South Sudan
Some figures reconciled across multiple sources via Civica's methodology (v0.2 BETA). Methodology →
South Sudan⌘K
Overview
- Background
- South Sudan, which gained independence from Sudan in 2011, is the world’s newest country. Home to a diverse array of mainly Nilotic ethnolinguistic groups that settled in the territory in the 15th through 19th centuries, South Sudanese society is heavily dependent on seasonal migration and seasonal fluctuations in precipitation. Modern-day South Sudan was conquered first by Egypt and later ruled jointly by Egyptian-British colonial administrators in the late 19th century. Christian missionaries helped spread the English language and Christianity in the area, leading to significant cultural differences with the northern part of Sudan, where Arabic and Islam are dominant. When Sudan gained its independence in 1956, the southern region received assurances that it would participate fully in the political system. However, the Arab government in Khartoum reneged on its promises, prompting two periods of civil war (1955-1972 and 1983-2005) in which as many as 2.5 million people died -- mostly civilians -- due largely to starvation and drought. The second Sudanese civil war was one of the deadliest since WWII and left southern Sudanese society devastated. Peace talks resulted in a US-backed Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005, which granted the South six years of autonomy followed by a referendum on final status. The result of this referendum, held in 2011, was a vote of 98% in favor of secession.
Since independence, South Sudan has struggled to form a viable governing system and has been plagued by widespread corruption, political conflict, and communal violence. In 2013, conflict erupted between forces loyal to President Salva KIIR, a Dinka, and forces loyal to Vice President Riek MACHAR, a Nuer. The conflict quickly spread through the country along ethnic lines, killing tens of thousands and creating a humanitarian crisis with millions of South Sudanese displaced. KIIR and MACHAR signed a peace agreement in 2015 that created a Transitional Government of National Unity the next year. However, renewed fighting broke out in Juba between KIIR and MACHAR’s forces, plunging the country back into conflict and drawing in additional armed opposition groups. A "revitalized" peace agreement was signed in 2018, mostly ending the fighting and laying the groundwork for a unified national army, a transitional government, and elections. The transitional government was formed in 2020, when MACHAR returned to Juba as first vice president. Since 2020, implementation of the peace agreement has been stalled amid wrangling over power-sharing, which has contributed to an uptick in communal violence and the country’s worst food crisis since independence, with 7 of 11 million South Sudanese citizens in need of humanitarian assistance. The transitional period was extended an additional two years in 2022, pushing elections to late 2024.
Geography
Area
- Land
- NA
- Water
- NA
- Total
- 644,329 sq km
- Climate
- hot with seasonal rainfall influenced by the annual shift of the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone; rainfall heaviest in upland areas of the south and diminishes to the north
- Terrain
- plains in the north and center rise to southern highlands along the border with Uganda and Kenya; the White Nile, flowing north out of the uplands of Central Africa, is the major geographic feature of the country; The Sudd (a name derived from floating vegetation that hinders navigation) is a large swampy area of more than 100,000 sq km fed by the waters of the White Nile that dominates the center of the country
Land Use
- Other
- 43.8% (2023 est.)
- Forest
- 11.3% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land
- 44.9% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: arable land
- arable land: 3.9% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent crops
- permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent pasture
- permanent pasture: 40.8% (2023 est.)
- Location
- East-Central Africa; south of Sudan, north of Uganda and Kenya, west of Ethiopia
- Coastline
- 0 km (landlocked)
Elevation
- Lowest point
- White Nile 381 m
- Highest point
- Kinyeti 3,187 m
- Irrigated land
- 1,000 sq km (2012)
- Map references
- Africa
Land Boundaries
- Note
- note: South Sudan-Sudan boundary represents 1 January 1956 alignment; final alignment pending negotiations and demarcation; final sovereignty status of Abyei Area pending negotiations between South Sudan and Sudan
- Total
- 6,018 km
- Border countries
- Central African Republic 1,055 km; Democratic Republic of the Congo 714 km; Ethiopia 1,299 km; Kenya 317 km; Sudan 2,158 km; Uganda 475 km
- Maritime claims
- none (landlocked)
- Geography note
- landlocked; The Sudd is a vast swamp in the north central region of South Sudan, formed by the White Nile; its size is variable but can reach some 15% of the country's total area during the rainy season; it is one of the world's largest wetlands
- Natural resources
- hydropower, fertile agricultural land, gold, diamonds, petroleum, hardwoods, limestone, iron ore, copper, chromium ore, zinc, tungsten, mica, silver
- Area comparative
- more than four times the size of Georgia; slightly smaller than Texas
- Geographic coordinates
- 8 00 N, 30 00 E
- Population distribution
- clusters found in urban areas, particularly in the western interior and around the White Nile, as shown in this population distribution map
Major Watersheds (Area Sq Km)
- Atlantic ocean drainage
- Congo (3,730,881 sq km), (Mediterranean Sea) Nile (3,254,853 sq km)
- Major rivers (BY length in km)
- Nile (shared with Rwanda [s], Tanzania, Uganda, Sudan, and Egypt [m]) - 6,650 km
note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
People & Society
Languages
- Languages
- English (official), Arabic (includes Juba and Sudanese variants), ethnic languages include Dinka, Nuer, Bari, Zande, Shilluk
- Major language sample(s)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. (English)
كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)
- Religions
- Christian 60.5%, folk religion 32.9%, Muslim 6.2%, other <1%, unaffiliated <1% (2020 est.)
