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Senegal vs Sudan
Side-by-side comparison of Senegal and Sudan from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
In short
Senegal scores 34.8 in the NationsTree Index (147th in the world) and Sudan scores 16.2 (194th), a gap of 18.6 points. Their trees are 5.6 m and 5.2 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
Sudan has 2.7 times the population of Senegal. Sudan is 9.5 times larger than Senegal by land area. Senegal and Sudan have economies of similar size (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Senegal 18.9 million and Sudan 51.7 million (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $5,463 in Senegal and $2,192 in Sudan (2025, international dollars). People in Senegal live on average 2.4 years longer (68.9 vs 66.5 years).
Of 27 indicators reported by both countries, Senegal ranks higher in the world on 21 and Sudan on 6. Senegal is clearly stronger in institutions & safety, trade and economy. Sudan is clearly stronger in military.
As a nation, Sudan is the older of the two (statehood since 1956, 70 years), compared with Senegal (since 1960). Over the last five years Senegal improved faster (direction score 24 vs 2 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Senegal and Sudan.
Senegalbetter
1.5%
47th of 180
Sudan
138.8%
179th of 180
Government effectivenessInstitutions & safety
Senegalbetter
57.5
83rd of 205
Sudan
12.4
202nd of 205
Control of corruptionInstitutions & safety
Senegalbetter
51.1
82nd of 207
Sudan
16.3
202nd of 207
UnemploymentEconomy
Senegalbetter
2.7%
30th of 187
Sudan
7.5%
130th of 187
DPT immunizationSociety & health
Senegalbetter
91%
93rd of 193
Sudan
39%
193rd of 193
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Senegal overtook Sudan in GDP per person (PPP) in 2020 and has stayed ahead since.
Senegal overtook Sudan in the NationsTree Index in 2012 and has stayed ahead since.
Senegal overtook Sudan in life expectancy in 2003 and has stayed ahead since.
Sudan has been ahead of Senegal in GDP (PPP) and population in every year since 1990.
Strength by category
Average world percentile of the indicators in each category (0–100, direction taken into account). i
SenegalSudan All indicators
Latest available value for each country with its year and world rank. Green: the better world position of the two, red: the weaker one.
| Indicator | Senegal | Sudan |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 196,71087th/216 · 2024 | 1,878,00015th/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 192,53086th/216 · 2024 | 1,868,00015th/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 18.9 m68th/217 · 2025 | 51.7 m30th/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | 2.30%35th/217 · 2025 | 2.38%30th/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 96.1111th/216 · 2024 | 27.0176th/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 55.8%141st/217 · 2025 | 34.9%183rd/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 37.7%35th/217 · 2025 | 40.2%24th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 3.6%175th/217 · 2025 | 3.4%182nd/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $37.01 bn108th/210 · 2025 | $60.16 bn91st/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $103.43 bn102nd/199 · 2025 | $113.26 bn98th/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $88.38 bn101st/199 · 2025 | $96.78 bn99th/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $1,955177th/210 · 2025 | $1,165191st/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $5,463163rd/199 · 2025 | $2,192190th/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $1,780169th/201 · 2025 | $900189th/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 6.7%23rd/210 · 2025 | 3.1%112th/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 1.5%47th/180 · 2025 | 138.8%179th/180 · 2022 |
| Unemployment % | 2.7%30th/187 · 2025 | 7.5%130th/187 · 2022 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | — | 865.9%1999 |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 127.7%180th/189 · 2025 | 204.4%188th/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -6.4%167th/192 · 2025 | -3.1%110th/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 17.1%41st/197 · 2025 | 29.4%15th/197 · 2025 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 26.1%74th/200 · 2025 | 33.6%39th/200 · 2025 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 13.2%60th/192 · 2025 | 5.1%2009 |
| Services % of GDP | 46.3%164th/200 · 2025 | 37.0%189th/200 · 2025 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $12.02 bn103rd/182 · 2025 | $663.6 m163rd/182 · 2025 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $14.28 bn106th/182 · 2025 | $769.4 m170th/182 · 2025 |
| Exports % of GDP | 32.5%101st/183 · 2025 | 1.1%183rd/183 · 2025 |
| Imports % of GDP | 38.6%106th/183 · 2025 | 1.3%183rd/183 · 2025 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 71.1%111th/183 · 2025 | 2.4%183rd/183 · 2025 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 32.7%29th/170 · 2024 | 14.3%2018 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 22.3%100th/171 · 2024 | 1.1%2018 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 21.6%69th/171 · 2024 | 50.6%2018 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 7.9%47th/171 · 2024 | 0.7%2018 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 3.0%117th/168 · 2024 | 2.2%2018 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | -1.2%95th/191 · 2025 | -8.6%167th/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 0.1%172nd/196 · 2025 | 0.0%179th/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 4.4%77th/209 · 2021 | 12.8%39th/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 0.00%120th/197 · 2021 | 3.30%31st/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 0.00%89th/197 · 2021 | 0.00%100th/197 · 2021 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 2.90%32nd/209 · 2021 | 6.63%18th/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 1.50%43rd/209 · 2021 | 2.81%26th/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 19.9%55th/206 · 2024 | 11.2%94th/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 1,462111th/183 · 2022 | 81173rd/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 1.4 m84th/194 · 2017 | 836,000106th/194 · 2018 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $557.0 m92nd/175 · 2018 | $1.04 bn71st/175 · 2018 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 10.5%56th/168 · 2018 | 20.9%32nd/168 · 2018 |
