Country data

Location: North Africa

Time zone: CET + 2 (during summer time: CET + 1)

Total area: 1,861,484 km²

Length of the state border: 6,751 km

Bordering countries:
Egypt: 1,275 km
Ethiopia: 769 km
Eritrea: 605 km
Libya: 383 km
South Sudan: 2,184 km
Chad: 1,360 km
Central African Republic: 175 km

Coastline: 853 km

Capital: Khartoum

Regions: 17
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)

Telephone code: 00 249 (Source: Allcitycodes)

Highest point: Jabal Marrah 3,071 m

Population

Population: approx. 35.5 million residents (Countryaah, 2021)

Population growth: 1.8% per year

Population density (residents per km²): 19

Life expectancy: 61 (male), 65 (female)

Official language: Arabic, English

Religions:

• 70% Muslim
• 30% other

Climate

Due to the size of the country there are different climatic regions:

Northern regions:
In summer it is very dry and hot with temperatures of 33 – 40 ° C. Record temperatures occasionally exceed 50 ° C.

In the winter time it is a little cooler, but there is hardly any precipitation here either.

Middle of the country:
It is very humid and hot (over 30 ° C) in summer (April – October). The temperatures only drop slightly at night. From the end of June there are often numerous rains.

In winter (November – March) it is consistently dry and also a little cooler during the day (over 20 ° C). At night the temperatures drop down to 10 ° C.

South:
It is relatively dry and warm all year round, with temperatures between 28 ° C and 38 ° C. Rain often only falls in the summer months.

Coastal region: The
temperatures here are very high all year round. Only in the winter months do they drop to a comfortable level. Most of the rain falls in July and August. Due to the proximity to the water, the humidity is always very noticeable here.

Currency / finance

Currency unit: Sudanese pound (SDG)

Division: 1 pound = 100 piastres

ATMs: not available

International credit cards: These are only accepted at Hilton Hotel and Palace Hotel in Khartoum. Otherwise no acceptance.

Regulations: The import and export of the local currency is not permitted.

There is no limit to the amount of foreign currencies that can be imported. The export is limited to the amount of the declared import.

You should only exchange money at official exchange offices and keep all receipts in a safe place.

When changing money on the black markets, there are sometimes very high fines. Every exchange must be entered in the declaration form.

Since January 9th, 2007 the new Sudanese pound has been the national currency in Sudan.

Customs regulations

The following may be carried duty-free:

• 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 450 g of tobacco
• small amounts of perfume

These items must be carried in hand luggage!

(Information applies to people aged 18 and over)

Tourists and people in transit can bring items of personal use with them duty-free.

There is an import ban on alcoholic beverages, pork and all kinds of pornographic newspapers.

Travel advice

Travel to the border areas with Egypt, Libya, Chad and the Dafur and South Kordofan regions is not recommended.

There are often armed robberies and robberies.

In isolated cases, there are also arbitrary measures by the security organs (police, army). The state order is very unstable.

The supply of food, fuel and medical care is not guaranteed in all parts of the country.

For all trips outside the capital Khartoum, foreigners need a travel permit.

The south of Sudan is considered a yellow fever infection area. A corresponding prior protective vaccination is strongly recommended here.

Behavioral advice

Please note that you are in Sudan in an Islamic country. Please choose your clothes accordingly.

For filming and photography you need a permit, which must be obtained from the Sudanese Tourist Corporation in Khartoum.

If the law is violated, then Islamic law also applies to foreigners. This includes very severe penalties.

Caught alcohol users are publicly flogged. Trafficking in illegal drugs is punishable by death.

Economy

Sudan is one of the poorest countries in the world.

Although there are many natural resources and large parts of the country are fertile, the state is heavily indebted and the food situation of the population is sometimes catastrophic.

Industries: cotton processing, oil production, textiles, cement production, sugar cultivation

Natural resources: iron ores, petroleum, gold, copper, marble, silver, uranium, hydropower, zinc

Land use:

• Usable land: 5%
• Grain cultivation: 0%
• Pasture area: 46%
• Forests: 19%
• other: 30%