Communications: Broadband - fixed subscriptions: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
(2023 est.) less than 1
Communications: Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total
0 (2023 est.)
Communications: 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)
Communications: Internet country code
.ss
Communications: Internet users: percent of population
6.67% (2019 est.)
Communications: Telephones - fixed lines: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
(2023 est.) less than 1
Communications: Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions
0 (2023 est.)
Communications: Telephones - mobile cellular: subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
30 (2022 est.)
Communications: Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions
6.17 million (2023 est.)
Economy: Agricultural products
milk, cassava, sorghum, goat milk, vegetables, fruits, groundnuts, sesame seeds, beef, maize (2023)
Economy: Budget: expenditures
$1.984 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Budget: revenues
$2.513 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2014
-$790.2 million (2014 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2015
-$500.2 million (2015 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2016
-$215.7 million (2016 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2017
$281.7 million (2017 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2018
-$315.6 million (2018 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2019
-$193.9 million (2019 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2020
-$1.718 billion (2020 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2021
-$6.55 million (2021 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2022
-$596.748 million (2022 est.)
Economy: Current account balance: Current account balance 2023
$577.9 million (2023 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates
2163.104 (2024 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Currency
South Sudanese pounds (SSP) per US dollar -
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2013
2.9500 (2013 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2014
2.9500 (2014 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2015
3.6042 (2015 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2016
46.7292 (2016 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2017
113.647 (2017 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2018
141.386 (2018 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2019
157.999 (2019 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2020
165.907 (2020 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2021
306.355 (2021 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2022
534.511 (2022 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2023
930.331 (2023 est.)
Economy: Exchange rates: Exchange rates 2024
2163.104 (2024 est.)
Economy: Exports - commodities
crude petroleum, refined petroleum, forage crops, gold, scrap iron (2023)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2011
$9.850 billion (2011 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2014
$5.360 billion (2014 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2015
$4.397 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2021
$4.652 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2022
$5.811 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Exports: Exports 2023
$4.499 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture
10.4% (2015 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: industry
33.1% (2015 est.)
Economy: GDP - composition, by sector of origin: services
56.6% (2015 est.)
Economy: GDP - per capita (PPP)
$1,155 (2015 est.)
Economy: GDP (official exchange rate)
$4.629 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: GDP (purchasing power parity) - real
$12.828 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income: Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2016
44.0 (2016 est.)
Economy: Household income or consumption by percentage share: highest 10%
33% (2016 est.)
Economy: Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%
1.8% (2016 est.)
Economy: Imports - commodities
garments, cement, other foods, iron bars, cereal flours (2023)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2010
$4.309 billion (2010 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2015
$3.467 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2021
$4.037 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2022
$6.402 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Imports: Imports 2023
$4.443 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Industrial production growth rate
-36.8% (2015 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2015
52.77% (2015 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2016
380.00% (2016 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017
187.85% (2017 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018
83.50% (2018 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019
87.24% (2019 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020
29.68% (2020 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021
10.52% (2021 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
-6.69% (2022 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023
2.38% (2023 est.)
Economy: Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024
91.44% (2024 est.)
Economy: Labor force
5.091 million (2023 est.)
Economy: Population below poverty line
82.30% (2016 est.)
Economy: Public debt: Public debt 2016
86.6% of GDP (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2014
$15.423 billion (2014 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2015
$12.828 billion (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021
$6.945 billion (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
$6.585 billion (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
$6.752 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2015
-10.79% (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2016
-13.9% (2016 est.)
Economy: Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2017
-5.2% (2017 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2014
$1,373 (2014 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2015
$1,155 (2015 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2021
$400 (2021 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2022
$400 (2022 est.)
Economy: Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2023
$400 (2023 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2013
0% of GDP (2013 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2014
$2.0 million (2014 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2015
9.5% of GDP (2015 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2020
$86.5 million (2020 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2021
$135.0 million (2021 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2022
$267.3 million (2022 est.)
