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Africa
Page last updated: July 24, 2024
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.
East-Central Africa; south of Sudan, north of Uganda and Kenya, west of Ethiopia
08°00' N, 30°00' E
Africa
Total : 644,329 km²
Land: NA
Water: NA
More than four times the size of Georgia; slightly smaller than Texas
Area comparison map:
Total: 6,018 km
Border countries (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
0 km (landlocked)
None (landlocked)
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
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
Highest point: Kinyeti 3,187 m
Lowest point: White Nile 381 m
Hydropower, fertile agricultural land, gold, diamonds, petroleum, hardwoods, limestone, iron ore, copper, chromium ore, zinc, tungsten, mica, silver
Agricultural land: 45% (2018)
Arable land: 4.4% (2018)
Permanent pasture: 40.7% (2018)
Forest: 11.3% (2018)
Other: 43.5% (2018)
1,000 km² (2012)
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
Atlantic Ocean drainage: Congo (3,730,881 km²), (Mediterranean Sea) Nile (3,254,853 km²)
Clusters found in urban areas, particularly in the western interior and around the White Nile as shown in this population distribution map
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
Total: 12,703,714
Male: 6,476,341
Female: 6,227,373 (2024 est.)
Comparison rankings: female 79; male 80; total 79
Noun: South Sudanese (singular and plural)
Adjective: South Sudanese
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.)
Note: Figures are estimations due to population changes during South Sudan's civil war and the lack of updated demographic studies
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)
Christian 60.5%, folk religion 32.9%, Muslim 6.2%, other <1%, unaffiliated <1% (2020 est.)
South Sudan, independent from Sudan since July 2011 after decades of civil war, is one of the world’s poorest countries and ranks among the lowest in many socioeconomic categories. Problems are exacerbated by ongoing tensions with Sudan over oil revenues and land borders, fighting between government forces and rebel groups, and inter-communal violence. Most of the population lives off of farming, while smaller numbers rely on animal husbandry; abput 80% of the populace lives in rural areas. The maternal mortality rate is among the world’s highest for a variety of reasons, including a shortage of health care workers, facilities, and supplies; poor roads and a lack of transport; and cultural beliefs that prevent women from seeking obstetric care. Most women marry and start having children early, giving birth at home with the assistance of traditional birth attendants, who are unable to handle complications.
Educational attainment is extremely poor due to the lack of schools, qualified teachers, and materials. Only one-third of the population is literate (the rate is even lower among women), and half live below the poverty line. Teachers and students are also struggling with the switch from Arabic to English as the language of instruction. Many adults missed out on schooling because of warfare and displacement.
More than 2 million South Sudanese have sought refuge in neighboring countries since the current conflict began in December 2013. Another 2.2 million South Sudanese are internally displaced as of October 2022. Despite South Sudan’s instability and lack of infrastructure and social services, more than 275,000 people had fled to South Sudan to escape fighting in Sudan as of December 2022.
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)
2023 population pyramid:
Total dependency ratio: 80.8
Youth dependency ratio: 74.7
Elderly dependency ratio: 6.1
Potential support ratio: 18.4 (2021 est.)
Total: 18.7 years (2024 est.)
Male: 18.7 years
Female: 18.7 years
4.65% (2024 est.)
36.4 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)
8.9 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)
19.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Clusters found in urban areas, particularly in the western interior and around the White Nile as shown in this population distribution map
Urban population: 21.2% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 4.12% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Total population growth rate v. urban population growth rate, 2000-2030
459,000 JUBA (capital) (2023)
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.)
1,223 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)
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
Total population: 60.3 years (2024 est.)
Male: 58.4 years
Female: 62.2 years
5.09 children born/woman (2024 est.)
2.48 (2024 est.)
NA
Improved: urban: 88.7% of population
Rural: 75.8% of population
Total: 78.4% of population
Unimproved: urban: 11.3% of population
Rural: 24.2% of population
Total: 21.6% of population (2020 est.)
5.3% of GDP (2020)
Improved: urban: 60.6% of population
Rural: 15.5% of population
Total: 24.6% of population
Unimproved: urban: 39.4% of population
Rural: 84.5% of population
Total: 75.4% of population (2020 est.)
Degree of risk: very high (2023)
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever
Vectorborne diseases: malaria, dengue fever, Trypanosomiasis-Gambiense (African sleeping sickness)
Water contact diseases: schistosomiasis
Animal contact diseases: rabies
Respiratory diseases: meningococcal meningitis
6.6% (2014)
NA
72% (2023 est.)
