Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Sudan
Sudan: Number of people living in urban and rural areas was 18.05 million people in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
18.05 million people
Change on year
up 2.6%
World rank
48th
of 236 countries
All-time high
18.05 million people
in 2025
All-time low
390,583 people
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Sudan, 1950–2025
Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2025, number of people living in urban and rural areas in Sudan stood at 18.05 million people. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
The figure is up 2.6% on the previous year and up 32.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people living in urban and rural areas in Sudan peaked at 18.05 million people in 2025 and was at its lowest, 390,583 people, in 1950.
That places Sudan 48th out of 236 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Sudan, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 390,583 people | — |
| 1951 | 421,958 people | +8.0% |
| 1952 | 465,486 people | +10.3% |
| 1953 | 517,610 people | +11.2% |
| 1954 | 574,531 people | +11.0% |
| 1955 | 631,989 people | +10.0% |
| 1956 | 690,843 people | +9.3% |
| 1957 | 755,169 people | +9.3% |
| 1958 | 824,640 people | +9.2% |
| 1959 | 899,541 people | +9.1% |
| 1960 | 980,283 people | +9.0% |
| 1961 | 1.07 million people | +8.8% |
| 1962 | 1.16 million people | +8.6% |
| 1963 | 1.26 million people | +8.4% |
| 1964 | 1.36 million people | +8.1% |
| 1965 | 1.46 million people | +7.9% |
| 1966 | 1.57 million people | +7.6% |
| 1967 | 1.69 million people | +7.3% |
| 1968 | 1.81 million people | +6.9% |
| 1969 | 1.93 million people | +6.6% |
| 1970 | 2.05 million people | +6.3% |
| 1971 | 2.17 million people | +5.9% |
| 1972 | 2.29 million people | +5.6% |
| 1973 | 2.42 million people | +5.9% |
| 1974 | 2.55 million people | +5.4% |
| 1975 | 2.67 million people | +4.7% |
| 1976 | 2.79 million people | +4.5% |
| 1977 | 2.92 million people | +4.4% |
| 1978 | 3.06 million people | +4.8% |
| 1979 | 3.21 million people | +5.1% |
| 1980 | 3.38 million people | +5.3% |
| 1981 | 3.56 million people | +5.4% |
| 1982 | 3.75 million people | +5.4% |
| 1983 | 3.96 million people | +5.4% |
| 1984 | 4.19 million people | +5.9% |
| 1985 | 4.49 million people | +7.2% |
| 1986 | 4.86 million people | +8.2% |
| 1987 | 5.28 million people | +8.6% |
| 1988 | 5.72 million people | +8.4% |
| 1989 | 6.17 million people | +7.8% |
| 1990 | 6.60 million people | +6.9% |
| 1991 | 6.97 million people | +5.7% |
| 1992 | 7.28 million people | +4.4% |
| 1993 | 7.50 million people | +3.0% |
| 1994 | 7.71 million people | +2.7% |
| 1995 | 7.92 million people | +2.8% |
| 1996 | 8.12 million people | +2.4% |
| 1997 | 8.31 million people | +2.4% |
| 1998 | 8.54 million people | +2.7% |
| 1999 | 8.76 million people | +2.7% |
| 2000 | 9.00 million people | +2.6% |
| 2001 | 9.23 million people | +2.6% |
| 2002 | 9.47 million people | +2.6% |
| 2003 | 9.69 million people | +2.4% |
| 2004 | 9.91 million people | +2.3% |
| 2005 | 10.15 million people | +2.4% |
| 2006 | 10.39 million people | +2.4% |
| 2007 | 10.64 million people | +2.4% |
| 2008 | 10.92 million people | +2.6% |
| 2009 | 11.26 million people | +3.1% |
| 2010 | 11.59 million people | +2.9% |
| 2011 | 11.89 million people | +2.6% |
| 2012 | 12.24 million people | +2.9% |
| 2013 | 12.63 million people | +3.2% |
| 2014 | 13.11 million people | +3.8% |
| 2015 | 13.64 million people | +4.1% |
| 2016 | 14.11 million people | +3.4% |
| 2017 | 14.65 million people | +3.8% |
| 2018 | 15.21 million people | +3.8% |
| 2019 | 15.70 million people | +3.3% |
| 2020 | 16.17 million people | +3.0% |
| 2021 | 16.65 million people | +3.0% |
| 2022 | 17.15 million people | +3.0% |
| 2023 | 17.41 million people | +1.6% |
| 2024 | 17.59 million people | +1.0% |
| 2025 | 18.05 million people | +2.6% |
Sudan compared with similar countries
- Sudan's 18.05 million people is above the median for low income countries, which is 6.96 million people, 2.6× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Sudan's 18.05 million people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 4.82 million people, 3.7× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 617,235 people | 390,583 people | 899,541 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 1.43 million people | 980,283 people | 1.93 million people | 10 |
| 1970s | 2.61 million people | 2.05 million people | 3.21 million people | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.54 million people | 3.38 million people | 6.17 million people | 10 |
| 1990s | 7.77 million people | 6.60 million people | 8.76 million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 10.07 million people | 9.00 million people | 11.26 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 13.48 million people | 11.59 million people | 15.70 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.17 million people | 16.17 million people | 18.05 million people | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sudan
More population data for Sudan
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.5289 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.4226 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 1.64 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.4226 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.4% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 9.54 million people (2100)
- Population density 73.28 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth 0.4% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.3723 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 2.31 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people living in urban and rural areas in Sudan?
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas in Sudan was 18.05 million people in 2025, according to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of people living in urban and rural areas recorded in Sudan?
- The highest recorded value was 18.05 million people in 2025.
- What is the lowest number of people living in urban and rural areas recorded in Sudan?
- The lowest recorded value was 390,583 people in 1950.
- How does Sudan rank for number of people living in urban and rural areas?
- Sudan ranks 48th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is number of people living in urban and rural areas rising or falling in Sudan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 32.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sudan data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of people living in urban and rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of people living in urban areas, based on each country's national definition.