Natural resources of Sudan
Oil, gas, minerals, forests and water in Sudan: what it produces, how it ranks in the world, who mines it and what it earns. Every figure is from an official source and is updated when the source is.
Resource rents, share of GDP (2021)
12.8 %
Resources, share of goods exports (2023)
43.9 %
Crude oil, barrels a day (2025)
30,000
Forest, share of land (2024)
11.9 %
Source: World Bank; UN Comtrade; U.S. Energy Information Administration. Last checked 24 October 2026.
Oil, gas and coal
Sudan produced about 30,000 barrels of crude oil a day in 2025. Proved oil reserves were 5 billion barrels in 2021. Proved gas reserves were 85 billion cubic metres in 2021.
View the data as a table
| Period | Crude oil |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 486 |
| 2011 | 453 |
| 2012 | 92 |
| 2013 | 134 |
| 2014 | 114 |
| 2015 | 108 |
| 2016 | 105 |
| 2017 | 102 |
| 2018 | 67 |
| 2019 | 70 |
| 2020 | 64 |
| 2021 | 62 |
| 2022 | 65 |
| 2023 | 68 |
| 2024 | 37 |
| 2025 | 30 |
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, International Energy Data. Last checked 24 October 2026.
Mining and minerals
The U.S. Geological Survey records 23 mineral commodities with published production in Sudan between 2017 and 2021, from metals and gemstones to industrial minerals and fuels. The table includes processed products such as cement and steel, which USGS reports alongside raw minerals.
Showing 23 of 23
| Chromium, mine, chromite, gross weight | Metals | Not published | 32,000 | 27,000 | 12,728 | 9,000 | 5,600 | 2019: r |
| Cr2O3 content, 25% to 58% | Metals | Not published | 8,000 | 6,750 | 3,000 | 2,250 | 1,400 | 2019: r, e |
| Gold, mine, Au content | Metals | kilograms | 8,800 | 76,700 | 78,000 | 81,800 | 85,100 | 2017: r; 2018: r; 2019: r |
| Gold, refinery | Metals | kilograms | 37,000 | 20,000 | 22,000 | 25,000 | 36,000 | Not published |
| Iron and steel, products, semimanufactured | Metals | Not published | 801,000 | 603,000 | 670,000 | 100,900 | 585,000 | 2017: r; 2018: r; 2019: r |
| Manganese, mine, gross weight | Metals | Not published | 42,000 | 41,000 | 40,000 | Not published | Not published | 2020: --; 2021: -- |
| Manganese, mine, mn content | Metals | Not published | 12,000 | 12,000 | 10,000 | Not published | Not published | 2020: --; 2021: -- |
| Cement, hydraulic | Industrial Minerals | thousand metric tons | 4,326 | 3,929 | 2,594 | 2,387 | 2,285 | 2018: r; 2019: r |
| Clay, kaolin | Industrial Minerals | Not published | 6,000 | 11,000 | 21,876 | 19,700 | 3,700 | 2019: r |
| Feldspar | Industrial Minerals | Not published | 29,000 | 36,000 | 12,278 | 25,000 | 6,400 | 2018: r; 2019: r |
| Gypsum, mine | Industrial Minerals | Not published | 333,000 | 226,000 | 144,520 | 173,000 | 136,000 | 2019: r |
| Salt | Industrial Minerals | Not published | 235,000 | 267,000 | 197,159 | 237,000 | 131,000 | 2019: r |
| Talc | Industrial Minerals | Not published | Not published | Not published | 1,500 | Not published | 4,500 | 2017: NA; 2018: NA; 2019: r; 2020: NA; 2021: e |
| Crude, including condensate | Mineral Fuels And Related Materials | thousand 42-gallon barrels | 25,550 | 27,010 | 26,280 | 23,000 | 23,360 | 2017: r; 2018: r; 2019: r |
| Distillate fuel oil | Mineral Fuels And Related Materials | thousand 42-gallon barrels | 11,517 | 12,810 | 16,860 | 13,683 | 10,522 | 2019: r |
| Gasoline | Mineral Fuels And Related Materials | thousand 42-gallon barrels | 9,037 | 7,865 | 9,158 | 8,548 | 6,946 | 2019: r |
| Jet fuel | Mineral Fuels And Related Materials | thousand 42-gallon barrels | 658 | 304 | 552 | 125 | 145 | 2019: r |
| Kerosene | Mineral Fuels And Related Materials | thousand 42-gallon barrels | 57 | 78 | 109 | 16 | 13 | 2019: r |
| Liquefied petroleum gas | Mineral Fuels And Related Materials | thousand 42-gallon barrels | 3,224 | 3,218 | 3,790 | 3,417 | 2,918 | 2019: r |
| Naphthas | Mineral Fuels And Related Materials | thousand 42-gallon barrels | 33 | 75 | 96 | 11 | 12 | 2019: r |
| Petroleum coke | Mineral Fuels And Related Materials | thousand 42-gallon barrels | 1,421 | 1,317 | 1,413 | 1,364 | 888 | 2019: r |
| Residual fuel oil | Mineral Fuels And Related Materials | thousand 42-gallon barrels | 1,753 | 1,848 | 1,615 | 1,137 | 469 | 2019: r |
| Total | Mineral Fuels And Related Materials | thousand 42-gallon barrels | 27,700 | 27,500 | 33,600 | 28,300 | 21,900 | 2019: r |
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Minerals Yearbook, country tables. Last checked 24 October 2026.
