The +249 country code is for Sudan. Not South Sudan -- that's +211 (more on that below). If a number starts with +249, it's Sudan: Khartoum, Omdurman, Port Sudan, Kassala, or anywhere else within the country's borders.

Quick answer: The country code +249 is for Sudan. Sudanese numbers have 9 digits after +249. Mobile numbers start with 9. A Zain mobile looks like +249 91 XXX XXXX. Khartoum landlines use area code 15: +249 15 XXX XXXX.

How to call Sudan: quick reference

Sudan uses a domestic trunk prefix of 0. Drop it when dialing from abroad.

Calling from Dialing format
US/Canada mobile +249 [9-digit number]
US/Canada landline 011-249-[9-digit number]
United Kingdom (UK) 00-249-[9-digit number]
Saudi Arabia 00-249-[9-digit number]
UAE 00-249-[9-digit number]
Egypt 00-249-[9-digit number]
Australia 0011-249-[9-digit number]

Sudan's diaspora is large and spread across the Middle East, East Africa, and the West. The biggest communities are in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt (especially Cairo), the UK (London, Birmingham, Manchester), the US, Canada, and Australia. Since the conflict that began in April 2023, millions of Sudanese have been displaced, and calls between family members separated by the fighting are a lifeline.

Understanding Sudanese phone numbers

All Sudanese phone numbers are 9 digits after the +249 country code. Within Sudan, people add a 0 before the number. Drop that 0 when calling from abroad.

Mobile numbers

Sudan's mobile market is dominated by three operators:

  • Zain Sudan: The largest carrier with the widest coverage. Uses 91 prefix.
  • MTN Sudan: Second largest. Uses 92 and 96 prefixes.
  • Sudani (Sudan Telecom): The state-backed carrier. Uses 90 and 99 prefixes.

All three carriers operate in Khartoum and major cities. Outside urban areas, Zain generally has the best coverage. Before the conflict, Sudan had around 30 million mobile subscribers -- more than half the population. Dual SIM phones are common, though not as universal as in some East African neighbours.

  • Length: 9 digits after +249.
  • Example: Domestic 091-123-4567 becomes +249 91 123 4567 internationally.

Landline numbers (fixed line)

Sudanese landlines use area codes of varying lengths followed by a local number, totalling 9 digits after +249:

  • Khartoum: Area code 15 (covers Khartoum, Omdurman, and Bahri -- the "triple city").
  • Other cities: 2-digit area codes (e.g., 31 for Port Sudan, 41 for Kassala).
  • Trunk prefix: Drop the leading 0 when dialing from abroad.

Landlines in Sudan were already declining before the conflict. Sudatel (now Sudani) operated most of the fixed-line network. In Khartoum's business district, some offices still had landlines, but mobile was the default for most people.

Sudan area codes reference table

Khartoum (area code 15) is the most commonly dialed. The "triple city" of Khartoum, Omdurman, and Khartoum North (Bahri) sits at the confluence of the Blue Nile and White Nile, and all three share the same area code.

City Area code International format
Khartoum / Omdurman / Bahri 15 +249 15 XXX XXXX
Atbara 21 +249 21 XXX XXXX
Port Sudan 31 +249 31 XXX XXXX
Kassala 41 +249 41 XXX XXXX
Wad Madani 51 +249 51 XXX XXXX
El Obeid 61 +249 61 XXX XXXX
Nyala 71 +249 71 XXX XXXX
El Fasher 72 +249 72 XXX XXXX

+249 is Sudan, +211 is South Sudan

This is the most important distinction when dialing. Sudan is +249. South Sudan is +211. South Sudan became independent in 2011 and was assigned its own country code. Before that, the entire country used +249.

Code Country Region
+249 Sudan Northeast Africa
+211 South Sudan East Africa

If you're calling Juba, that's +211. If you're calling Khartoum, that's +249. People who have family on both sides of the border need to keep this straight. The codes aren't even close numerically, but the country names cause confusion -- "Sudan" vs "South Sudan" is enough to make people second-guess which code to use.

Calling during the conflict

The armed conflict that erupted in Khartoum in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces has had severe effects on telecommunications. Cell towers have been damaged or destroyed, internet connectivity has been cut for extended periods, and power outages make it hard to keep phones charged.