Sex Ratio
- At birth
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- 0 14 years
- 1.04 male(s)/female
- 15 64 years
- 1.03 male(s)/female
- Total population
- 1.04 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
- 65 years and over
- 1.22 male(s)/female
- Birth rate
- 35.68 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
- Death rate
- 8.65 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Median Age
- Male
- 18.7 years
- Total
- 18.7 years (2025 est.)
- Female
- 18.7 years
Population
- Male
- 6,476,341
- Total
- 12,703,714 (2024 est.)
- Female
- 6,227,373
Nationality
- Noun
- South Sudanese (singular and plural)
- Adjective
- South Sudanese
Urbanization
- Urban population
- 21.2% of total population (2023)
- Rate of urbanization
- 4.12% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Age Structure
- 0 14 years
- 42.1% (male 2,725,520/female 2,619,035)
- 15 64 years
- 55.3% (male 3,568,064/female 3,458,804)
- 65 years and over
- 2.6% (2024 est.) (male 182,757/female 149,534)
- Ethnic groups
- Dinka (Jieng) approximately 35-40%, Nuer (Naath) approximately 15%, Shilluk (Chollo), Azande, Bari, Kakwa, Kuku, Murle, Mandari, Didinga, Ndogo, Bviri, Lndi, Anuak, Bongo, Lango, Dungotona, Acholi, Baka, Fertit (2011 est.)
Dependency Ratios
- Total dependency ratio
- 80.8 (2024 est.)
- Youth dependency ratio
- 76.1 (2024 est.)
- Potential support ratio
- 21.1 (2024 est.)
- Elderly dependency ratio
- 4.7 (2024 est.)
- Physician density
- 0.04 physicians/1,000 population (2022)
Health Expenditure
- Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
- 5.9% of GDP (2021)
- Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
- 2.1% of national budget (2022 est.)
- Net migration rate
- 18.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
- Total fertility rate
- 4.98 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Drinking Water Source
- Improved: rural
- rural: 33.6% of population (2022 est.)
- Improved: total
- total: 41.2% of population (2022 est.)
- Improved: urban
- urban: 70% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: rural
- rural: 66.4% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: total
- total: 58.8% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: urban
- urban: 30% of population (2022 est.)
Education Expenditure
- Education expenditure (% GDP)
- 1.6% of GDP (2016 est.)
- Education expenditure (% national budget)
- 3.3% national budget (2015 est.)
Infant Mortality Rate
- Male
- 65.8 deaths/1,000 live births
- Total
- 58.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
- Female
- 54.1 deaths/1,000 live births
- Population growth rate
- 4.52% (2025 est.)
- Gross reproduction rate
- 2.43 (2025 est.)
- Population distribution
- clusters found in urban areas, particularly in the western interior and around the White Nile, as shown in this population distribution map
Life Expectancy at Birth
- Male
- 58.4 years
- Female
- 62.2 years
- Total population
- 60.3 years (2024 est.)
- Maternal mortality ratio
- 692 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Sanitation Facility Access
- Improved: rural
- rural: 15.5% of population (2022 est.)
- Improved: total
- total: 24.9% of population (2022 est.)
- Improved: urban
- urban: 60.6% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: rural
- rural: 84.5% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: total
- total: 75.1% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: urban
- urban: 39.4% of population (2022 est.)