Showing 55 of 55
| Cement | Al-Salam Cement Production Co. Ltd. | Plant at Atbara | 2,000,000 | Not published |
| Cement | Al-Shamal Cement Factory (Mass Global Investment Co.) | Plant at Atbara | 1,500,000 | Not published |
| Cement | Al Takamol Cement Co. (ASEC Cement Co. 100%) | Plant at Atbara | 1,600,000 | Not published |
| Cement | Aslan Cement Co. | Plant at Wadi Madani | 1,000,000 | Not published |
| Cement | Atbara Cement Co. Ltd. (Al-Rajhi Group, 100%) | Plant at Wadi Madani | 1,700,000 | Not published |
| Cement | Berber Cement Co. Ltd. | Plant at Berber | 1,500,000 | Not published |
| Cement | Nile Cement Co. Ltd. | Plant at Rabak | 1,000,000 | Not published |
| Cement | Sudanese Cement Factory (Government, 100%) | Plant in Blue Nile State | 100,000 | Not published |
| Chromite | Ingessana Hills Mining Corp. [Sudanese Mining Corp. (Government, 100%)] | Mine at Ingessana Hills Blue Nile State | 70,000 | Not published |
| Chromite | More than 40 small-scale mining companies | Mines in Blue Nile State | Not published | Not published |
| Feldspar | Bahri Ceramics Co. | Mine in River Nile State | Not published | Not published |
| Feldspar | Salomi Ceramics Co. | Plant at Industrial zone Khartoum | Not published | Not published |
| Mine, Au content | Alitimad Company for Iron Industry and Mining Ltd. | Tailings-processing plants at Dongola and Wadi Halfa, Northern State, and at Abu Jubeiha, South Kordofan State | 1,000 | kilograms |
| Mine, Au content | Alliance For Mining Co. Ltd. (Alliance) (Kush for Exploration and Production Co. Ltd., and Government) | Mine on Block 30 at Wadi Ushar, Red Sea State | 2,500 | kilograms |
| Mine, Au content | Ariab Mining Co. Ltd. (AMC) (Government, 95%, and Industrial Development Bank, 5%) | Mine at Hassai, 350 kilometers southwest of Port Sudan | 2,000 | kilograms |
| Mine, Au content | Artisanal miners | Jebel Amir Mines in North Darfur State | 40,000 | kilograms |
| Mine, Au content | Artisanal miners | Various locations | 30,000 | kilograms |
| Mine, Au content | China-Africa HuaKan Mining (Sudan) Government, 55% and China Africa Hukan Investment Co., 45%) | Mine on Block 20 in River Nile State | Not published | kilograms |
| Mine, Au content | Delgo Mining Co. Ltd. (Tahe International Mining Group 100%) | Mine on Block 17 at Abu Sara | Not published | kilograms |
| Mine, Au content | Hagagia (Poly Red Sea) Gold Mining Co. Ltd. (China-Africa Development Fund, 70%, and Government, 30%) | Mine on Block 21 at Bayuda Red Sea State | Not published | kilograms |
| Mine, Au content | Manub Ltd. (Managem Group, 78%, and private operator, 22%) | Mine on Block 25 at Wadi Gabgaba, River Nile State | 800 | kilograms |
| Mine, Au content | Rida Mining Co. (Golden United Group) | Mine on Block 23, Abidiya River Nile State | 2,500 | kilograms |
| Mine, Au content | Sahari Company for Gold Mining | Berber, River Nile State | Not published | kilograms |
| Mine, Au content | Sudamin Co. Ltd. (Government, 100%) | Tailings-processing plant at Abu Hamad, River Nile State | 500 | kilograms |
| Refined do. | Sudan Gold Refinery Co. (Government, 100%) | Refinery at Khartoum | 270,000 | Not published |
| Gypsum | Sudanese Mining Corp. (Government, 100%) | Bir Eit Mine, Red Sea State | 15,000 | Not published |
| Gypsum | Yarmouk Industrial Services Co. Ltd. | Quarries at Bir Eit, Red Sea State | 220,000 | Not published |
| Iron ore | Baasher Works for Minig | Mine in Red Sea State | Not published | Not published |
| Iron ore | Nawati International Co. | Mine in Red Sea State | Not published | Not published |
| Iron ore | Yarmouk Industrial Services Co. | Mines at Durdaib and Fodikwan in Red Sea State | 720,000 | Not published |
