Form of Government: Republic
Area: 644 329 sq km
Population: 11 193 729 inhab. (estimate 2020)
Density: 17.37 inhab./sq km
Coordinates: lat. 12° - 3° N; long. 24° - 35° E
Capital: Juba (capital) 368 914 inhab. (2018);
Currency: South Sudanese pound (100 piastres)
Human development index: 0.433 (rank: 185)
President and head of government: Salva Kiir Mayardit (SPLM), since 9 July 2011
Internet: ssccse.org (Census, Statistics and Evaluation)
Member of AU, EAC, UN, WTO observer
South Sudan

International license plate code SS
International dialling code 00211
Travel vaccinations requirement yellow fever (recommended); malaria prophylaxis (recommended)
Electricity (Voltage) 230
Driving side rigth
Internet code .ss
GMT +3
DST not applied
Annual average temperature (°C) Juba 27.5
Average temperature in January/July (°C) Juba 28.5/25.5
Daily sunshine hours in June/December (average) Juba 8/8
Annual average precipitation (mm) Juba 966
Days of rainfall (annual average) Juba 92

A new provisional National Assembly was appointed in May 2021, as required by the 2018 agreement.
Geography.
South Sudan is bordered by Sudan to the north, Ethiopia to the east, Kenya to the south-east, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the south, as well as the Central African Republic to the west.
The landscape is a series of plateaux which have a higher elevation in the south-east. The highest peak is Mount Kinyeti (3187 m). There are vast areas covered with swamps and ponds. The Nile flows through the east of the country.
It has a tropical climate with alternating dry and humid seasons. Precipitation reduces from south to north.
Government
The country officially came into being on 9 July 2011, after seceding from Sudan. This was sanctioned by a referendum (9 January 2011) held in fulfilment of the peace agreements signed in 2005 between the Sudanese government and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), whose military wing had been waging a war of independence for the southern regions of Sudan since 1983. In the wake of independence, territorial disputes were sparked with Sudan over the control of some oil-bearing areas on the border between the two countries, especially Abyei (where UN troops have been based following the agreement made on 30 June, 2011): open dialogue, facilitated by the African Union, improved the situation, albeit without leading to a lasting solution. In December 2013 ethnic conflict broke out among the militia between troops led by the ex-vice president Riek Machar, who belongs to the Nuer ethnicity, and troops faithful to President Kiir, who is of Dinka ethnicity. A power-sharing agreement was signed on 12 September 2018; on 22 February 2020, Machar was named as first vice president. According to the provisional 2011 Constitution, legislative power lies in the hands of a two-chamber Parliament, comprising a Council of States (50 members), and a National Assembly (250 members), each with a mandate of four years. Because of the conflict, legislative elections have been postponed several times and a provisional Assembly of 550 members (400 until 2021) remains in office.
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Army | 100 | % | 2017 |
Military expenditure | 3.362 | % of GDP | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Homicides | 13.9 | per 100 000 pop. | 2012 |
Administrative division
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Juba | 368 914 | inhab. | 2018 |
Wau | 118 331 | inhab. | 2008 |
Population
Population by age and gender (% - 2020) | ||||||||
| ||||||||
MALE | AGE | FEMALE |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Birth rate | 34.653 | ‰ | 2019 |
Death rate | 10.342 | ‰ | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Dinka | 38$ | % | 2008 |
Nuer | 17$ | % | 2008 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Christian | 60.5 | % | 2010 |
animist/traditional beliefs | 32.9 | % | 2010 |
DESCRIPTION |
---|
Arabic |
English (official) |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
0-14 years | 41.6 | % | 2020 |
15-29 years | 28.9 | % | 2020 |
Economy
The valley of the White Nile is very fertile. The main crops are cereals (sorghum, maize, rice, millet and wheat), sugar-cane, fruit (mango, papaya and bananas), sesame, cotton, peanuts, cassava, and gum arabic. Livestock farming of sheep and cattle is important. The country has rich reserves of oil, which is extracted in the areas of Melut, Abu Jabra and Heglig and piped to refineries at Khartoum and Port Sudan. Chromite is also mined. Industry is very underdeveloped.