- Major urban areas population
- 459,000 JUBA (capital) (2023)
- Obesity adult prevalence rate
- 6.6% (2014)
Government
Civica · structure
How power is organised
ExecutiveLegislative
- Flag
- description: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green; the red band is edged in white; a five-pointed gold star is in the middle of a blue isosceles triangle based on the left side
meaning: black stands for the people, red for the blood shed in the struggle for freedom, green for the land, and blue for the Nile; the gold star represents the unity of the country's states
Capital
- Name
- Juba
- Etymology
- the name comes from the name of a small Bari village that was located near the present-day city
- Time difference
- UTC+2 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- Geographic coordinates
- 04 51 N, 31 37 E
- Suffrage
- 18 years of age; universal
Citizenship
- Citizenship BY birth
- no
- Citizenship BY descent only
- at least one parent must be a citizen of South Sudan
- Dual citizenship recognized
- yes
- Residency requirement for naturalization
- 10 years
Constitution
- History
- previous 2005 (pre-independence); latest signed 7 July 2011, effective 9 July 2011 (Transitional Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan, 2011)
- Amendment process
- proposed by the National Legislature or by the president of the republic; passage requires submission of the proposal to the Legislature at least one month prior to consideration, approval by at least two-thirds majority vote in both houses of the Legislature, and assent of the president
Country Name
- Etymology
- self-descriptive name from the country's geographic position within Sudan prior to independence; the name Sudan derives from the Arabic balad-as-sudan, meaning "Land of the Black [peoples]"
- Conventional long form
- Republic of South Sudan
- Conventional short form
- South Sudan
- Independence
- 9 July 2011 (from Sudan)
- Government type
- presidential republic
Judicial Branch
- Note
- note: in mid-2022, the Government of South Sudan inaugurated an ad-hoc judiciary committee, a 12-member body led by two eminent jurists, that is charged with reviewing relevant laws, advising on judicial reform, and restructuring the judiciary
- Highest court(s)
- Supreme Court of South Sudan (consists of a chief justice, deputy chief justice, and 5 additional justices); the 2011 Transitional Constitution of South Sudan calls for 9, rather than 5 additional justices
- Subordinate courts
- national level - Courts of Appeal; High Courts; County Courts; state level - High Courts; County Courts; customary courts; other specialized courts and tribunals
- Judge selection and term of office
- the 2011 Transitional Constitution of South Sudan calls for the establishment of a Judicial Service Council to recommend prospective justices to the president, and for the justices' tenures to be set by the National Legislature
Executive Branch
- Note
- note: the president is both chief of state and head of government
- Cabinet
- National Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved by the Transitional National Legislative Assembly
- Chief of state
- President Salva KIIR Mayardit (since 9 July 2011)
- Election results
2010: Salva KIIR Mayardit elected leader of then-Southern Sudan; percent of vote - Salva KIIR Mayardit (SPLM) 93%, Lam AKOL (SPLM-DC) 7%- Head of government
- President Salva KIIR Mayardit (since 9 July 2011)
- Most recent election date
- 11-15 April 2010
- Election/appointment process
- president directly elected by simple-majority popular vote for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term)
- Expected date of next election
- scheduled for 2015 but has been postponed multiple times, currently to be held in December 2026
- National holiday
- Independence Day, 9 July (2011)
- National color(s)
- red, green, blue, yellow, black, white
- Political parties
- Democratic Change or DC
Democratic Forum or DF
Labour Party or LPSS
South Sudan Opposition Alliance or SSOA
Sudan African National Union or SANU
Sudan People's Liberation Movement or SPLM
Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-In Opposition or SPLM-IO
United Democratic Salvation Front or UDSF
United South Sudan African Party or USSAP
United South Sudan Party or USSP
Legislative Branch
- Legislature name
- Législature nationale (National Legislature)
- Legislative structure
- bicameral
National Anthem(s)
- Title
- "South Sudan Oyee!" (South Sudan, Hooray!)