| Iron and steel, steel, products | Al-Assad Steel Bar Factory | Plant at Khartoum | 394,000 | Not published |
| Iron and steel, steel, products | Giad Industrial Group | Plant at Giad Industrial Zone Khartoum | 200,000 | Not published |
| Iron and steel, steel, products | Sudanese Malaysian Factory for Steel Industries | Plant at Giad Industrial Zone Khartoum | 100,000 | Not published |
| Iron and steel, steel, products | Sudanese Steel Products Ltd. (Hafez Elsayad Barbary Ltd., 100%) | Plant at Giad Industrial Zone Khartoum | 150,000 | Not published |
| Commodity | Major operating companies and major equity owners | Location of main facilities | Not published | Not published |
| Manganese | Al Wadi Minerals & Commercial Co. Ltd. | Ingessana Hills Mine, Red Sea State | Not published | Not published |
| Manganese | Ingessana Hills Mining Corp. [Sudanese Mining Corp. (Government, 100%)] | Ingessana Hills Mine, Red Sea State | Not published | Not published |
| Manganese | Yarmouk Industrial Services Co. Ltd. | Tilco Mine, Red Sea State | Not published | Not published |
| Crude thousand 42-gallon | Greater Nile Petroleum Operating Co.(GNPOC) [China National Petroleum Corp. International Ltd., 40%; Petronas Carigali Overseas Shd. Bhd., 30%; ONGC Videsh Ltd., 25%; Sudapet Co. Ltd., 5%] | Bamboo and Helgig fields in Blocks 2A, and Diffra and Neem oilfields in Block 4, Unity State | 16,000 | Not published |
| Crude thousand 42-gallon | Petro Energy Operaing Co. (PEOC) [China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC), 95%, and Sudapet Co. Ltd., 5%] | Fula and Hadida oilfields in Block 6 near Muglad | 17,500 | Not published |
| Crude thousand 42-gallon | Sudapet Co. Ltd. (Government, 100%) | Rawat Central and Wateesh oilfields in Block 25. | 3,650 | Not published |
| Crude thousand 42-gallon | Sharif Petroleum Operations Co. | Al-Barasaya oilfield in Block 17 in South Kordofan State | 3,000 | Not published |
| Crude thousand 42-gallon | 2B Operating Co. [Petroline for Crude Oil (PETCO), 50% and Sudapet Co. Ltd., 50%] | oilfields in Block 2 B, South Kordofan State | 7,900 | Not published |
| Refined do. | El-Obeid Refinery Co. (Government, 100%) | Refinery at El-Obeid | 5,475 | Not published |
| Refined do. | Khartoum Refinery Co. Ltd. [Sudan Petroleum Corp. 90%, and China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC), 10%] | Refinery at Al-Jaili | 36,500 | Not published |
| Refined do. | Port Sudan Refining Ltd. (Government, 100%) | Refinery at Port Sudan | 9,125 | Not published |
| Salt | Bittar Salt Co. Ltd. (El-Nilein Holding Co., 100%) | Mines at Port Sudan, Red Sea State | 100,000 | Not published |
| Salt | 25 small-scale mining companies | Mines at Port Sudan, Red Sea State | Not published | Not published |
| Silver, refined | The Sudan Gold Refinery Co. (Government, 100%) | Refinery at Khartoum | 145,000 | kilograms |
| Limestone | Al-Rajhi Group | Mine at Atbara, River Nile State | 500,000 | Not published |
| Limestone | Al-Salam Cement Production Co. Ltd. | Mine in River Nile State | 730,000 | Not published |
| Limestone | Nile Cement Co. Ltd. | Mine at Rabak | 200,000 | Not published |
| Marble | Yarmouk Industrial Services Co. Ltd. | Mine at Atbara, River Nile State | 480,000 | Not published |
| Talc | Al Wadi Minerarls & Commercial Co. Ltd. | Mine in Red Sea State | 35,000 | Not published |
| Talc | Yarmouk Industrial Services Co. Ltd. | Red Sea Hills, Halayeb Province | 100,000 | Not published |
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Minerals Yearbook 2019, Sudan. Last checked 24 October 2026.
