Sudan

Sudan is a country in northeastern Africa, classified by the United Nations under the M49 standard as follows: UN M49 code 729; ISO alpha-2 SD; ISO alpha-3 SDN; UN region Africa; UN subregion Northern Africa; UN member state. The World Bank capital field lists Khartoum. These classification facts are stable identifiers from the UN Statistics Division’s M49 overview and the World Bank’s country API, not political endorsements. They are the starting point for any country comparison, but they do not tell you what Sudan is like today. For that, you need to verify current data through named sources, and to separate statistical classification from territorial or governance claims.

Country basics

Sudan is a UN member state and part of the UN’s Northern Africa subregion, as classified in the UN M49 standard (code 729). Its ISO codes are SD (alpha-2) and SDN (alpha-3). The World Bank lists Khartoum as the capital. These are stable classification facts, not statements about sovereignty or borders.

For any changing figure, such as inhabitant totals, GDP or life expectancy, use the World Bank country API ( or the UN M49 overview ( The World Bank API returns data in JSON format; you can filter by nation code SDN. Always record the reference year from the dataset you cite. A headcount figure from a 2023 projection is not the same as a census count from 2008, and they should not be mixed in the same table.

Classification facts (stable identifiers)

These are administrative identifiers, not governance statements. They describe how international bodies file Sudan in their records.

• UN M49 code: 729
• ISO alpha-2: SD
• ISO alpha-3: SDN
• UN region: Africa
• UN subregion: Northern Africa
• UN member state: Yes
• World Bank capital field: Khartoum

Source: United Nations M49 overview,

Note: The UN M49 classification is a statistical geography. It does not take a position on territorial sovereignty, border disputes, or diplomatic recognition. Sudan’s status as a UN member state is a separate fact from any claims about territory or government control.

How to verify current figures

Population

The most recent official inhabitant estimate for Sudan comes from the nation’s national statistical office, the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), and international organizations like the UN Population Division. Figures differ because they are projections between censuses, not direct counts. The last full census in Sudan was conducted in 2008; the next planned census has been repeatedly delayed due to conflict and instability. Since 2008, all headcount figures are projections or survey-based estimates, not actual counts.

The UN Population Division publishes annual estimates and projections by territory. The World Bank’s country API returns the latest available inhabitant figure with a reference year. When you quote a number, always state whether it is a census count, an official estimate, or a UN projection, and give the reference year. For Sudan, the most recent UN medium-variant projection is the standard citation for current headcount; the last actual census was conducted in 2008, so any figure after that is an estimate.

Languages

The CIA World Factbook lists the languages spoken in Sudan, but definitions of “first language” versus “working language” vary. For official language policy, check the Sudanese government’s own legal documents or the constitution as amended; for linguistic distribution, academic sources like Ethnologue provide estimates with their own methodology and year.

Currency

The Central Bank of Sudan is the issuing authority for the Sudanese pound (SDG). For current exchange rates, use a named financial data provider and note the date.

Government

For the current form of government, leadership, and governance situation, consult the nation’s official government portal and recent reports from the UN, AU, or IGAD. Governance status is contested; treat any single description as time-bound.

Economy

Use World Bank and IMF indicators with explicit reference years. GDP figures are often revised; always cite the vintage (e.g., “World Bank, 2023 release”).

How to verify current figures for Sudan

Sudan’s inhabitant totals, economic indicators, and development statistics change every year. Do not rely on a single static number. For a current figure, open the primary source and note the reference year.

• Inhabitant totals: The UN World Population Prospects publishes biennial estimates; the latest revision (typically 2024) contains 2023 or 2024 figures. The World Bank’s country API at returns headcount data with the indicator SP.POP.TOTL and includes the reference year in the response. For Sudan, you can query the API directly: `
• Languages: The CIA World Factbook lists the languages spoken in Sudan, but definitions of “first language” versus “working language” vary. For official language policy, check the Sudanese government’s own legal documents or the constitution as amended; for linguistic distribution, academic sources like Ethnologue provide estimates with their own methodology and year.
• Currency: The Central Bank of Sudan is the issuing authority for the Sudanese pound (SDG). For current exchange rates, use a named financial data provider and note the date.
• Government: For the current form of government, leadership, and governance situation, consult the nation’s official government portal and recent reports from the UN, AU, or IGAD. Governance status is contested; treat any single description as time-bound.
• Economy: Use World Bank and IMF indicators with explicit reference years. GDP figures are often revised; always cite the vintage (e.g., “World Bank, 2023 release”).

Context and caveats

For Sudan, the most useful context is that official statistics may be outdated or incomplete due to conflict, displacement, and limited administrative capacity. The 2018-2019 Sudanese Revolution and the 2023 conflict have disrupted data collection. Any headcount or economic figure should be treated as an estimate with a large uncertainty range, not a precise count. The nation’s statistical office, the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), has not published a full census since the 2008 Census (the 2023 conflict prevented the planned census). Therefore, all inhabitant figures are projections based on older census data, adjusted for assumed growth rates and displacement estimates. International organizations often rely on modelled estimates rather than national counts. When comparing Sudan to other territories, prefer sources that state their estimation method and reference date.