Economy: Remittances: Remittances 2023
$1.175 billion (2023 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2015
$229.9 million (2015 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2016
$68.2 million (2016 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2017
$33.8 million (2017 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2018
$36.4 million (2018 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2019
$378.3 million (2019 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2020
$183.6 million (2020 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021
$341.932 million (2021 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022
$94.914 million (2022 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023
$72.881 million (2023 est.)
Economy: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024
$16.0 million (2024 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2019
12.66% (2019 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2020
14.25% (2020 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2021
13.95% (2021 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2022
12.47% (2022 est.)
Economy: Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2023
12.37% (2023 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): female
17.6% (2023 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): male
19.4% (2023 est.)
Economy: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): total
18.5% (2023 est.)
Energy: Coal: imports
100 metric tons (2022 est.)
Energy: Electricity access: electrification - rural areas
1.7%
Energy: Electricity access: electrification - total population
8.4% (2022 est.)
Energy: Electricity access: electrification - urban areas
15%
Energy: Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels
93.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity generation sources: solar
6.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: consumption
566.034 million kWh (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: installed generating capacity
136,000 kW (2023 est.)
Energy: Electricity: transmission/distribution losses
23.966 million kWh (2023 est.)
Energy: Energy consumption per capita: Total energy consumption per capita 2023
2.092 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Energy: Petroleum: crude oil estimated reserves
3.75 billion barrels (2021 est.)
Energy: Petroleum: refined petroleum consumption
11,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Energy: Petroleum: total petroleum production
146,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: from petroleum and other liquids
1.725 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Environment: Carbon dioxide emissions: total emissions
1.725 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
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
Environment: Environmental issues
water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water; wildlife conservation and loss of biodiversity; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; drought
Environment: International environmental agreements: party to
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
Environment: International environmental agreements: signed, but not ratified
none of the selected agreements
Environment: Land use: agricultural land
44.9% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 3.9% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 40.8% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: forest
11.3% (2023 est.)
Environment: Land use: other
43.8% (2023 est.)
Environment: Methane emissions: agriculture
696 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Environment: Methane emissions: energy
59.4 kt (2022-2024 est.)
Environment: Methane emissions: other
12.7 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Environment: Methane emissions: waste
120.2 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Environment: Particulate matter emissions
20.6 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Environment: Total renewable water resources
49.5 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Total water withdrawal: agricultural
240 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Total water withdrawal: industrial
225 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Total water withdrawal: municipal
193 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Environment: Urbanization: rate of urbanization
4.12% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Environment: Urbanization: urban population
21.38% (2024 est.)
Environment: Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually
2.681 million tons (2024 est.)
Geography: Area - comparative
more than four times the size of Georgia; slightly smaller than Texas
Geography: Area: water
NA
Geography: Coastline
0 km (landlocked)
Geography: Elevation: highest point
Kinyeti 3,187 m
Geography: Elevation: lowest point
White Nile 381 m
Geography: Geographic coordinates
8 00 N, 30 00 E
Geography: 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
Geography: Irrigated land
1,000 sq km (2012)
Geography: Land boundaries: 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
Geography: Land boundaries: total
6,018 km
Geography: Land use: agricultural land
44.9% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 3.9% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 40.8% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: forest
11.3% (2023 est.)
Geography: Land use: other
43.8% (2023 est.)
