metropolitan areas bold, for the other places the metropolitan area and the city are identical
| no. | name | original name | census 1983 | census 2008 | calculation 2013 | latitude | longitude | parent division | name variants |
| 1 | al-Khartum | | | 3 972 979 | 4 291 489 | | | | |
| 2 | Būr Sūdān | بور سودان | 209 938 | | 484 937 | 19.63°N | 37.12°E | al-Bah̨r-al-Ah̨mar | Bur Sudan, Port Sudan, Port Soudan |
| 3 | Kassalā | كسلا | 142 909 | | 368 638 | 15.46°N | 36.39°E | Kassalā | Kassala |
| 4 | Kūstī | كوستي | 91 946 | | 316 647 | 13.17°N | 32.66°E | an-Nīl-al-Abyad̨ | Kusti, Kosti |
| 5 | Niyālā | نيالا | 111 623 | | 291 056 | 12.06°N | 24.89°E | Janūb Dārfūr | Nyālā |
| 6 | al-Ubayyid̨ | الأبيض | 141 528 | | 284 312 | 13.19°N | 30.22°E | Šamāl Kurdufān | al-Ubayyid, El-Obeid, El Obeid, El Obied |
| 7 | Wad Madanī | ود مدنى | 141 065 | | 275 540 | 14.40°N | 33.51°E | al-Jazīrah | Wad Madani, Wad Medani, Wadi Medani, Medani, al-Jazīrah, al-Jazirah, al Jazira, Al Gezira |
| 8 | al-Qad̨ārif | القضارف | 119 002 | | 255 972 | 14.04°N | 35.38°E | al-Qad̨ārif | al-Qadarif, Qadārif, Gedaref, Gadaref |
| 9 | al-Fāšir | الفاشر | 84 533 | | 172 605 | 13.63°N | 25.35°E | Šamāl Dārfūr | al-Fashir, Fāshir, al-Fasher, El Fasher |
| 10 | 'Aţbarah | عطبرة | 73 009 | | 121 583 | 17.71°N | 33.98°E | Nahr-an-Nil | Atbarah, Atbara |
| 11 | al-Junaynah | الجنينة | 55 996 | | 115 036 | 13.45°N | 22.44°E | Ġarb Dārfūr | El Geneina, Ajjinena, Al Genain |
| 12 | Rabak | ربك | 26 693 | | 108 093 | 13.18°N | 32.74°E | an-Nīl-al-Abyad̨ | |
| 13 | ad-Duwaym | الدويم | 38 606 | | 103 046 | 13.99°N | 32.30°E | an-Nīl-al-Abyad̨ | Ed Dueim, Ed Duweim, Ad Duwêm |
| 14 | ad̨-D̨u'ayn | الضعين | 21 666 | | 93 953 | 11.43°N | 26.16°E | Janūb Dārfūr | Ad Da'ein, Ed De'aein |
| 15 | Sinnār | سنار | 42 803 | | 90 574 | 13.55°N | 33.60°E | Sinnār | Sennar, Sannār |
| 16 | ad-Damazīn | الدمازين | 27 591 | | 88 328 | 11.77°N | 34.35°E | an-Nīl-al-Azraq | ad-Damazin, Ed Damazin |
| 17 | al-Manāqil | المناقل | 36 090 | | 85 265 | 14.25°N | 32.98°E | al-Jazīrah | El Managel |
| 18 | H̨alfā al-Jadīdah | حلفا الجديدة | 38 132 | | 85 018 | 15.32°N | 35.58°E | Kassalā | Khalfa al-Jadidah, New Halfa |
| 19 | Kāduqlī | كادقلى | 45 698 | | 75 199 | 11.01°N | 29.70°E | Janūb Kurdufān | Kaduqli, Kadugli |
| 20 | ad-Dāmīr | الدامر | 25 345 | | 70 554 | 17.59°N | 33.96°E | Nahr-an-Nil | ad-Damir, Ed Damer, Ad Damar |
| 21 | an-Nuhūd | النهود | 29 787 | | 67 662 | 12.69°N | 28.42°E | Šamāl Kurdufān | an-Nuhud, An Nahud, En Nahud, El Nahud |