADIQ Siddiq al-Mahdi]
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)
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Elhafiz Eisa Abdulla ADAM
chancery: 2210 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 338-8565
FAX: [1] (202) 667-2406
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Joseph D. STAFFORD, III
embassy: Sharia Ali Abdul Latif Street, Khartoum
mailing address: P.O. Box 699, Kilo 10, Soba, Khartoum; APO AE 09829
telephone: [249] (187)-0-(22000)
FAX: [249] (183) 774-137
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
name: "Nahnu Djundulla Djundulwatan" (We Are the Army of God and of Our Land)
lyrics/music: Sayed Ahmad Muhammad SALIH/Ahmad MURJAN
note: adopted 1956; the song originally served as the anthem of the Sudanese military
Sudan is an extremely poor country that has had to deal with social conflict, civil war, and the July 2011 secession of South Sudan - the region of the country that had been responsible for about three-fourths of the former Sudan's total oil production. The oil sector had driven much of Sudan's GDP growth since it began exporting oil in 1999. For nearly a decade, the economy boomed on the back of increases in oil production, high oil prices, and significant inflows of foreign direct investment. Following South Sudan''s secession, Sudan has struggled to maintain economic stability, because oil earnings now provide a far lower share of the country''s need for hard currency and for budget revenues. Sudan is attempting to generate new sources of revenues, such as from gold mining, while carrying out an austerity program to reduce expenditures. Agricultural production 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. 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 ensure that much of the population will remain at or below the poverty line for years to come.
$85.42 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 78
note: data are in 2012 US dollars
$59.68 billion (2012 est.)
-3.3% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 214
$2,500 (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 181
note: data are in 2012 US dollars
18.1% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 85
household consumption: 65.4%
government consumption: 11.4%
investment in fixed capital: 23.6%
investment in inventories: 0.9%
exports of goods and services: 18.8%
imports of goods and services: -20.1%
agriculture: 27.7%
industry: 31.2%
services: 41.1% (2012 est.)
cotton, groundnuts (peanuts), sorghum, millet, wheat, gum arabic, sugarcane, cassava (tapioca), mangoes, papaya, bananas, sweet potatoes, sesame; sheep and other livestock
oil, cotton ginning, textiles, cement, edible oils, sugar, soap distilling, shoes, petroleum refining, pharmaceuticals, armaments, automobile/light truck assembly
-27.7% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 178
11.92 million (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 45
agriculture: 80%
industry: 7%
services: 13% (1998 est.)
20% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 162
lowest 10%: 2.7%
highest 10%: 26.7% (2009 est.)
revenues: $3.95 billion
expenditures: $9.087 billion (2012 est.)
6.6% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 213
-8.6% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 195
101.7% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 14
37.4% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 222
$7.927 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 85
$12.83 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 95
$11.64 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 94
$-5.282 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 165
$3.368 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 127
gold; oil and petroleum products; cotton, sesame, livestock, groundnuts, gum arabic, sugar
UAE 63.2%, Saudi Arabia 9.2%, Ethiopia 5.3% (2012)
$8.123 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 106
foodstuffs, manufactured goods, refinery and transport equipment, medicines and chemicals, textiles, wheat
Macau 18.1%, India 8.8%, Saudi Arabia 7.9%, Egypt 6.7%, UAE 5.2% (2012)
$192.6 million (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 158
$39.54 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 64
Sudanese pounds (SDG) per US dollar -
7.193 billion kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 109
5.665 billion kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 111
0 kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 133
0 kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 136
2.083 million kW (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 100
30.7% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 181
0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 180
66.3% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 27
3% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 60
28,830 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 70
97,270 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 37
0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 123
1.25 billion bbl (1 January 2013 es)
country comparison to the world: 40
124,900 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 71
95,450 bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 80
14,950 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 77
4,349 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 161
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 193
0 cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 196
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 184
0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 132
21.24 billion cu m (1 January 2013 es)
country comparison to the world: 76
16.45 million Mt (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 89
425,000 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 101
27.659 million (2012)
country comparison to the world: 38
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
domestic: consists of microwave radio relay, cable, fiber optic, radiotelephone communications, tropospheric scatter, and a domestic satellite system with 14 earth stations
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)
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)
99 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 210
4.2 million (2008)
country comparison to the world: 56
74 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 70
total: 16
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 10
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2013)
total: 58
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 17
914 to 1,523 m: 28
under 914 m:
gas 156 km; oil 4,070 km; refined products 1,613 km (2013)
total: 5,978 km
country comparison to the world: 30
narrow gauge: 4,578 km 1.067-m gauge; 1,400 km 0.600-m gauge for cotton plantations (2008)
total: 11,900 km
country comparison to the world: 128
paved: 4,320 km
unpaved: 7,580 km (2000)
4,068 km (1,723 km open year round on White and Blue Nile rivers) (2011)
country comparison to the world: 25
total: 2
country comparison to the world: 140
by type: cargo 2 (2010)
major seaport(s): Port Sudan
Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF): Land Forces, Navy (includes Marines), Sudanese Air Force (Sikakh al-Jawwiya as-Sudaniya), Popular Defense Forces (2011)
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)
males age 16-49: 10,433,973
females age 16-49: 10,411,443 (2010 est.)
males age 16-49: 6,475,530
females age 16-49: 6,840,885 (2010 est.)
male: 532,030
female: 512,476 (2010 est.)
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 2006, Chad, Ethiopia, Kenya, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Uganda provided shelter for over a half million Sudanese refugees, which include 240,000 Darfur residents driven from their homes by Janjawid armed militia and Sudanese military forces; as of January 2011, Sudan, in turn, hosted about 138,700 Eritreans, 43,000 Chadians, and smaller numbers of Ethiopians; 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 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 (country of origin): 112,283 (Eritrea); 32,220 (Chad) (2012); 22,200 (South Sudan)
IDPs: at least 2.9 million (civil war 1983-2005; ongoing conflict in Darfur region; government and rebel fighting along South Sudan border) (2013)
