Area comparison map:

slightly less than one-fifth the size of the US

Land boundaries:
total: 6,819 km
[see also: Land boundaries - total country ranks ]
border countries (7): Central African Republic 174 km, Chad 1403 km, Egypt 1276 km, Eritrea 682 km, Ethiopia 744 km, Libya 382 km, South Sudan 2158 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

Coastline:
853 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - territorial sea country ranks ]
contiguous zone: 18 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - contiguous zone country ranks ]
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
[see also: Maritime claims - continental shelf country ranks ]

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

Terrain:
generally flat, featureless plain; desert dominates the north

Elevation:
mean elevation: 568 m
[see also: Elevation - mean elevation country ranks ]
lowest point: Red Sea 0 m
highest point: Jabal Marrah 3,042 m

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

Land use:
agricultural land: 100% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
arable land: 15.7% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - arable land country ranks ]
permanent crops: 0.2% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - permanent crops country ranks ]
permanent pasture: 84.2% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - permanent pasture country ranks ]
forest: 0% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 0% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use country ranks ]

Irrigated land:
18,900 sq km (2012)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Population distribution:
with the exception of a ribbon of settlement that corresponds to the banks of the Nile, northern Sudan, which extends into the dry Sahara, is sparsely populated; more abundant vegetation and broader access to water increases population distribution in the south extending habitable range along nearly the entire border with South Sudan; sizeable areas of population are found around Khartoum, southeast between the Blue and White Nile Rivers, and througout South Darfur

Natural hazards:
dust storms and periodic persistent droughts

Environment - current issues:
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: 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

Geography - note:
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