- History
- adopted 2011; anthem selected in a national contest
- Lyrics/music
- collective/Mido SAMUEL and Juba University students
- National symbol(s)
- African fish eagle
- Administrative divisions
- 10 states; Central Equatoria, Eastern Equatoria, Jonglei, Lakes, Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Unity, Upper Nile, Warrap, Western Bahr el Ghazal, Western Equatoria
Legislative Branch Lower Chamber
- Chamber name
- Transitional National Legislative Assembly (Al-Majlis Al-Tachirii)
- Number of seats
- 550 (all appointed)
- Scope of elections
- full renewal
- Most recent election date
- 5/10/2021
- Expected date of next election
- December 2026
- Percentage of women in chamber
- 32.4%
Legislative Branch Upper Chamber
- Chamber name
- Council of States (Al-Watani)
- Number of seats
- 100 (all appointed)
- Scope of elections
- full renewal
- Most recent election date
- 8/2/2021
- Expected date of next election
- December 2026
- Percentage of women in chamber
- 32.1%
Diplomatic Representation in the US
- Fax
- [1] (202) 644-9910
- Chancery
- 1015 31st Street NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20007
- Telephone
- [1] (202) 600-2238
- Chief of mission
- Ambassador Santino Fardol Watod DICKEN (since 18 September 2024)
- Email address and website
info.ssdembassy@gmail.com
https://www.ssembassydc.org/
Diplomatic Representation from the US
- Embassy
- Kololo Road adjacent to the EU's compound, Juba
- Telephone
- [211] 912-105-188
- Mailing address
- 4420 Juba Place, Washington DC 20521-4420
- Chief of mission
- Ambassador Michael J. ADLER (since 24 August 2022)
- Email address and website
ACSJuba@state.gov
https://ss.usembassy.gov/
- International organisations
- AU, EAC, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOM, IPU, ITU, MIGA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WMO
Legislature
SOUTH SUDAN · LOWER HOUSE
Transitional National Legislative Assembly
550 seats · hover a seat for the party
Total seats
550
Majority line
276
Largest party
Sudan People's Liberation Movement
Parties
2
All political parties
Upper house
SOUTH SUDAN · UPPER HOUSE
Council of States
100 seats · hover a seat for the party
Total seats
100
Majority line
51
Largest party
Sudan People's Liberation Movement
Parties
2
All political parties
Leaders
Current
Salva Kiir Mayardit
- Head of State
- Head of Government
Economy
Budget
- Note
- note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
- Revenues
- $2.513 billion (2023 est.)
- Expenditures
- $1.984 billion (2023 est.)
Exports
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $4.652 billion (2021 est.)
- Note
- note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
- Exports 2021
- $4.652 billion (2021 est.)
- Exports 2022
- $5.811 billion (2022 est.)
- Exports 2023
- $4.499 billion (2023 est.)
Imports
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $4.037 billion (2021 est.)
- Note
- note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
- Imports 2021
- $4.037 billion (2021 est.)
- Imports 2022
- $6.402 billion (2022 est.)
- Imports 2023
- $4.443 billion (2023 est.)
- Labor force
- 5.091 million (2023 est.)
Public Debt
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 86.6% of GDP (2016 est.)
- Public debt 2016
- 86.6% of GDP (2016 est.)
Remittances
- Note
- note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
- Remittances 2013
- 0% of GDP (2013 est.)
- Remittances 2014
- 0% of GDP (2014 est.)
- Remittances 2015
- 9.5% of GDP (2015 est.)
Exchange Rates
- Currency
- South Sudanese pounds (SSP) per US dollar -
- Exchange rates 2020
- 165.907 (2020 est.)
- Exchange rates 2021
- 306.355 (2021 est.)
- Exchange rates 2022
- 534.511 (2022 est.)
- Exchange rates 2023
- 930.331 (2023 est.)
- Exchange rates 2024
- 2,163.104 (2024 est.)
- Economic overview
- low-income, oil-based Sahelian economy; extreme poverty and food insecurity; COVID-19 and ongoing violence threaten socioeconomic potential; environmentally fragile; ongoing land and property rights issues; natural resource rich but lacks infrastructure
Unemployment Rate
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 12.4%
- Note
- note: % of labor force seeking employment
- Unemployment rate 2021
- 14.1% (2021 est.)
- Unemployment rate 2022
- 12.6% (2022 est.)
- Unemployment rate 2023
- 12.5% (2023 est.)
- Exports partners
- China 51%, Singapore 29%, UAE 10%, Germany 4%, Uganda 3% (2023)
- Imports partners
- Uganda 33%, UAE 26%, Kenya 14%, China 10%, USA 3% (2023)
Real GDP Per Capita
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $400 (2023 est.)
- Note
- note: data in 2015 dollars
- Real GDP per capita 2021
- $400 (2021 est.)
- Real GDP per capita 2022
- $400 (2022 est.)
- Real GDP per capita 2023
- $400 (2023 est.)
Real GDP Growth Rate
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 3.0%
- Note
- note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
- Real GDP growth rate 2015
- -10.8% (2015 est.)
- Real GDP growth rate 2016
- -13.9% (2016 est.)
- Real GDP growth rate 2017
- -5.2% (2017 est.)
