Page last updated on June 20, 2014

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 25% in 2013. 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.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$89.97 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 79
$86.59 billion (2012 est.)
$89.51 billion (2011 est.)
note: data are in 2013 US dollars
[see also: GDP country ranks ]

GDP (official exchange rate):
$52.5 billion (2013 est.)
[see also: GDP (official exchange rate) country ranks ]

GDP - real growth rate:
3.9% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 82
-3.3% (2012 est.)
-1.8% (2011 est.)
[see also: GDP - real growth rate country ranks ]

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$2,600 (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 182
$2,600 (2012 est.)
$2,700 (2011 est.)
note: data are in 2013 US dollars
[see also: GDP - per capita country ranks ]

Gross national saving:
26.6% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 41
18.1% of GDP (2012 est.)
26.8% of GDP (2011 est.)
[see also: Gross national saving country ranks ]

GDP - composition, by end use:
household consumption: 64.1%
government consumption: 11.3%
investment in fixed capital: 23.2%
investment in inventories: 3.4%
exports of goods and services: 17.9%
imports of goods and services: -19.9%
(2013 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture: 27.4%
industry: 33.6%
services: 39% (2013 est.)

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

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

Industrial production growth rate:
11% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 11
[see also: Industrial production growth rate country ranks ]

Labor force:
11.92 million (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 45
[see also: Labor force country ranks ]

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 80%
industry: 7%
services: 13% (1998 est.)

Unemployment rate:
20% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 162
18.7% (2002 est.)
[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%
highest 10%: 26.7% (2009 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $4.513 billion
expenditures: $6.842 billion (2013 est.)

Taxes and other revenues:
8.6% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 210
[see also: Taxes and other revenues country ranks ]

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
-4.4% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 159
[see also: Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) country ranks ]

Public debt:
111% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 11
101.7% of GDP (2012 est.)
[see also: Public debt country ranks ]

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
25% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 219
37.4% (2012 est.)
[see also: Inflation rate (consumer prices) country ranks ]

Stock of narrow money:
$8.035 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 88
$7.927 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
[see also: Stock of narrow money country ranks ]

Stock of broad money:
$12.82 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 95
$13.23 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
[see also: Stock of broad money country ranks ]

Stock of domestic credit:
$9.785 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 98
$11.64 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
[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:
-$1.98 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 142
-$5.282 billion (2012 est.)
[see also: Current account balance country ranks ]

Exports:
$4.145 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 120
$3.368 billion (2012 est.)
[see also: Exports country ranks ]

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

Exports - partners:
UAE 63.2%, Saudi Arabia 9.2%, Ethiopia 5.3% (2012)

Imports:
$5.941 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 120
$8.123 billion (2012 est.)
[see also: Imports country ranks ]

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

Imports - partners:
Macau 18.1%, India 8.8%, Saudi Arabia 7.9%, Egypt 6.7%, UAE 5.2% (2012)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$202.2 million (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 159
$192.6 million (31 December 2012 est.)
[see also: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold country ranks ]

Debt - external:
$40.92 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 65
$39.54 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
[see also: Debt - external country ranks ]

Exchange rates:
Sudanese pounds (SDG) per US dollar -
5.83 (2013 est.)
3.57 (2012 est.)
2.31 (2010 est.)
2.3 (2009)
2.1 (2008)