What this means for callers:

  • Calls may not connect: If a tower in the recipient's area is down, the call simply won't go through. This doesn't mean the number is wrong -- it means infrastructure is damaged.
  • Try different times: Network availability can fluctuate. A call that fails at noon might work at 2 AM when fewer people are trying to use limited capacity.
  • Port Sudan is more stable: The Red Sea coast city has been less affected and has more reliable connectivity than Khartoum or Darfur.
  • WhatsApp when possible: When internet is available, even briefly, people send voice messages on WhatsApp rather than relying on live calls. A voice message only needs a few seconds of connectivity.
  • Displaced Sudanese: Many people who fled have new numbers in Egypt (+20), Chad (+235), or other countries. Check with family whether the +249 number still works.

The situation changes frequently. A number that was unreachable last month might work today if services are restored in that area.

The carriers: Zain, MTN, Sudani

Zain Sudan has been the market leader for years. It's part of the Zain Group (headquartered in Kuwait) and has the widest geographic coverage. If someone in Sudan gives you a number starting with 91, it's Zain.

MTN Sudan is the South African-headquartered carrier. Prefixes 92 and 96. MTN has solid coverage in urban areas but less reach in rural regions compared to Zain.

Sudani (formerly Canar, merged with Sudatel's mobile arm) is the state-linked operator. Prefixes 90 and 99. Sudani has historically been cheaper but with less consistent service quality.

All three carriers have been affected by the conflict. Tower damage, fuel shortages for generators, and looting of equipment have reduced coverage across the country. Carriers have made efforts to restore service where possible, but the reality is that large parts of Khartoum and Darfur have had intermittent or no coverage since mid-2023.

Time zone: UTC+2

Sudan is on Central Africa Time (CAT, UTC+2) year-round. No daylight saving time. This is the same as Egypt (when Egypt is on standard time) and South Africa.

Your location Time difference Call Sudan 9 AM - 6 PM
US East Coast (EST) Sudan is 7h ahead 2:00 AM - 11:00 AM EST
US East Coast (EDT) Sudan is 6h ahead 3:00 AM - 12:00 PM EDT
US West Coast (PST) Sudan is 10h ahead 11:00 PM - 8:00 AM PST (night before)
UK (GMT) Sudan is 2h ahead 7:00 AM - 4:00 PM GMT
Saudi Arabia (AST) Sudan is 1h behind 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM AST
UAE (GST) Sudan is 2h behind 11:00 AM - 8:00 PM GST
Egypt (EET) Same time zone 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM EET
Australia (AEDT) Sudan is 9h behind 6:00 PM - 3:00 AM AEDT

Tip: For the large Sudanese community in Saudi Arabia, the 1-hour difference is convenient -- evening calls from Riyadh reach Khartoum during their evening too. The UK diaspora has a 2-hour gap, so afternoon calls from London (around 3-4 PM) land at 5-6 PM in Sudan.

The diaspora connection

Sudan has one of the larger African diasporas, and it's grown since 2023 as millions fled the conflict.

  • Saudi Arabia and UAE: The largest concentrations of Sudanese abroad. Workers in Riyadh, Jeddah, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi send money home and call regularly.
  • Egypt: Cairo has a massive Sudanese population, both long-established and recently displaced. Many crossed the border from Khartoum during the 2023 fighting. Since Egypt is +20 and Sudan is +249, people call across this border constantly.
  • United Kingdom: London, Birmingham, and Manchester have established Sudanese communities going back decades.
  • United States: Scattered across several states, but with notable communities in the Washington DC area, Texas, and Ohio.
  • Canada and Australia: Smaller but growing communities, especially since 2023.

For all these communities, the ability to reach family in Sudan by phone is not a convenience -- it's how they confirm people are alive and safe. When networks go down in Khartoum, the silence is terrifying for families abroad.

Internet and calling apps

WhatsApp was the dominant messaging app in Sudan before the conflict and remains so wherever internet access is available. Voice messages are preferred over live calls when bandwidth is limited -- they need less data and can be sent in short bursts of connectivity.

Facebook has high usage among Sudanese, both domestically and in the diaspora. Facebook groups became a way to share information about safety, displacement, and which areas have working phone networks.