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Agricultural prod. index (2014-16=100) | 106.52 | index | 2019 |
GDP | 4 074 | M US$ | 2020 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Active population | 4 581 139 | units | 2020 |
Active population, Females | 49.4 | % | 2020 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Unemployment rate | 12.7 | % | 2020 |
Unemployment rate, Females | 54$ | % | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Expenses | 194 500 | M LCU | 2018-19 |
Revenues | 216 300 | M LCU | 2018-19 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
agriculture | 56.9 | % | 2019 |
industry | 13.9 | % | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
agriculture | 3.293 | % | 2019 |
industry | 51.868 | % | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Currency in circulation | 100.987 | BN LCU | 2020 |
International reserves | 378.282 | M US$ | 2019 |
Agriculture
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
arable land | 4.368 | % | 2018 |
forests | 11.326 | % | 2018 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
cereals, total | 818 | 1000 t | 2019 |
maize | 103 | 1000 t | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
cassava | 572.531 | 1000 t | 2019 |
roots and tubers, total | 636.377 | 1000 t | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
cabbages | 2.5 | 1000 t | 2013 |
carrots and turnips | 17$ | 1000 t | 2013 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
beans, dry | 0.123 | 1000 t | 2019 |
beans, green | 1.235 | 1000 t | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
groundnuts | 70.052 | 1000 t | 2019 |
sesame seed | 208.109 | 1000 t | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
jute | 3.515 | 1000 t | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
fruits, total | 583.381 | 1000 t | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
citrus fruits | 22.011 | 1000 t | 2019 |
grapefruits | 184.325 | 1000 t | 2013 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
bananas | 687 | 1000 t | 2013 |
dates | 432.1 | 1000 t | 2013 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
maize | 84.083 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
millet | 3.703 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
cassava | 63.944 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
taro | 20.68 | 1000 ha | 2014 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
cabbages | 0.38 | 1000 ha | 2013 |
carrots and turnips | 1.68 | 1000 ha | 2013 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
beans, dry | 0.042 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
beans, green | 0.285 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
groundnuts | 116.441 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
sesame seed | 607.226 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
citrus fruits | 2.04 | 1000 ha | 2019 |
grapefruits | 13.02 | 1000 ha | 2013 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
bananas | 24.024 | 1000 ha | 2013 |
dates | 36.288 | 1000 ha | 2013 |
Forests-Livestock-Fishing
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
timber | 4 750 000 | m³ | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
cattle | 13 143.378 | 1000 heads | 2019 |
cattle and buffaloes | 13 143.378 | 1000 heads | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
sheep | 18 614.3 | 1000 heads | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
goats | 13 580.117 | 1000 heads | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
asses | 397.787 | 1000 heads | 2019 |
asses and mules | 397.787 | 1000 heads | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
birds | 15 000 | 1000 heads | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
butter | 15.482 | 1000 t | 2018 |
cheese | 158.995 | 1000 t | 2018 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
freshwater fishes | 32 025 | t | 2019 |
total catch | 32 025 | t | 2019 |
Energy
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
- thermal | 545.2 | M kWh | 2018 |
non-renewable electricity generation | 99.453 | % | 2018 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
- thermal | 120 | 1000 kW | 2018 |
- other renew. | 0.55 | 1000 kW | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
total net generation | 548.2 | M kWh | 2018 |
total installed capacity | 120.55 | 1000 kW | 2018 |
Industry
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
cottonseed oil | 6$ | 1000 t | 2014 |
sesame oil | 28.233 | 1000 t | 2018 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
manufacturing production | 139.7 | M US$ | 2016 |
Tourism
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Expenditures | 513 | M US$ | 2018 |
Receipts | 12$ | M US$ | 2018 |
Communications
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Railways | 248 | km | 2018 |
Roads | 7 000 | km | 2012 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Broadband subscribers | 0.018 | per 1000 pop. | 2019 |
Internet users | 79.774 | per 1000 pop. | 2017 |
Social and welfare
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Gross enrolment ratio, primary - Female | 60.381 | index | 2015 |
Gross enrolment ratio, primary - Male | 85.308 | index | 2015 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Students, primary level | 1 273 852 | units | 2015 |
Students, secondary level | 164 135 | units | 2015 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Physicians | 0.2 | per 1000 pop. | 2011 |
Public spending on health | 0.69 | % of GDP | 2018 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
HIV | 2.5 | % of adults | 2019 |
Malaria | 4 064 662 | cases | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
Access to clean fuels and technologies for cooking | 0.64 | % | 2016 |
Access to electricity | 6.721 | % | 2019 |
DESCRIPTION | VALUE | UNITS | YEAR |
---|---|---|---|
clothing | 3$ | % | 2009 |
education | 1$ | % | 2009 |