Quick answerPort Sudan is a city in Sudan, with 547,260 people inside the city limits in 2025. It is best known for the Main seaport of Sudan, the Red Sea harbour and the Suakin ruins nearby. Its official languages are Arabic and English, and its currency is the Sudanese pound.
Port Sudan is Sudan's main seaport, with about 547,000 people (2025 estimate). It stands on the Red Sea coast in the east and handles about 90 per cent of the country's foreign trade.
Key facts
| Country | Sudan |
|---|---|
| Population (city) | 547,260 (2025) |
| Elevation | 2 m above sea level |
| Time zone | Africa/Khartoum |
| Language | Arabic, English |
| Currency | Sudanese pound (SDG, ج.س.) |
| Coordinates | 19.6019° N, 37.2075° E |
Overview
Port Sudan is a major port city on the Red Sea in eastern Sudan, and the capital of Red Sea State. It is Sudan's main seaport and the source of about 90 per cent of the country's international trade. The city was estimated at 547,260 people in 2025; the last census count, in 2008, was 394,561. It sits just 2 metres above sea level on the Red Sea shore.
Port Sudan was built in the early 1900s to replace the old coral-built port of Suakin, about 60 kilometres to the south, whose ruined buildings still stand on their island. The new port grew with the railway from Khartoum and the export of cotton, and it became the country's only deep-water harbour. Offshore, the Red Sea reefs around Port Sudan, including the wreck of the Italian ship Umbria, sunk in 1940, are famous dive sites.
Today Port Sudan matters more than ever: during the war that began in April 2023 it became the seat of the Sudanese government and the main entry point for aid, while Khartoum was fought over. Its harbour handles almost everything the country imports and exports, and its population has grown as people displaced by the war have sought safety on the coast.
What Port Sudan is known for
- Main seaport of Sudan
- Red Sea harbour
- Suakin ruins nearby
- Umbria wreck dive site
- Seat of government during the war
- Red Sea coral reefs
Landmarks
- Port Sudan Harbour
- Suakin Island ruins
- Umbria Wreck
- Red Sea coral reefs
- Port Sudan Central Market
- Red Sea coast corniche
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Port Sudan?
About 547,000 people live in Port Sudan (547,260 in a 2025 estimate). The last census count was 394,561 in 2008. The city has grown since the war began in April 2023, as people displaced by the fighting have moved to the Red Sea coast and the government has based itself in the city.
What is Port Sudan famous for?
Port Sudan is famous as Sudan's main seaport, handling about 90 per cent of the country's foreign trade, and as the seat of the government during the war that began in April 2023. It is also known for its Red Sea diving, above all the wreck of the Italian ship Umbria, and for the ruined coral-built port of Suakin nearby.
Where is Port Sudan located?
Port Sudan is in eastern Sudan, on the Red Sea coast, and it is the capital of Red Sea State. It is Sudan's main seaport and sits just 2 metres above sea level. Its coordinates are 19.60° N, 37.21° E, and its time zone is Central Africa Time.
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Keep exploring
- Sudan — the country Port Sudan is in
- Khartoum — another city in Sudan
- Omdurman — another city in Sudan
- Nyala — another city in Sudan
- All cities in Sudan
- All countries — the full list
Sources & last updated
Last updated: . Figures are shown with their year; where sources disagree, the value is left out rather than estimated.