Internet access in Sudan has been severely disrupted since April 2023. Repeated shutdowns, damaged infrastructure, and power cuts mean that data connectivity is unreliable in conflict areas. Port Sudan and some eastern cities have more stable internet. When people can get online, they use it intensely -- downloading messages, sending updates, then going offline again when the connection drops.

Before the conflict, mobile data was available in Khartoum and major cities (3G widely, 4G in some areas). Rural Sudan always had limited data coverage, relying mostly on 2G voice.

Mobile vs. landline: how to tell the difference

You can tell by the first digit after +249:

  • Starts with 9: A mobile number (91 Zain, 92/96 MTN, 90/99 Sudani).
  • Starts with 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7: A landline number (city area code).

In practice, almost every call to Sudan is to a mobile number. Landlines were already rare before the conflict and many have been out of service since.

Dialing examples

Here are practical examples for calling different types of Sudanese numbers:

Example 1: Calling a Khartoum landline from the US

  • Sudanese number (domestic): 015-234-5678
  • From a US mobile: +249 15 234 5678
  • From a US landline: 011 249 15 234 5678

Example 2: Calling a Sudanese mobile (Zain) from the US

  • Sudanese number (domestic): 091-123-4567
  • From a US mobile: +249 91 123 4567
  • From a US landline: 011 249 91 123 4567

Example 3: Calling from Saudi Arabia

  • Sudanese number (domestic): 092-345-6789
  • From Saudi Arabia: 00 249 92 345 6789

Example 4: Calling from Egypt

  • Sudanese number (domestic): Any mobile (e.g., 090-567-8901)
  • From Egypt: 00 249 90 567 8901

Common mistakes to avoid

Here are the most common mistakes when dialing the +249 country code:

  • Keeping the leading 0: Sudanese numbers start with 0 domestically. Drop it when dialing +249. Dial +249 91 (not +249 091).
  • Confusing Sudan (+249) with South Sudan (+211): These are different countries with different codes. Juba is +211. Khartoum is +249.
  • Wrong digit count: Sudanese numbers are 9 digits after +249. If you have 8 or 10 digits, check the number.
  • Assuming the call failed because of a wrong number: During the ongoing conflict, calls to Sudan often fail because of network damage, not because the number is wrong. Try again later.
  • Old numbers from before South Sudan split: If you have a very old contact in what is now South Sudan (Juba, Wau, Malakal), the +249 number won't work. They've been on +211 since 2011.

Cheapest ways to call +249 numbers

International calls to Sudan through major carriers can be expensive -- $2-$5 per minute in some cases. Here's how to bring that down:

  • VoIP services: Services like CallSky.io offer competitive per-minute rates to Sudanese mobile and landline numbers. Check our international calling rates.
  • WhatsApp: Free when both sides have internet. The problem is that internet access in Sudan has been unreliable since April 2023. When it works, it's the cheapest option.
  • Calling cards: Sudanese grocery shops and community centres in London, Riyadh, and other diaspora hubs still sell calling cards for Sudan.
  • Carrier add-ons: Some Middle Eastern carriers offer Africa/Sudan calling packages. Check our guide to the best apps for WiFi calling.

Given the current situation, reliability matters as much as price. A VoIP service that routes calls through multiple paths may have a better chance of connecting than a single carrier route.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

What country has the +249 country code?

The +249 country code is for Sudan. South Sudan has a separate code: +211.

How many digits is a Sudanese phone number?

Sudanese phone numbers have 9 digits after the +249 country code. Mobile numbers start with 9 (prefix 91 for Zain, 92/96 for MTN, 90/99 for Sudani). Landlines use area codes starting with 1-7.

What is the area code for Khartoum?

The area code for Khartoum is 15. This covers Khartoum, Omdurman, and Khartoum North (Bahri). Internationally, dial +249 15 followed by the local number.

How do I call Sudan from the USA?

From a mobile phone, dial +249 followed by the 9-digit Sudanese number (drop the leading 0). From a landline, dial the US exit code 011, then 249, then the 9-digit number.

What time zone is Sudan in?

Sudan is on Central Africa Time (CAT, UTC+2) year-round with no daylight saving time.

Is +249 Sudan or South Sudan?

+249 is Sudan. South Sudan uses +211. The codes were separated after South Sudan's independence in 2011.

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