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.

Area
Total: 644,329 km²
Land: NA
Water: NA
Comparative: more than four times the size of Georgia; slightly smaller than Texas

Land boundaries
Total: 6,018 km
Border countries (6): (6) 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
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

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

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 km² fed by the waters of the White Nile that dominates the center of the country

Elevation
Highest point: Kinyeti 3,187 m
Lowest point: White Nile 381 m

Land use
Agricultural land: 44.9% (2023 est.)
Arable land: 3.9% (2023 est.)
Permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.)
Permanent pasture: 40.8% (2023 est.)
Forest: 11.3% (2023 est.)
Other: 43.8% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land: 1,000 km² (2012)

Major rivers: 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
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

Population
Total: 12,703,714 (2024 est.)
Male: 6,476,341
Female: 6,227,373
Distribution: clusters found in urban areas, particularly in the western interior and around the White Nile, as shown in this population distribution map
Growth rate: 4.65% (2024 est.)

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.)

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)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 80.8 (2024 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 76.1 (2024 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 4.7 (2024 est.)
Potential support ratio: 21.1 (2024 est.)

Median age
Total: 18.7 years (2024 est.)
Male: 18.7 years
Female: 18.7 years

Population growth rate: 4.65% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 36.4 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 8.9 deaths/1,000 population (2024 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

Urbanization
Urban population: 21.2% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 4.12% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 459,000 JUBA (capital) (2023)

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
65 years and over: 1.22 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 692 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 60.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 65.8 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 54.1 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 60.3 years (2024 est.)
Male: 58.4 years
Female: 62.2 years

Total fertility rate: 5.09 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Drinking water source
Urban: 30% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 66.4% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 58.8% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 39.4% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 84.5% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 75.1% of population (2022 est.)

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 12.5% (2023 est.); 12.6% (2022 est.); 14.1% (2021 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Capital
Name: Juba
Geographic coordinates: 04 51 N, 31 37 E
Time difference: UTC+2 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Etymology: the name comes from the name of a small Bari village that was located near the present-day city

Administrative divisions: 10 states; Central Equatoria, Eastern Equatoria, Jonglei, Lakes, Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Unity, Upper Nile, Warrap, Western Bahr el Ghazal, Western Equatoria
Note: in 2015, 28 new states were created, and 4 additional states in 2017; after the 2020 peace agreement, the country was again reorganized into the 10 original states, plus 2 administrative areas, Pibor and Ruweng, and 1 special administrative status area, Abyei (which is disputed between South Sudan and Sudan)

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Salva KIIR Mayardit (since 9 July 2011)
Head of government: President Salva KIIR Mayardit (since 9 July 2011)
Cabinet: National Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved by the Transitional National Legislative Assembly
Election/appointment process: president directly elected by simple-majority popular vote for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term)
Most recent election date: 11-15 April 2010
2010: Salva KIIR Mayardit elected leader of then-Southern Sudan; percent of vote - Salva KIIR Mayardit (SPLM) 93%, Lam AKOL (SPLM-DC) 7%
Expected date of next election: scheduled for 2015 but has been postponed multiple times, currently to be held in December 2026
Note: the president is both chief of state and head of government

Legislative branch
Legislature name: Législature nationale (National Legislature)
Legislative structure: bicameral

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

National anthem
Title: 'South Sudan Oyee!' (South Sudan, Hooray!)
Lyrics/music: collective/Mido SAMUEL and Juba University students
History: adopted 2011; anthem selected in a national contest

Real gdp growth rate: -5.2% (2017 est.); -13.9% (2016 est.); -10.8% (2015 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: -5.2% (2017 est.); -13.9% (2016 est.); -10.8% (2015 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 10.4% (2015 est.)
Industry: 33.1% (2015 est.)
Services: 56.6% (2015 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Industrial production growth rate: -36.8% (2015 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 5.091 million (2023 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 12.5% (2023 est.); 12.6% (2022 est.); 14.1% (2021 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 12.5% (2023 est.); 12.6% (2022 est.); 14.1% (2021 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Budget
Revenues: $2.513 billion (2023 est.)
Expenditures: $1.984 billion (2023 est.)
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

Exports: $4.499 billion (2023 est.); $5.811 billion (2022 est.); $4.652 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: crude petroleum, refined petroleum, forage crops, gold, scrap iron (2023)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $4.443 billion (2023 est.); $6.402 billion (2022 est.); $4.037 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: garments, cement, other foods, iron bars, cereal flours (2023)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Electricity
Installed generating capacity: 136,000 kW (2023 est.)
Consumption: 566.034 million kWh (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 23.966 million kWh (2023 est.)
Access electrification - total population: 8.4% (2022 est.)
Access electrification - urban areas: 15%
Access electrification - rural areas: 1.7%
Generation sources fossil fuels: 93.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources solar: 6.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal
Imports: 100 metric tons (2022 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 146,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 11,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 3.75 billion barrels (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 1.725 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 1.725 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 2.092 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 0 (2023 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 6.17 million (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 30 (2022 est.)

Internet
Users percent of population: 9% (2022 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 0 (2023 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2023 est.) less than 1

Military expenditures: 2% of GDP (2024 est.); 2% of GDP (2023 est.); 2% of GDP (2022 est.); 2% of GDP (2021 est.); 2% of GDP (2020 est.)

Airports: 89 (2025)

Heliports: 2 (2025)

Railways
Total: 248 km (2018)
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