1.5% of GDP (2016 est.)
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 34.5%
Male: 40.3%
Female: 28.9% (2018)
Water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water; wildlife conservation and loss of biodiversity; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; periodic drought
Party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
Signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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
Agricultural land: 45% (2018)
Arable land: 4.4% (2018)
Permanent pasture: 40.7% (2018)
Forest: 11.3% (2018)
Other: 43.5% (2018)
Urban population: 21.2% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 4.12% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Total population growth rate v. urban population growth rate, 2000-2030
Widespread lack of access: due to economic downturn, the lingering effects of floods, and prolonged internal conflict - despite sustained humanitarian assistance, food insecurity still affects large segments of the population, owing to rampant inflation and insufficient food supplies due to stagnant agricultural production, the effects of consecutive years with widespread floods, and the escalation of organized violence at the subnational level since 2020; about 7.76 million people, almost two thirds of the total population, are expected to face severe acute food insecurity in the lean season between April and July 2023 (2023)
2.65% of GDP (2015 est.)
Particulate matter emissions: 20.18 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 1.73 megatons (2016 est.)
Methane emissions: 7.61 megatons (2020 est.)
Municipal solid waste generated annually: 2,680,681 tons (2013 est.)
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
Atlantic Ocean drainage: Congo (3,730,881 km²), (Mediterranean Sea) Nile (3,254,853 km²)
Municipal: 190 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Industrial: 230 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Agricultural: 240 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
49.5 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Conventional long form: Republic of South Sudan
Conventional short form: South Sudan
Etymology: self-descriptive name from the country's former position within Sudan prior to independence; the name "Sudan" derives from the Arabic "bilad-as-sudan" meaning "Land of the Black [peoples]"
Presidential republic
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 derives from Djouba, another name for the Bari people of South Sudan
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, the creation of 28 new states was announced and in 2017 four additional states; following the February 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); this latest administrative revision has not yet been vetted by the US Board on Geographic Names
9 July 2011 (from Sudan)
Independence Day, 9 July (2011)
History: previous 2005 (preindependence); latest signed 7 July 2011, effective 9 July 2011 (Transitional Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan, 2011); note - new constitution pending establishment under the 2018 peace agreement
Amendments: 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; amended 2013, 2015, 2018
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
18 years of age; universal
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
Elections/appointments: president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 11 to 15 April 2010 (originally scheduled for 2015 but postponed several times, currently to be held in December 2024)
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%
Note: the president is both chief of state and head of government
Description: bicameral National Legislature consists of:
Council of States, pending establishment as stipulated by the 2018 peace deal
Transitional National Legislative Assembly (TNLA), established on 4 August 2016, in accordance with the August 2015 Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan; note - originally 400 seats; the TNLA was expanded to 550 members from 400 and reestablished in May 2020 under the 2018 peace agreement
Elections: Council of States - pending establishment as stipulated by the 2018 peace deal
Transitional National Legislative Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - 332 SPLM, 128 SPLM-IO, 90 other political parties; composition - NA
Election results: Council of States - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - SPLM 20, unknown 30; composition - men 57, women 27, percentage women 32.1%
National Legislative Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - SPLM 251, DCP 10, independent 6, unknown 133; composition - men 372, women 178, percentage women 32.4%; total National Legislature percentage women 32.3%
Highest court(s): Supreme Court of South Sudan (consists of a chief justice, deputy chief justice, and 5 additional justices); note - consistent with the 2008 Judiciary Act, the Transitional Constitution of South Sudan calls for 9, rather than 5 additional justices
Judge selection and term of office: justices appointed by the president (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; neither of these steps have been effectively implemented as of mid-2023)
Subordinate courts: national level - Courts of Appeal; High Courts; County Courts; state level - High Courts; County Courts; customary courts; other specialized courts and tribunals
Note: in mid-2022, the Government of South Sudan inaugurated an Ad-hoc Judiciary Committee, a 12-member body led by two eminent jurists, which is charged with reviewing relevant laws, advising on judicial reform and restructuring of the judiciary
Democratic Change or DC
Democratic Forum or DF
Labour Party or LPSS [Federico Awi VUNI]
South Sudan Opposition Alliance or SSOA [Hussein ABDELBAGI Ayii]
Sudan African National Union or SANU [Toby MADOUT]
Sudan People's Liberation Movement or SPLM [Salva KIIR Mayardit]
Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-In Opposition or SPLM-IO [Riek MACHAR Teny Dhurgon]
United Democratic Salvation Front or UDSF
United South Sudan African Party or USSAP [Louis Pasquale ALEU, Secretary]
United South Sudan Party or USSP [Paulino LUKUDU Obede]
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
Three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green; the red band is edged in white; a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side contains a gold, five-pointed star; black represents the people of South Sudan, red the blood shed in the struggle for freedom, green the verdant land, and blue the waters of the Nile; the gold star represents the unity of the states making up South Sudan
Note: resembles the flag of Kenya; one of only two national flags to display six colors as part of its primary design, the other is South Africa's
African fish eagle; national colors: red, green, blue, yellow, black, white
Name: "South Sudan Oyee!" (Hooray!)
