Economy - overview:
Sudan has experienced protracted social conflict and 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. 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.

Sudan was subject to comprehensive US sanctions, which were lifted in October 2017. Sudan is attempting to develop non-oil sources of revenues, such as gold mining and agriculture, 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 high inflation, which reached 47% on an annual basis in November 2012 but fell to about 35% per year in 2017.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$177.4 billion (2017 est.)
$174.9 billion (2016 est.)
$169.8 billion (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 71
[see also: GDP country ranks ]

GDP (official exchange rate):
$45.82 billion (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP (official exchange rate) country ranks ]

GDP - real growth rate:
1.4% (2017 est.)
3% (2016 est.)
1.3% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 177
[see also: GDP - real growth rate country ranks ]

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$4,300 (2017 est.)
$4,400 (2016 est.)
$4,400 (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 174
[see also: GDP - per capita country ranks ]

Gross national saving:
12.1% of GDP (2017 est.)
13.1% of GDP (2016 est.)
12.2% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 149
[see also: Gross national saving country ranks ]

GDP - composition, by end use:
household consumption: 77.3% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - household consumption country ranks ]
government consumption: 5.8% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - government consumption country ranks ]
investment in fixed capital: 18.4% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in fixed capital country ranks ]
investment in inventories: 0.6% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - investment in inventories country ranks ]
exports of goods and services: 9.7% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - exports of goods and services country ranks ]
imports of goods and services: -11.8% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by end use - imports of goods and services country ranks ]

GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture: 39.6% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 2.6% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - industry country ranks ]
services: 57.8% (2017 est.)
[see also: GDP - composition, by sector of origin - services country ranks ]

Agriculture - products:
cotton, groundnuts (peanuts), sorghum, millet, wheat, gum Arabic, sugarcane, cassava (manioc, tapioca), mangoes, papaya, bananas, sweet potatoes, sesame seeds; animal feed, sheep and other livestock

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

Industrial production growth rate:
4.5% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 66
[see also: Industrial production growth rate country ranks ]

Labor force:
11.92 million (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 49
[see also: Labor force country ranks ]

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 80%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - agriculture country ranks ]
industry: 7%
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - industry country ranks ]
services: 13% (1998 est.)
[see also: Labor force - by occupation - services country ranks ]

Unemployment rate:
19.6% (2017 est.)
20.6% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 184
[see also: Unemployment rate country ranks ]

Population below poverty line:
46.5% (2009 est.)
[see also: Population below poverty line country ranks ]

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.7%
[see also: Household income or consumption by percentage share - lowest 10% country ranks ]
highest 10%: 26.7% (2009 est.)
[see also: Household income or consumption by percentage share - highest 10% country ranks ]

Budget:
revenues: 8.48 billion (2017 est.)
[see also: Budget - revenues country ranks ]
expenditures: 13.36 billion (2017 est.)
[see also: Budget - expenditures country ranks ]

Taxes and other revenues:
18.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 159
[see also: Taxes and other revenues country ranks ]

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-10.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 213
[see also: Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) country ranks ]

Public debt:
121.6% of GDP (2017 est.)
99.5% of GDP (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 10
[see also: Public debt country ranks ]

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
32.4% (2017 est.)
17.8% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 223
[see also: Inflation rate (consumer prices) country ranks ]

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
13% (31 December 2017 est.)
12.5% (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 63
[see also: Commercial bank prime lending rate country ranks ]

Stock of narrow money:
$18.82 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$11.7 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 69
[see also: Stock of narrow money country ranks ]

Stock of broad money:
$18.82 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$11.7 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 70
[see also: Stock of broad money country ranks ]

Stock of domestic credit:
$28.7 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$20.22 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 81
[see also: Stock of domestic credit country ranks ]

Market value of publicly traded shares:
NA
[see also: Market value of publicly traded shares country ranks ]

Current account balance:
-$4.811 billion (2017 est.)
-$4.213 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 182
[see also: Current account balance country ranks ]

Exports:
$4.1 billion (2017 est.)
$3.094 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 116
[see also: Exports country ranks ]

Exports - partners:
UAE 55.5%, Egypt 14.7%, Saudi Arabia 8.8% (2017)

Exports - commodities:
gold; oil and petroleum products; cotton, sesame, livestock, peanuts, gum Arabic, sugar

Imports:
$8.22 billion (2017 est.)
$7.48 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 109
[see also: Imports country ranks ]

Imports - commodities:
foodstuffs, manufactured goods, refinery and transport equipment, medicines, chemicals, textiles, wheat

Imports - partners:
UAE 12.7%, Egypt 10.6%, India 10.5%, Turkey 10.2%, Japan 7.6%, Saudi Arabia 6%, Germany 4.6% (2017)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$198 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$168.3 million (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 177
[see also: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold country ranks ]

Debt - external:
$56.05 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$51.26 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 62
[see also: Debt - external country ranks ]

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$25.47 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world (CIA rank, may be based on non-current data): 75
[see also: Stock of direct foreign investment - at home country ranks ]

Exchange rates:
Sudanese pounds (SDG) per US dollar -
6.72 (2017 est.)
6.14 (2016 est.)
6.14 (2015 est.)
6.03 (2014 est.)
5.74 (2013 est.)