- Agricultural products
- milk, cassava, sorghum, goat milk, vegetables, fruits, groundnuts, sesame seeds, beef, maize (2023)
- Exports commodities
- crude petroleum, refined petroleum, forage crops, gold, scrap iron (2023)
- Imports commodities
- garments, cement, other foods, iron bars, cereal flours (2023)
Current Account Balance
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $577.9M
- Note
- note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
- Current account balance 2021
- -$6.55 million (2021 est.)
- Current account balance 2022
- -$596.748 million (2022 est.)
- Current account balance 2023
- $577.9 million (2023 est.)
- GDP (official exchange rate)
- $4.629 billion (2023 est.)
- Population below poverty line
- 82.3% (2016 est.)
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 91.4%
- Note
- note: annual % change based on consumer prices
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
- -6.7% (2022 est.)
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023
- 2.4% (2023 est.)
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024
- 91.4% (2024 est.)
- Industrial production growth rate
- -36.8% (2015 est.)
Real GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $6.752 billion (2023 est.)
- Note
- note: data in 2015 dollars
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021
- $6.945 billion (2021 est.)
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
- $6.585 billion (2022 est.)
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
- $6.752 billion (2023 est.)
Youth Unemployment Rate (Ages 15 24)
- Male
- 19.4% (2023 est.)
- Note
- note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
- Total
- 18.5% (2023 est.)
- Female
- 17.6% (2023 est.)
Reserves of Foreign Exchange and Gold
- Note
- note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
- Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021
- $341.932 million (2021 est.)
- Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022
- $94.914 million (2022 est.)
- Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023
- $72.881 million (2023 est.)
GDP Composition, BY Sector of Origin
- Note
- note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
- Industry
- 33.1% (2015 est.)
- Services
- 56.6% (2015 est.)
- Agriculture
- 10.4% (2015 est.)
Household Income or Consumption BY Percentage Share
- Note
- note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
- Lowest 10%
- 1.8% (2016 est.)
- Highest 10%
- 33% (2016 est.)
Gini Index Coefficient Distribution of Family Income
- Note
- note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
- Gini index coefficient distribution of family income 2016
- 44 (2016 est.)
Energy
Coal
- Imports
- 100 metric tons (2022 est.)
Petroleum
- Total petroleum production
- 146,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
- Crude oil estimated reserves
- 3.75 billion barrels (2021 est.)
- Refined petroleum consumption
- 11,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Electricity
- Consumption
- 566.034 million kWh (2023 est.)
- Installed generating capacity
- 136,000 kW (2023 est.)
- Transmission/distribution losses
- 23.966 million kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity Access
- Electrification rural areas
- 1.7%
- Electrification urban areas
- 15%
- Electrification total population
- 8.4% (2022 est.)
Energy Consumption Per Capita
- Total energy consumption per capita 2023
- 2.092 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Electricity Generation Sources
- Solar
- 6.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Fossil fuels
- 93.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Communications
Internet Users
- Percent of population
- 9% (2022 est.)
- Broadcast media
- 1 state-controlled TV channel and radio station; several community and commercial FM stations, mostly sponsored by outside aid donors; some foreign radio broadcasts available (2019)
- Internet country code
- .ss
Telephones Fixed Lines
- Total subscriptions
- 0 (2023 est.)
- Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- (2023 est.) less than 1
Telephones Mobile Cellular
- Total subscriptions
- 6.17 million (2023 est.)
- Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- 30 (2022 est.)
Broadband Fixed Subscriptions
- Total
- 0 (2023 est.)
- Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- (2023 est.) less than 1
Transport
- Airports
- 89 (2025)
Railways
- Note
- note: a narrow gauge, single-track railroad between Babonosa (Sudan) and Wau, the only existing rail system, was repaired in 2010 with $250 million in UN funds, but is not currently operational
- Total
- 248 km (2018)
- Heliports
- 2 (2025)
- Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
- Z8
Environment
- Climate
- hot with seasonal rainfall influenced by the annual shift of the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone; rainfall heaviest in upland areas of the south and diminishes to the north
Land Use
- Other
- 43.8% (2023 est.)
- Forest
- 11.3% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land
- 44.9% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: arable land
- arable land: 3.9% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent crops
- permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent pasture
- permanent pasture: 40.8% (2023 est.)
Urbanization
- Urban population
- 21.2% of total population (2023)
- Rate of urbanization
- 4.12% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Methane Emissions
- Other
- 12.7 kt (2019-2021 est.)
- Waste
- 120.2 kt (2019-2021 est.)