What natural resources earn
Natural resource rents were 12.8% of GDP in 2021, with minerals the largest part. That ranks Sudan 19th of 54 African countries. See all 54.
View the data as a table
| Period | Oil | Minerals | Forests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 11.5 % | 0.4 % | 0.0 % |
| 2011 | 15.1 % | 0.6 % | 1.0 % |
| 2012 | 3.7 % | 1.4 % | 1.5 % |
| 2013 | 4.6 % | 1.4 % | 1.5 % |
| 2014 | 2.7 % | 1.0 % | 1.5 % |
| 2015 | 0.8 % | 0.8 % | 1.4 % |
| 2016 | 0.6 % | 0.9 % | 1.2 % |
| 2017 | 0.8 % | 0.7 % | 1.0 % |
| 2018 | 3.4 % | 0.0 % | 2.7 % |
| 2019 | 3.0 % | 2.7 % | 2.6 % |
| 2020 | 1.9 % | 4.0 % | 3.4 % |
| 2021 | 3.3 % | 6.6 % | 2.8 % |
| 2022 | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| 2023 | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| 2024 | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| 2025 | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| 2026 | Not published | Not published | Not published |
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators. Last checked 24 October 2026.
Forest, share of land (2024)
11.9 %
Arable land, share of land (2024)
11.2 %
Renewable fresh water per person (2022)
81 m³
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators. Last checked 24 October 2026.
Method and sources
Oil, gas and coal output and coal reserves are from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Oil and gas proved reserves are the EIA figures republished by Our World in Data; oil is converted from cubic metres to barrels at the standard factor. World production, reserves and ranks are from the U.S. Geological Survey Mineral Commodity Summaries, ranked among the countries USGS names. The full list of commodities and the companies that mine them are from the USGS Minerals Yearbook country tables, which run a few years behind. Rents, land and water are from the World Bank, and export shares from UN Comtrade. Nothing is estimated by us. Figures last checked on 24 October 2026.
USGS country page for Sudan. EIA international energy data. World Bank resource rents.
Frequently asked questions
What natural resources does Sudan have?
Sudan's main natural resources are crude oil, chromium and cr2o3 content. Oil, gas and coal made up 22.2% of its goods exports in 2023, and all resources together 43.9%. The World Bank puts natural resource rents at 12.8% of GDP in 2021, mostly from minerals. The U.S. Geological Survey also records production of gold, feldspar, gypsum, salt, talc and naphthas.
Does Sudan produce oil?
Yes. Sudan produced about 30,000 barrels of crude oil a day in 2025, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Proved oil reserves were 5 billion barrels in 2021.
What is Sudan's most valuable natural resource?
By export earnings, oil, gas and coal: 22.2% of goods exports in 2023, according to UN Comtrade (figures reported by Sudan's trading partners).
How much do natural resources contribute to Sudan's economy?
Natural resource rents, the value of resources extracted minus the cost of extracting them, were 12.8% of GDP in 2021. That ranks Sudan 19th of 54 African countries.
Which companies mine in Sudan?
The U.S. Geological Survey's 2019 list of Sudan's mineral industry names 47 operating companies, including Al-Salam Cement Production Co. Ltd., Al-Shamal Cement Factory, Al Takamol Cement Co., Aslan Cement Co. and Atbara Cement Co. Ltd.. The full list is on this page.