Geography: 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
Geography: Major watersheds (area sq km): Atlantic Ocean drainage
Congo (3,730,881 sq km), (Mediterranean Sea) Nile (3,254,853 sq km)
Geography: Map references
Africa
Geography: Maritime claims
none (landlocked)
Geography: Population distribution
clusters found in urban areas, particularly in the western interior and around the White Nile, as shown in this population distribution map
Geography: 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
Government: Administrative divisions
10 states; Central Equatoria, Eastern Equatoria, Jonglei, Lakes, Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Unity, Upper Nile, Warrap, Western Bahr el Ghazal, Western Equatoria
Government: Capital: etymology
the name comes from the name of a small Bari village that was located near the present-day city
Government: Capital: geographic coordinates
04 51 N, 31 37 E
Government: Capital: time difference
UTC+2 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Government: Citizenship: citizenship by birth
no
Government: Citizenship: citizenship by descent only
at least one parent must be a citizen of South Sudan
Government: Citizenship: dual citizenship recognized
yes
Government: Citizenship: residency requirement for naturalization
10 years
Government: Constitution: 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
Government: Constitution: history
previous 2005 (pre-independence); latest signed 7 July 2011, effective 9 July 2011 (Transitional Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan, 2011)
Government: Country name: conventional short form
South Sudan
Government: 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]"
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission
Ambassador Michael J. ADLER (since 24 August 2022)
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: email address and website
ACSJuba@state.gov https://ss.usembassy.gov/
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: embassy
Kololo Road adjacent to the EU's compound, Juba
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: mailing address
4420 Juba Place, Washington DC 20521-4420
Government: Diplomatic representation from the US: telephone
[211] 912-105-188
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: chancery
1015 31st Street NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20007
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission
Ambassador Santino Fardol Watod DICKEN (since 18 September 2024)
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: email address and website
info.ssdembassy@gmail.com https://www.ssembassydc.org/
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: FAX
[1] (202) 644-9910
Government: Diplomatic representation in the US: telephone
[1] (202) 600-2238
Government: Executive branch: cabinet
National Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved by the Transitional National Legislative Assembly
Government: Executive branch: chief of state
President Salva KIIR Mayardit (since 9 July 2011)
Government: Executive branch: 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%
Government: Executive branch: election/appointment process
president directly elected by simple-majority popular vote for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term)
Government: Executive branch: expected date of next election
scheduled for 2015 but has been postponed multiple times, currently to be held in December 2026
Government: Executive branch: head of government
President Salva KIIR Mayardit (since 9 July 2011)
Government: Executive branch: most recent election date
11-15 April 2010
Government: 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
Government: International organization participation
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
Government: Judicial branch: 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
Government: Judicial branch: 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
Government: Judicial branch: subordinate courts
national level - Courts of Appeal; High Courts; County Courts; state level - High Courts; County Courts; customary courts; other specialized courts and tribunals
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: chamber name
Transitional National Legislative Assembly (Al-Majlis Al-Tachirii)
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: expected date of next election
December 2026
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: most recent election date
5/10/2021
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: number of seats
550 (all appointed)
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: percentage of women in chamber
32.4%
Government: Legislative branch - lower chamber: scope of elections
full renewal
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: chamber name
Council of States (Al-Watani)
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: expected date of next election
December 2026
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: most recent election date
8/2/2021
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: number of seats
100 (all appointed)
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: percentage of women in chamber
32.1%
Government: Legislative branch - upper chamber: scope of elections
full renewal
Government: Legislative branch: legislative structure
bicameral
Government: Legislative branch: legislature name
Législature nationale (National Legislature)
Government: National anthem(s): history
adopted 2011; anthem selected in a national contest
Government: National anthem(s): lyrics/music
collective/Mido SAMUEL and Juba University students
Government: National color(s)
red, green, blue, yellow, black, white
Government: National holiday
Independence Day, 9 July (2011)
Government: National symbol(s)
African fish eagle
Government: 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
Government: Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Introduction: 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.
Military and 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 and Security: 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 and Security: Military and security service personnel strengths
information varies; estimated 150-200,000 active Defense Forces (2025)
Military and Security: 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: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2015
8.60% (2015 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2016
4.85% (2016 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2017
3.99% (2017 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2018
4.77% (2018 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2019
3.80% (2019 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2020
1.87% (2020 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2021
1.51% (2021 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2022
1.57% (2022 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2023
2.10% (2023 est.)
Military and Security: Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2024
1.96% (2024 est.)
