Northern Africa

Sudan

Absolute number

Prevalence

1.9 million

Married by 15: Number of girls and women (left) and percentage of women 20-24 years (right) married before age 15

12%
5.1 million

Married by 18: Number of girls and women (left) and percentage of women 20-24 years (right) married before age 18

34%

Prevalence of child marriage

  • Sudan
  • Northern Africa
Child marriage age

The line chart shows the prevalence of child marriage (before age 18) in Sudan and Northern Africa from 1989 to 2024.

In Sudan, 43% of girls in 1989 married before age 18, compared with 34% in 2014, which is the latest available value.

In Northern Africa, the prevalence was 20% in 1999 and was 13% in 2024.

Show data table
YearSudanNorthern Africa
198942.8%
199439.6%
199938.2%20.0%
200436.6%16.3%
200937.0%14.7%
201434.2%13.6%
201912.9%
202412.6%
Child marriage age

Sudan

Child Marriage
Prevalence

Residence

  • Rural
  • Urban
Show Residence data table
YearRuralUrban
201440.4%21.6%

Wealth

  • Poorest
  • Second
  • Middle
  • Fourth
  • Richest
Show Wealth data table
YearPoorestSecondMiddleFourthRichest
201447.7%50.1%32.6%32.3%12.3%

Education

  • No schooling
  • Primary education
  • Secondary or higher
Show Education data table
YearNo schoolingPrimary educationSecondary or higher
201458.7%41.7%13.4%
Child marriage age

Compare regions of Sudan

Understand differences inside the country

Touch the timeline to see how the child marriage affect differently each sub-region of Sudan in the last decades.

Levels of child marriage vary across different parts of Sudan. See the range of values within the country, and explore the map for details.

Prevalence of child marriage

Compare regions of Sudan

Understand differences
inside the country

28% 50% 56% 46% 48% 41% 20% 39% 33% 19% 26% 18% 34% 52% 44% 45% 32% 37%
Child marriage age

Region with no data

2014

Prevalence of child marriage in each region of Sudan in 2014

0%100%

Region with no data

2014

Prevalence of child marriage in each region of Sudan in 2014

0%100%

The map shows the prevalence of child marriage (before age 18) across Sudan. Data refer to 2014, the latest year with available data.

The practice is most common in Central (56%), South (52%), Blue (50%), and Gedaref (48%).

Show data table
YearAj JazirahBlue NileCentral DarfurEast DarfurGedarefKassalaKhartoumNorth DarfurNorth KordofanNorthernRed SeaRiver NileSennarSouth DarfurSouth KordofanWest DarfurWest KordofanWhite Nile
28.0%49.6%56.1%46.3%47.5%40.6%19.6%39.1%32.7%19.0%25.9%17.6%33.6%52.3%43.7%45.0%31.9%36.7%
Child marriage age

Compare countries

How does Sudan compare to other countries?

Prevalence of child marriage

  • Sudan
Child marriage age

The line chart shows the prevalence of child marriage (before age 18) in Sudan from 1989 to 2014.

In Sudan, 43% of girls in 1989 married before age 18, compared with 34% in 2014, which is the latest available value.

Show data table
YearSudan
198942.8%
199439.6%
199938.2%
200436.6%
200937.0%
201434.2%

Residence

Child marriage prevalence

Review the data to find if girls living in rural areas are more likely to marry in childhood than girls in urban areas

The bubble chart shows the prevalence of child marriage (before age 18) disaggregated by residence in Sudan. Data refer to the latest available year.

In Sudan, 34% of girls married before age 18. The prevalence is 40% of girls in rural areas, compared with 22% in urban areas.

Show data table
CountryRuralUrbanTotal
Sudan40.4%21.6%34.2%
Child marriage age

For more data related to child marriage, please see the child marriage country profiles available on the UNICEF Data website

UNICEF Data

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Where does child marriage occur?

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