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.
(2017)1.4% (2017 est.)
3% (2016 est.)
1.3% (2015 est.)
50.2% (2019 est.)
62.8% (2018 est.)
32.5% (2017 est.)
$168.28 billion (2019 est.)
$172.601 billion (2018 est.)
$176.646 billion (2017 est.)
note: data are in 2010 dollars
$24.918 billion (2019 est.)
$3,958 (2019 est.)
$4,161 (2018 est.)
$4,363 (2017 est.)
note: data are in 2010 dollars
43.7% of GDP (2018 est.)
29.3% of GDP (2017 est.)
12.2% of GDP (2015 est.)
agriculture: 39.6% (2017 est.)
industry: 2.6% (2017 est.)
services: 57.8% (2017 est.)
household consumption: 77.3% (2017 est.)
government consumption: 5.8% (2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 18.4% (2017 est.)
investment in inventories: 0.6% (2017 est.)
exports of goods and services: 9.7% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services: -11.8% (2017 est.)
Overall score: 44.8 (2020)
Starting a Business score: 76.7 (2020)
Trading score: 19 (2020)
Enforcement score: 47.8 (2020)
sugar cane, sorghum, milk, groundnuts, onions, sesame seed, goat milk, millet, bananas, wheat
oil, cotton ginning, textiles, cement, edible oils, sugar, soap distilling, shoes, petroleum refining, pharmaceuticals, armaments, automobile/light truck assembly, milling
4.5% (2017 est.)
11.92 million (2007 est.)
agriculture: 80%
industry: 7%
services: 13% (1998 est.)
19.6% (2017 est.)
20.6% (2016 est.)
46.5% (2009 est.)
34.2 (2014 est.)
lowest 10%: 2.7%
highest 10%: 26.7% (2009 est.)
revenues: 8.48 billion (2017 est.)
expenditures: 13.36 billion (2017 est.)
18.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
-10.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
121.6% of GDP (2017 est.)
99.5% of GDP (2016 est.)
calendar year
-$4.811 billion (2017 est.)
-$4.213 billion (2016 est.)
$4.1 billion (2017 est.)
$3.094 billion (2016 est.)
United Arab Emirates 31%, China 19%, Saudi Arabia 14%, India 12%, Egypt 5% (2019)
gold, crude petroleum, sesame seeds, sheep, goats, cotton, ground nuts (2019)
$8.22 billion (2017 est.)
$7.48 billion (2016 est.)
China 31%, India 14%, United Arab Emirates 11%, Egypt 6% (2019)
raw sugar, wheat, packaged medicines, jewelry, tires, cars and vehicle parts (2019)
$198 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$168.3 million (31 December 2016 est.)
$56.05 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$51.26 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
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.)
NOTE: The information regarding Sudan on this page is re-published from the 2021 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Sudan 2021 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Sudan 2021 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.
This page was last modified 16 Dec 23, Copyright © 2023 ITA all rights reserved.