Military and Security: Military service age and obligation
18 (legal minimum age)-35 for voluntary military service for men and women; 12-24 months service (2025)
People and Society: Age structure: 0-14 years
42.1% (male 2,725,520/female 2,619,035)
People and Society: Age structure: 15-64 years
55.3% (male 3,568,064/female 3,458,804)
People and Society: Age structure: 65 years and over
2.6% (2024 est.) (male 182,757/female 149,534)
People and Society: Birth rate
35.68 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Current health expenditure
11.61% (2023 est.)
People and Society: Death rate
8.65 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: elderly dependency ratio
4.7 (2024 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: potential support ratio
21.1 (2024 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio
80.8 (2024 est.)
People and Society: Dependency ratios: youth dependency ratio
76.1 (2024 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: improved: rural
rural: 33.6% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: improved: total
total: 41.2% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: improved: urban
urban: 70% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: unimproved: rural
rural: 66.4% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: unimproved: total
total: 58.8% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Drinking water source: unimproved: urban
urban: 30% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% GDP)
1.6% of GDP (2016 est.)
People and Society: Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% national budget)
3.3% national budget (2015 est.)
People and Society: Education expenditures
1.57% (2016 est.)
People and Society: 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.)
People and Society: Gross reproduction rate
2.43 (2025 est.)
People and Society: Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
5.9% of GDP (2021)
People and Society: Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
2.1% of national budget (2022 est.)
People and Society: HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
1.50% (2024 est.)
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: female
54.1 deaths/1,000 live births
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: male
65.8 deaths/1,000 live births
People and Society: Infant mortality rate: total
71.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
People and Society: Languages: Languages
English (official), Arabic (includes Juba and Sudanese variants), ethnic languages include Dinka, Nuer, Bari, Zande, Shilluk
People and Society: Languages: 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)
People and Society: Life expectancy at birth: female
60.7 years (2024 est.)
People and Society: Life expectancy at birth: male
54.8 years (2024 est.)
People and Society: Major urban areas - population
459,000 JUBA (capital) (2023)
People and Society: Maternal mortality ratio
692 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
People and Society: Median age: female
18.7 years
People and Society: Median age: male
18.7 years
People and Society: Nationality: adjective
South Sudanese
People and Society: Net migration rate
18.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
People and Society: Obesity - adult prevalence rate
6.6% (2014)
People and Society: Physician density
0.04 physicians/1,000 population (2022)
People and Society: Population
11,943,408 (2024 est.)
People and Society: Population distribution
clusters found in urban areas, particularly in the western interior and around the White Nile, as shown in this population distribution map
People and Society: Population growth rate
3.93% (2024 est.)
People and Society: Population: female
6,227,373
People and Society: Population: male
6,476,341
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: improved: rural
rural: 15.5% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: improved: total
total: 24.9% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: improved: urban
urban: 60.6% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: unimproved: rural
rural: 84.5% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: unimproved: total
total: 75.1% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sanitation facility access: unimproved: urban
urban: 39.4% of population (2022 est.)
People and Society: Sex ratio: 0-14 years
1.04 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: 15-64 years
1.03 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: 65 years and over
1.22 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: at birth
1.05 male(s)/female
People and Society: Sex ratio: total population
1.04 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
People and Society: Total fertility rate
3.79 children born/woman (2024 est.)
People and Society: Urbanization: rate of urbanization
4.12% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
People and Society: Urbanization: urban population
21.38% (2024 est.)
Transnational Issues: Refugees and internally displaced persons: IDPs
1,359,795 (2024 est.)
Transnational Issues: Refugees and internally displaced persons: refugees
517,471 (2024 est.)
Transnational Issues: Refugees and internally displaced persons: stateless persons
18,000 (2024 est.)
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/
Transportation: Airports
89 (2025)
Transportation: Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
Z8
Transportation: Heliports
2 (2025)
Transportation: Railways: total
248 km (2018)
Warning: Some information might be outdated or incorrect, please check statistics before using(most of the economical stats are correct, its mostly the Population stats that are incorrect). Some dates are listed but some are missed, if you have any issues please report it to the Github at github.com.