Lyrics/music: collective of 49 poets/Juba University students and teachers
Note: adopted 2011; anthem selected in a national contest
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
$20.01 billion (2017 est.)
$21.1 billion (2016 est.)
$24.52 billion (2015 est.)
Note: data are in 2017 dollars
-5.2% (2017 est.)
-13.9% (2016 est.)
-10.79% (2015 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
$1,600 (2017 est.)
$1,700 (2016 est.)
$2,100 (2015 est.)
Note: data are in 2017 dollars
$11.998 billion (2015 est.)
Note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
2.38% (2023 est.)
-6.69% (2022 est.)
10.52% (2021 est.)
Note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Household consumption: 34.9% (2011 est.)
Government consumption: 17.1% (2011 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 10.4% (2011 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 64.9% (2011 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -27.2% (2011 est.)
Milk, cassava, sorghum, goat milk, vegetables, fruits, maize, groundnuts, sesame seeds, beef (2022)
Note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
-36.78% (2015 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
4.471 million (2023 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
12.27% (2023 est.)
12.4% (2022 est.)
13.87% (2021 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment
Total: 21% (2021 est.)
Male: 21.8%
Female: 20.2%
82.3% (2016 est.)
Note: % of population with income below national poverty line
44.1 (2016 est.)
Note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
Lowest 10%: 1.7% (2016 est.)
Highest 10%: 33.1% (2016 est.)
9.49% of GDP (2015 est.)
0.01% of GDP (2014 est.)
0% of GDP (2013 est.)
Note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Revenues: $1.94 billion (2019 est.)
Expenditures: $1.938 billion (2019 est.)
-1.3% (of GDP) (FY2017/18 est.)
62.7% of GDP (2017 est.)
86.6% of GDP (2016 est.)
8.5% (of GDP) (FY2017/18 est.)
-$596.748 million (2022 est.)
-$6.55 million (2021 est.)
-$1.718 billion (2020 est.)
Note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
$5.811 billion (2022 est.)
$4.652 billion (2021 est.)
$2.344 billion (2020 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
China 44%, Italy 26%, Singapore 12%, Japan 9%, UAE 8% (2022)
Note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Crude petroleum, refined petroleum, gold, forage crops, barley (2022)
Note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
$6.402 billion (2022 est.)
$4.037 billion (2021 est.)
$4.245 billion (2020 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
UAE 39%, Kenya 18%, China 17%, US 4%, India 3% (2022)
Note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Garments, cars, trucks, packaged medicine, malt extract (2022)
Note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
$183.615 million (2020 est.)
$378.282 million (2019 est.)
$36.396 million (2018 est.)
Note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
South Sudanese pounds (SSP) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
534.511 (2022 est.)
306.355 (2021 est.)
165.907 (2020 est.)
157.999 (2019 est.)
141.386 (2018 est.)
Electrification - total population: 8.4% (2022 est.)
Electrification - urban areas: 15%
Electrification - rural areas: 1.7%
Installed generating capacity: 134,000 kW (2022 est.)
Consumption: 595.604 million kWh (2022 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 24.506 million kWh (2022 est.)
Comparison rankings: transmission/distribution losses 27; consumption 170; installed generating capacity 182
Fossil fuels: 97.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Solar: 2.9% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Imports: 100 metric tons (2022 est.)
Total petroleum production: 146,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 14,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 3.75 billion barrels (2021 est.)
1.97 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 1.97 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
2.627 million Btu/person (2022 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2018 est.) less than 1
Total subscriptions: 3.276 million (2022 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 30 (2022 est.)
