Demographics & population — Sudan
Population size, age structure, migration, ethnicity, language, education, and health indicators.
Profile updated 2026-06-02
⚡ Demographics & population at a glance
Population size, age structure, migration, ethnicity, language, education, and health indicators. Key figure for Sudan: 45,561,556
Immigration rules and fees change frequently — confirm current requirements on official government or embassy websites.
Population overview
- Population
45,561,556
- Population Growth Rate
1.83%
- Urban Population
- Population in Major Urban Areas
KHARTOUM (capital) 4.632 million
Age & family
Migration
- Net Migration Rate - migrant(s)/1,000 population
-4.44
Ethnicity & language
- Ethnic Groups
black 52%, Arab 39%, Beja 6%, foreigners 2%, other 1%
- Language Note
Arabic is spoken by about half the people, but it is the official language. Many dialects are spoken throughout the country. Arabic Juba is a unique dialect used in southern urban areas for communicating between different ethnic groups. Other languages spoken are Nubian, Dinka, Azanda, Bari, Nuer and Shilluk. Those with education speak good English.
- Nationality Noun
Sudanese (singular and plural)
Education
- Literacy - total population
61.1%
- Literacy - male
71.8%
- Literacy - female
50.5%
- Literacy Definition
age 15 and over can read and write
- Total School Life Expectancy - (primary to tertiary)
Health & living conditions
- Life Expectancy at Birth
- Infant Mortality Rate
- Infant Mortality Rate - total deaths/1,000 live births
- Maternal Mortality Rate - deaths/100,000 live births
730
- Physicians Density - physicians/1,000 population
.28
- Hospital Bed Density - beds/1,000 population
.7
- Health Expenditures - percent of GDP
8.4%
- Major Infectious Diseases - degree of risk
very high
- Obesity - adult prevalence rate
6%
- Drinking Water Source - percent of urban population improved
- Sanitation Facility Access - percent of urban population improved
- Underweight - percent of children under five years
31.7%