Sudan

Location : Northern Africa, bordering the Red Sea, between Egypt and Eritrea

Capital : Khartoum

Languages : Arabic (official), Nubian, Ta Bedawie, diverse dialects of Nilotic, Nilo-Hamitic, Sudanic languages, English

Area : 2,505,810 sq km

Land Use : arable land: 6.83%; permanent crops: 0.18%; o ther: 92.99% (2001)

Natural Resources : petroleum; small reserves of iron ore, copper, chromium ore, zinc, tungsten, mica, silver, gold, hydropower

Population : 40,187,486 (July 2005 est.).

Labour force : 11 million (1996 est.)

Labour force participation rate : 27.37% of population (1996 est.)

Population below poverty line : 40% (2004 est.)

International Organisation participation : ABEDA, ACP, AFDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, CAEU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)

GDP per capita : U$1,900 (2004 est.)

GDP Real Growth Rate : 6.4% (2004 est.)

GDP sectoral composition : agriculture: 38.7%; industry: 20.3%; services: 41% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed): 16% of GDP (2004 est.)

Industries: oil, cotton ginning, textiles, cement, edible oils, sugar, soap distilling, shoes, petroleum refining, pharmaceuticals, armaments, automobile/light truck assembly 

Industrial production growth rate : 8.5% (1999 est.) 

Agriculture - products : cotton, groundnuts (peanuts), sorghum, millet, wheat, gum arabic, sugarcane, cassava (tapioca), mangos, papaya, bananas, sweet potatoes, sesame; sheep, livestock 

Exports : U$3.395 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.) 

Exports - commodities : oil and petroleum products; cotton, sesame, livestock, groundnuts, gum arabic, sugar 

Exports - partners : China 64.3%, Japan 13.8%, Saudi Arabia 3.7% (2004) 

Imports : U $3.496 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities : foodstuffs, manufactured goods, refinery and transport equipment, medicines and chemicals, textiles, wheat

Imports - partners : Saudi Arabia 11.7%, China 10.7%, UAE 6.2%, Egypt 5.2%, Germany 4.9%, India 4.6%, Australia 4.1%, UK 4% (2004)

QUALITATIVE TRADE PROFILE

Sudan 's simple average tariff is 24.5% with agricultural goods being subject to 34.6% and non-agricultural goods subject to 22.9%. Sudan only employs ad valorem duties. Sudan has five tariff bands ranging from 6% to 80%. The five bands are: 6%, 15%, 30%, 50% and 80%. These bands are not in accordance with Sudan's COMESA obligations but a tariff reform program is scheduled to being implemented in 2006.  

INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK 

Sudan 's trade policy formulation, negotiation and implementation process has not yet been determined.

TRADE AGREEMENTS

Bilateral

Sudan has bilateral trade agreements with Jordan, Libya, Syria and Tunisia. Sudan is a beneficiary under the EU 'Everything-but-Arms' initiative. Sudan's eligibility under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) has not been determined.

Regional

Sudan is a member of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the Inter-governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the Organization of African Unity (OAU). Sudan is currently negotiating an Economic Partnership Agreement with the EU through the ESA configuration.

Multilateral

Sudan is currently engaged in accession talks to the WTO. Bilateral market access negotiations on goods and services are underway on the basis of an initial offer in services and a revised goods offer 

NEED PRIORITIES  

Sudan 's needs priorities have not yet been determined.

Source: World Fact Book, WTO Secretariat.