General assessment: following a referendum, oil-rich South Sudan seceded from Sudan in 2011 and became an independent nation; having been deprived of investment for decades, it inherited one of the least developed telecom markets in the world; there was once investment activity among mobile network operators who sought to expand their networks in some areas of the country; operators in the telecom sector placed themselves in survival mode and are hoping for a political settlement and a return to some degree of social stability; South Sudan has one of the lowest mobile penetration rates in Africa; growth in the sector in coming years is premised on a resolution to the political crisis and a recovery of the country’s economy; the virtually untapped internet and broadband market also depends to a large extent on the country gaining access to international fiber cables and on a national backbone network being in place; sophisticated infrastructure solutions are needed to reach the 80% of the population that live outside of the main urban centers; some improvement has followed from the cable link in February 2020 which connects Juba directly to the company’s submarine landing station at Mombasa; the cable was South Sudan’s first direct international fiber link, and has helped drive down the price of retail internet services for residential and business customers; a second cable linking to the border with Kenya was completed in December 2021 (2022)
Domestic: fixed-line less than 1 per 100 subscriptions, mobile-cellular is 30 per 100 persons (2021)
International: country code - 211 (2017)
A single TV channel and a radio station are controlled by the government; several community and commercial FM stations are operational, mostly sponsored by outside aid donors; some foreign radio broadcasts are available
(2019)
.ss
Total: 869,000 (2021 est.)
Percent of population: 7.9% (2021 est.)
Total: 200 (2019 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2019 est.)
Number of registered air carriers: 2 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 2
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 0 mt-km
Z8
82 (2024)
1 (2024)
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
Total: 90,200 km
Paved: 300 km
Unpaved: 89,900 km (2015)
Note: most of the road network is unpaved and much of it is in disrepair; the Juba-Nimule highway connecting Juba to the border with Uganda is the main paved road in South Sudan
See entry for Sudan
South Sudan People’s Defense Force (SSPDF): Land Forces (includes Presidential Guard), Air Forces, Marines (Riverine Forces), Reserve Forces; National (or Necessary) Unified Forces (NUF)
Ministry of Interior: South Sudan National Police Service (SSNPS) (2024)
Note 1: the NUF are being formed by retraining rebel and pro-government militia fighters into military, police, and other government security forces; the first operational NUF deployed in November 2023
Note 2: numerous irregular forces operate in the country with official knowledge, including militias operated by the National Security Service (an internal security force under the Ministry of National Security) and proxy forces
2.5% of GDP (2022 est.)
2% of GDP (2021 est.)
2% of GDP (2020 est.)
3.1% of GDP (2019 est.)
3.2% of GDP (2018 est.)
Estimated 150-200,000 active personnel, mostly ground forces with small contingents of air and riverine forces (2023)
Note: some active SSPDF personnel may be militia; the National/Necessary Unified Forces (NUF) are expected to have up to 80,000 personnel when training and integration is completed; the first batch of approximately 20,000 NUF personnel completed training in late 2022
The SSPDF inventory is primarily of Soviet origin; South Sudan has been under a UN arms embargo since 2018 (2023)
18 is the legal minimum age for compulsory (men) and voluntary (men and women) military service; 12-24 months service (2023)
Note: in 2019, women made up less than 10% of the active military
The South Sudan People's Defense Forces (SSPDF) are largely focused on internal security
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 had about 15,000 personnel deployed in the country as of 2024
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; UNISFA's 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; as of 2024, UNISFA had approximately 3,200 personnel assigned (2024)
Refugees (country of origin): 564,738 (Sudan) (refugees since 15 April 2023), 13,833 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (2024)
IDPs: 2.258 million (alleged coup attempt and ethnic conflict beginning in December 2013; information is lacking on those displaced in earlier years by: fighting in Abyei between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) in May 2011; clashes between the SPLA and dissident militia groups in South Sudan; inter-ethnic conflicts over resources and cattle; attacks from the Lord's Resistance Army; floods and drought) (2023)
Stateless persons: 10,000 (2022)
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 remains on Tier 3; the government took some steps to address trafficking, including convening its anti-trafficking inter-ministerial task force and conducting training in partnership with international organizations; however, a government policy or pattern of employing or recruiting child soldiers existed; government security and law enforcement officers continued to forcibly recruit and use child soldiers and did not hold any members of the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces or South Sudan National Police Services criminally accountable for these unlawful acts; for the eleventh consecutive year, authorities did not report investigating or prosecuting any trafficking crimes; the government did not report identifying or assisting any victims and continued to penalize victims for unlawful acts committed as a direct result of being trafficked (2023)