Sudan

Sudan

Sudan was the 90th largest economy in the world by nominal GDP in 2018. Its GDP per capita was $977 USD. It is the third largest country in Africa by geography. It is at the cross-roads of Africa and the Middle East. It was ranked 139th in the World Bank's Human Capital Index and 120th in the Economic Complexity Index in 2017. It is a member of the African Union. Services was the largest economic sector in 2018 (49.5 percent of GDP), followed by agriculture (31.5 percent), and manufacturing (2.4 percent). In 2017, the largest export sectors were stones (36.4 percent), agriculture (27 percent), services (23.16 percent), and minerals (11.09 percent). The largest individual exports were gold (35.8 percent), travel and tourism (15.75 percent), crude oil (9.58 percent), sheep (7.26 percent), and other oil seeds (6.18 percent). Its largest export partners were UAE (49 percent), Saudi Arabia (11.9 percent), China (11.17 percent), and India (9.02 percent). The largest goods imports were wheat and meslin (6.21 percent), sugarcane and sucrose (5.15 percent), refined petroleum (5 percent), and cars (4.08 percent). Britain took an active interest in Sudan following its occupation of Egypt in 1882. From 1898, Britain and Egypt administered all of present-day Sudan. Prior to independence, the economy was largely based on subsistence agriculture with some irrigated cash-crops i.e. cotton and Arabic gum. Since its independence in 1956, Sudan has suffered several internal conflicts between the largely Arabic north and the Christian and Animist south: the First Sudanese Civil War (1955-1972), the Second Sudanese Civil War (1983-2005), and the War in Darfur (2003-2010), which led to the secession of South Sudan in 2011. The main root of the conflict can be traced back to centuries of lesser economic development in the south. With the secession, Sudan lost three-quarters of its oil reserves. Oil helped drive strong economic growth during the 2000s. Growth decreased following the decrease in the oil price from 2014. The government is committed to diversifying the economy to provide consistent future growth.

Its population in 2018 was 41,511,526 [1]

In 2015, 61.60% of its total energy
consumption was renewable [2]

In 2021, its GDP grew by 0.11% [2]

In 2021 it had a negative Current
Account Balance of US$bn 2.07 [3]

Its unemployment rate in 2021 was 28.33% [3]



What free trade areas or economic unions is it a member of?

None


What trade deals are there with other countries and economic unions?

Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (from 08/12/1994)

Pan-Arab Free Trade Area (from 01/01/1998)

Middle East – Business Trumps Politics

Joint business ventures, and the pragmatism required for success, laid the groundwork for the normalisation of relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) which was marked by the

Sudan Cabinet Shake-Up Boosts Conciliation Efforts

Former US special envoy to Sudan Princeton Lyman has made yet another appeal for the resumption of the political dialogue in the country with a view to establishing a lasting
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An Actor Out of His Depth: Clooney Keeps an Eye on Sudan

US heartthrob George Clooney – according People Magazine the Sexiest Man Alive – has found a new calling: Spying. The actor has earmarked the proceeds of his Nespresso coffee endorsement

Revamping the Gezira Scheme: Sudan Seeks Food Security with Rice

A single grain of rice can tip the scale. It may also contribute to the realisation of food security in Sudan where, according to UN estimates, up to 12% of
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Hero Kapila: Remembering Darfur

The whistleblower that exposes misconduct in organisations is becoming more and more important to society and has a protected and honourable place within good corporate governance. While we have concerns

African Union Summit Now to Take Place in Ethiopia

The African Union summit has been moved to the Ethiopian capital after Malawi refused to host the gathering. Malawi has blocked the attendance of Sudan’s President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, who
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Trade with the United Kingdom

Source: UK Office for National Statistics, October 2022.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

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