Sudan
Africa Β· Capital: Khartoum
How it is run: Sudan is a member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly. Use the research links below to find out exactly who makes the laws there.
Sudan is home to 51.7 million people in Northern Africa, where people speak Arabic, English.
Numbers that tell a story π’
π₯ People
51.7 million people
That is 0.6% of everybody alive (counted in 2025).
πΊοΈ Land
1,886,068 kmΒ²
One of the world's large countries: flying across it takes hours.
ποΈ How crowded
About 27 people per square kilometre β a comfortable mix of cities and open land.
π Size in its region
8th most people in Africa
3rd largest by land in Africa.
π£οΈ Official languages
Arabic, English
More than one language is used for official business.
π° Money
Sudanese pound (PT)
Life here today π©Ί
These come from World Bank open data β the same numbers governments use when they argue about budgets.
β€οΈ How long people live
66.5 years on average
Doctors, clean water and food supply all change this number over time.
πΌ Money made per person each year
about US$1,165
A lower-income country: money for schools, clinics and roads has to stretch a very long way.
π’ Living in cities
34.9% of people
Many people still live in villages and farming towns.
π Kids under 15
40.2% of the population
A very young country β schools have to be built quickly.
Everyday details π§
π Phone code
+249
Dial this before the number to call from another country.
π Websites end in
.sd
π§ People here are called
Sudanese
π·οΈ Name at home
Ψ§ΩΨ³ΩΨ―Ψ§Ω Β· Sudan
Also written: Republic of the Sudan, JumhΕ«rΔ«yat as-SΕ«dΔn.
π Coast or inland
Has a coastline
ποΈ UN voting group
African Group
Countries in the same group often plan votes together.
Neighbours & borders π€
Sudan touches 7 neighbours by land. Neighbours share rivers, roads and usually a lot of trade.
Say its name around the world π£οΈ
Countries have different names in different languages. Try these with a penpal.
Spanish
SudΓ‘n
French
Soudan
Arabic
Ψ§ΩΨ³ΩΨ―Ψ§Ω
Chinese
θδΈΉ
Japanese
γΉγΌγγ³
Russian
Π‘ΡΠ΄Π°Π½
Portuguese
SudΓ£o
German
Sudan
Put it in perspective π
- Nigeria β the most populated country in Africa β has about 4.6Γ as many people as Sudan.
- Sudan covers roughly 17,963 times the area of Hong Kong Island.
- If everyone in Sudan lined up shoulder to shoulder, the line would stretch about 25,831 km.
Fast facts π§
Fact of the day: Sudan lies in the tropics, between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, so the sun gets very high overhead.
π·οΈ Official name
Republic of the Sudan
ποΈ Capital
Khartoum
π Region
Africa Β· Northern Africa
π€ Country code
SD
ποΈ UN status
UN member state
π© Independence
Independent country
More about Sudan π
π§ Where on the map
15.0Β° N, 30.0Β° E
π Half of the world
Northern & Eastern hemisphere
π°οΈ Clock check
Roughly UTC+2 β when it is noon in London it is about 14:00 in Khartoum.
- Sudan is an independent country, meaning it makes its own laws.
- Sudan sits in Northern Africa, in the northern and eastern half of the globe.
- Sudan lies in the tropics, between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, so the sun gets very high overhead.
- Sudan is close to the line of 0Β° longitude, so its clocks are near the world's reference time (UTC).
- Sudan is a full member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly β the same as every other member, big or small.
Countries nearby π€
Talk about it π¬
- Sudan has 2 official languages. How would your school day change if lessons were taught in more than one language?
- Sudan can trade by sea. What should a country protect first: its ports, its fishing waters, or its beaches?
- If Sudan spoke at the General Assembly tomorrow, what one problem should its delegate ask the world to help fix?
Quick quiz π§ͺ
Guess first, then tap to check your answer.
What is the capital of Sudan?
Khartoum
Which money do people spend in Sudan?
Sudanese pound (PT)
How many countries share a land border with Sudan?
7 β Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Libya, South Sudan.
Roughly how many people live in Sudan?
51.7 million people
Keep researching π
Everything here is a starting point. These trusted sites, databases and libraries will take you further β and they are the kind of sources a teacher will accept in a report.
Start here β kid-friendly encyclopedias π
Short articles written for students, with maps and photos you can use in a report.
Official data & government sources ποΈ
Primary sources. Cite these when your teacher asks for real data.
News & current policy π°
Use two different outlets before you decide what you think.
Your library card π«
Libraries give you books, databases and librarians β all free.
Library tip: Ask your school or public librarian for their online databases (like Gale in Context or EBSCO Explora). Your library card unlocks them for free at home, and they are already checked by adults for school use.