| Outbound trips departures | — | 195,0001995 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 68.9161st/217 · 2024 | 66.5182nd/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 36.5147th/196 · 2024 | 61.6177th/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 0.11162nd/174 · 2023 | 0.252017 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 0.7131st/145 · 2019 | 0.7132nd/145 · 2021 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 91%93rd/193 · 2024 | 39%193rd/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 14.7%148th/153 · 2023 | 26.2%136th/153 · 2022 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 44.1%161st/173 · 2023 | 43.5%2019 |
| Social protection coverage (incl. pensions) % of population | 33.9%40th/55 · 2021 | 7.4%2009 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 6.2%174th/217 · 2025 | 6.0%180th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 4.3%147th/193 · 2023 | 2.9%182nd/193 · 2023 |
| Adult literacy % | 50.4%93rd/98 · 2023 | 53.5%2008 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 15.3%128th/150 · 2024 | 15.9%2015 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.530169th/193 · 2023 | 0.511176th/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | 36.269th/108 · 2021 | 34.22014 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | 17.9%88th/108 · 2021 | 10.1%2014 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 82.9%168th/215 · 2024 | 66.0%180th/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | 27.2%133rd/150 · 2024 | — |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 30.1%110th/144 · 2024 | — |
| Internet users % of population | 60.1%139th/186 · 2024 | 18.6%2017 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 12480th/210 · 2024 | 70180th/210 · 2022 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 4.0146th/208 · 2024 | 0.1199th/208 · 2022 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 2.22130th/164 · 2018 | 2.30117th/164 · 2022 |
| Rail lines route-km | 9062004 | 2,74744th/82 · 2020 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 1.1 m97th/161 · 2023 | 911,090100th/161 · 2023 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 0.7755th/203 · 2024 | 0.4339th/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 35.4%68th/212 · 2021 | 61.0%37th/212 · 2021 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 41.6180th/200 · 2023 | 37.6174th/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 45.0%66th/214 · 2024 | 11.9%160th/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 324141st/149 · 2024 | 359136th/149 · 2024 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 57.583rd/205 · 2025 | 12.4202nd/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 51.182nd/207 · 2025 | 16.3202nd/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 55.5111th/207 · 2025 | 28.0203rd/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 62.7129th/207 · 2025 | 29.3201st/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 51.0117th/205 · 2025 | 25.5199th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 60.793rd/205 · 2025 | 21.2200th/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 0.32015 | 5.12008 |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $566.9 m101st/156 · 2025 | $369.4 m113th/156 · 2021 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 1.6%85th/156 · 2025 | 0.9%119th/156 · 2021 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 5.2%76th/154 · 2025 | 9.5%32nd/154 · 2021 |
| Armed forces personnel people | 19,000108th/170 · 2020 | 144,00043rd/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 0.37%134th/168 · 2020 | 1.34%47th/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 79.0 m54th/163 · 2024 | 57.0 m60th/163 · 2025 |
| Arms exports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | — | 11.0 m2013 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | 0.58%2015 | 0.23%2005 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | — | 15366th/137 · 2020 |
| Scientific articles articles | 490102nd/197 · 2023 | 471104th/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Senegal or Sudan?
Sudan has the larger population: 51.7 m (2025) compared with 18.9 m for Senegal (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Senegal or Sudan?
Sudan is larger: 1,878,000 km² (2024) compared with 196,710 km² for Senegal (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Senegal or Sudan?
Sudan has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $113.26 bn intl. (2025) compared with $103.43 bn intl. for Senegal (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Senegal or Sudan?
Senegal has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $5,463 intl. (2025) compared with $2,192 intl. for Sudan (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Senegal or Sudan?
Senegal has the higher life expectancy at birth: 68.9 years (2024) compared with 66.5 years for Sudan (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which spends more on the military, Senegal or Sudan?
Senegal spends more on the military: $566.9 m (2025) compared with $369.4 m for Sudan (2021). Source: World Bank, MS.MIL.XPND.CD.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Senegal or Sudan?
Senegal: 34.8 points (147th in the world); Sudan: 16.2 points (194th). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
Mali
Zambia
Zimbabwe
Cameroon
UgandaSources
World Bank World Development Indicators and Worldwide Governance Indicators, compiling UN agencies, the IMF, WHO, SIPRI and national statistical offices; every row links to its world ranking with the source series. See Sources & licences and Methodology.
Cite as: NationsTree (2026). Senegal vs Sudan — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/senegal-vs-sudan. Data as of 26 October 2026.