- Energy
- 59.4 kt (2022-2024 est.)
- Agriculture
- 696 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Waste and Recycling
- Municipal solid waste generated annually
- 2.681 million tons (2024 est.)
- Environmental issues
- water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water; wildlife conservation and loss of biodiversity; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; drought
Total Water Withdrawal
- Municipal
- 193 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
- Industrial
- 225 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
- Agricultural
- 240 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Carbon Dioxide Emissions
- Total emissions
- 1.725 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- From petroleum and other liquids
- 1.725 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- Particulate matter emissions
- 20.6 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
- Total renewable water resources
- 49.5 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
International Environmental Agreements
- Party to
- Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
- Signed, but not ratified
- none of the selected agreements
Military & Security
- Military note
- the South Sudan People's Defense Forces (SSPDF) are largely focused on border and internal security; areas of concern include disputed national borders, conflict spillover from neighboring Sudan, banditry, and armed rebel groups and militias that continue to operate in the country since the civil war ended in 2020
the SSPDF, formerly the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA), was founded as a guerrilla movement against the Sudanese Government in 1983 and participated in the Second Sudanese Civil War (1983-2005); the Juba Declaration that followed the Comprehensive Peace Agreement of 2005 unified the SPLA and the South Sudan Defense Forces (SSDF), the second-largest rebel militia remaining from the civil war, under the SPLA name; in 2017, the SPLA was renamed the South Sudan Defense Forces (SSDF) and in September 2018 was renamed again as the SSPDF
the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has operated in the country since 2011 with the objectives of consolidating peace and security and helping establish conditions for the successful economic and political development of South Sudan; UNMISS has about 18,000 personnel assigned; the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) has operated in the disputed Abyei region along the border between Sudan and South Sudan since 2011; its mission includes ensuring security, protecting civilians, strengthening the capacity of the Abyei Police Service, de-mining, monitoring/verifying the redeployment of armed forces from the area, and facilitating the flow of humanitarian aid; UNISFA has approximately 3,800 personnel assigned (2025)
Military Expenditures
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 2.0%
- Military expenditures 2020
- 2% of GDP (2020 est.)
- Military expenditures 2021
- 2% of GDP (2021 est.)
- Military expenditures 2022
- 2% of GDP (2022 est.)
- Military expenditures 2023
- 2% of GDP (2023 est.)
- Military expenditures 2024
- 2% of GDP (2024 est.)
- Military and security forces
- South Sudan People’s Defense Force (SSPDF): Land Forces (includes Presidential Guard), Air Forces, Marine (Riverine) Forces, Reserve Forces; National (or Necessary) Unified Forces (NUF)
Ministry of Interior: South Sudan National Police Service (SSNPS) (2025) - Military service age and obligation
- 18 (legal minimum age)-35 for voluntary military service for men and women; 12-24 months service (2025)
- Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
- the SSPDF inventory is a mix of primarily of Soviet-era armaments alongside limited quantities of more modern equipment such as armored personnel carriers from UAE (2025)
- Military and security service personnel strengths
- information varies; estimated 150-200,000 active Defense Forces (2025)
Transnational Issues
Trafficking in Persons
- Tier rating
- Tier 3 — South Sudan does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so, therefore, South Sudan remained on Tier 3; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/south-sudan/
Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons
- Idps
- 1,359,795 (2024 est.)
- Refugees
- 517,471 (2024 est.)
- Stateless persons
- 18,000 (2024 est.)
Scores & Rankings
ScoreValueGlobal rankTrendAs of
Civica Index7.0 / 100as of 2024-Q4190 / 190−12.02024-Q4
V-Dem Liberal Democracy0.07as of 2024-Q4147 / 170+0.052024-Q4
Freedom House StatusNot Free (0/100)as of 2024-Q4—−7.02024-Q4
Press Freedom (RSF)Partly free (50/100)as of 2024—2024
Human Development Index0.381as of 2022—2022
Corruption Perceptions Index13 / 100as of 2023177 / 1802023
Cite this page
Cite this page
Civica. (2026). Civica Atlas — South Sudan — vintage 2026-Q1: South Sudan factbook. Civica Atlas. Retrieved May 7, 2026, from https://civicaatlas.org/factbook/south-sudan
Sources: FAO FAOSTAT, ILO ILOSTAT, IMF (WEO), UN Statistics Division, UNDP HDR, UNESCO Institute for Statistics, V-Dem, WHO Global Health Observatory, World Bank, WTO Stats, CIA World Factbook, Wikidata