ing crude oil and in the last quarter of
1999 recorded its first trade surplus, which, along with monetary
policy, has stabilized the exchange rate. Increased oil production,
revived light industry, and expanded export processing zones helped
sustain GDP growth at 6.1% in 2003 and 7% in 2004. Agriculture
production remains Sudan's most important sector, employing 80% of
the work force and contributing 39% of GDP, but most farms remain
rain-fed and susceptible to drought. Chronic instability - including
the long-standing civil war between the Muslim north and the
Christian/pagan south, the ethnic purges in Darfur, adverse weather,
and weak world agricultural prices - ensure that much of the
population will remain at or below the poverty line for years.

GDP:
purchasing power parity - $70.95 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
5.9% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $1,900 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 38.7%
industry: 20.3%
services: 41% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
14.8% of GDP (2003)

Population below poverty line:
NA (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
8.8% (2003 est.)

Labor force:
11 million (1996 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture 80%, industry and commerce 7%, government 13% (1998
est.)

Unemployment rate:
18.7% (2002 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $2.402 billion
expenditures: $2.546 billion, including capital expenditures of $304
million (2003 est.)

Public debt:
87% of GDP (2003)

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

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.)

Electricity - production:
2.389 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
2.222 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2001)

Oil - production:
209,100 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - consumption:
50,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA (200