Sudan’s civil war, now in its third year, has pitted the army against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in a devastating struggle for power.The conflict has unleashed the world’s largest displacement crisis, with more than 9.5 million people forced from their homes across Sudan’s 18 states and millions facing starvation.Sudan has large natural resources, including oil, gold and agricultural land that could help feed its people, but the fighting and shifting control of these resources make that impossible.Here are eight maps and charts to show you what resources Sudan has and who controls them:Who controls what in Sudan?The army holds much of the north and the east, including the capital, Khartoum, as well as other key cities along the Nile and the strategic Port Sudan on the Red Sea.The RSF has consolidated its grip on the western region of Darfur, after it captured el-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state, on October 26, having besieged it for nearly 18 months. What are Sudan’s main exports?Three sectors lead: Oil, gold, and agricultural products.In 2023, Sudan’s exports worth $5.09bn were mainly crude oil ($1.13bn), gold ($1.03bn), animal products ($902m), oilseeds ($709m, of which $613m was sesame), and gum arabic ($141m).Sudan is the world’s largest exporter of sesame seeds and gum arabic, which is used as a stabiliser and emulsifier by the global food and beverage industry and goes into pharmaceuticals, supplements, and cosmetics. Who controls Sudan’s agricul …
