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Country or area · Eastern Africa · Africa · UN WPP 2024
South Sudan population
South Sudan population now
12,497,546
A projection read at this second, not a count: the UN's totals for 1 January 2026 and 2027, joined by a straight line. 95% range for 31 December 2026: 11.6–13.7 million.
Mid-2023, UN estimate: 11,483,374
- Year
- 2026
- projection · medium
- Population, mid-2026
- 12.4360 million
- 95% range, 31 Dec: 11.6–13.7 million
- Median age
- 20.0
- Aged 65+
- 3.2%
male female projection · one cell = 5,000 people
How to read this: one row for each age, newborns at the bottom; men on the left, women on the right.
SSD · 1950–2100 · in brief
South Sudan in numbers
11,483,374 people lived in South Sudan in mid-2023: 0.14% of the world's people, and the 83rd-largest population of the 236 countries and areas the UN reports. That is 4.6 times its 1950 population of 2.5 million.
In the UN's medium projection it is still growing in 2100, when it reaches 23.8 million. The projection is uncertain: on 1 January 2100 the UN's 95% range runs from 9.0 million to 77.8 million.
Births stay ahead of deaths until 2097; in the medium projection, deaths are ahead every year after it. Deaths also outnumbered births in 1988 and 1998. The population still grows to 2100, because more people arrive than leave.
The median age was 18.5 in 1950 and 19.0 in 2023; the projection has 36.2 in 2100. 2.9% of people were 65 or older in 2023, against 12.8% projected for 2100. The working-age population (15–64) is projected to peak in 2093 at 16.1 million.
Among countries it ranks 83rd in 2023, 78th in 2050 and 70th in 2100. In the medium projection it overtakes Belgium in 2024, Haiti in 2024 and Tunisia in 2026. It is overtaken by Togo in 2084 and the United Arab Emirates in 2090.
- Population, mid-2023
- 11,483,374
- Rank by population, 2023
- 83 of 236
- Share of the world, 2023
- 0.14%
- Change in a year, mid-2022 to mid-2023
- +4.19% · +462,196 people
- People per km² of land, 2023
- 18
- Land area, 2023
- 631,930 km²
- Births, 2023
- 328,308
- Deaths, 2023
- 110,339
- Net migration, 2023
- +455,000
- Children per woman, 2023
- 3.86
- Median age, 2023
- 19.0 years
- Life expectancy at birth, 2023
- 57.6 years
- In a city, 2025
- 33 of every 100
- Population, mid-1950
- 2,493,283
- Projected, mid-2050
- 18,341,974
- Projected, mid-2100
- 23,840,772
SSD · 1950–2100 · total population
Population, 1950–2100
estimate projection, up to the bottom of the 95% range 95% range medium projection. Every column stands for a single year, counted on 1 January, and the paper rules slice it into cells of equal size.
Show the numbers: South Sudan, 1950–2100
| Year | Kind | Population, 1 Jan | 95% range | Births | Deaths | Children per woman | Life expectancy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | estimate | 2,476,015 | 123,007 | 87,482 | 7.12 | 30.2 | |
| 1951 | estimate | 2,510,551 | 125,959 | 87,030 | 7.13 | 30.6 | |
| 1952 | estimate | 2,548,689 | 128,751 | 87,114 | 7.13 | 31.0 | |
| 1953 | estimate | 2,589,728 | 131,698 | 87,305 | 7.13 | 31.4 | |
| 1954 | estimate | 2,633,739 | 134,688 | 87,775 | 7.14 | 31.7 | |
| 1955 | estimate | 2,680,448 | 137,655 | 88,390 | 7.13 | 32.0 | |
| 1956 | estimate | 2,729,716 | 140,769 | 91,212 | 7.13 | 31.6 | |
| 1957 | estimate | 2,779,468 | 143,945 | 95,089 | 7.14 | 30.9 | |
| 1958 | estimate | 2,828,724 | 146,709 | 108,034 | 7.14 | 27.6 | |
| 1959 | estimate | 2,867,985 | 149,593 | 108,770 | 7.15 | 27.8 | |
| 1960 | estimate | 2,909,585 | 152,520 | 109,576 | 7.16 | 28.1 | |
| 1961 | estimate | 2,953,533 | 155,643 | 110,457 | 7.18 | 28.3 | |
| 1962 | estimate | 2,999,915 | 158,796 | 111,393 | 7.20 | 28.5 | |
| 1963 | estimate | 3,048,701 | 161,877 | 115,543 | 7.20 | 28.3 | |
| 1964 | estimate | 3,096,636 | 165,810 | 101,024 | 7.22 | 32.5 | |
| 1965 | estimate | 3,163,199 | 169,236 | 117,557 | 7.22 | 28.8 | |
| 1966 | estimate | 3,216,471 | 173,079 | 134,554 | 7.25 | 25.6 | |
| 1967 | estimate | 3,256,375 | 176,131 | 134,774 | 7.26 | 25.9 | |
| 1968 | estimate | 3,298,921 | 179,286 | 135,074 | 7.26 | 26.1 | |
| 1969 | estimate | 3,344,134 | 182,694 | 140,680 | 7.28 | 25.4 | |
| 1970 | estimate | 3,386,932 | 185,783 | 141,008 | 7.29 | 25.6 | |
| 1971 | estimate | 3,432,296 | 189,270 | 116,964 | 7.30 | 31.0 | |
| 1972 | estimate | 3,504,995 | 193,135 | 118,330 | 7.31 | 31.3 | |
| 1973 | estimate | 3,580,000 | 196,832 | 102,066 | 7.31 | 36.3 | |
| 1974 | estimate | 3,674,767 | 200,821 | 103,641 | 7.31 | 36.6 | |
| 1975 | estimate | 3,771,751 | 205,132 | 105,250 | 7.33 | 36.9 | |
| 1976 | estimate | 3,871,236 | 209,334 | 106,991 | 7.33 | 37.1 | |
| 1977 | estimate | 3,972,584 | 213,263 | 108,374 | 7.33 | 37.4 | |
| 1978 | estimate | 4,075,481 | 217,463 | 110,109 | 7.33 | 37.6 | |
| 1979 | estimate | 4,179,832 | 221,243 | 111,704 | 7.32 | 37.8 | |
| 1980 | estimate | 4,285,377 | 225,547 | 113,239 | 7.33 | 38.0 | |
| 1981 | estimate | 4,392,684 | 229,747 | 114,586 | 7.33 | 38.3 | |
| 1982 | estimate | 4,501,860 | 234,260 | 115,618 | 7.34 | 38.7 | |
| 1983 | estimate | 4,613,512 | 238,102 | 133,997 | 7.34 | 34.7 | |
| 1984 | estimate | 4,709,636 | 241,499 | 150,529 | 7.35 | 31.8 | |
| 1985 | estimate | 4,791,617 | 245,010 | 149,671 | 7.36 | 32.4 | |
| 1986 | estimate | 4,876,975 | 249,145 | 149,638 | 7.38 | 32.8 | |
| 1987 | estimate | 4,965,506 | 250,885 | 245,130 | 7.39 | 20.7 | |
| 1988 | estimate | 4,959,285 | 251,436 | 376,879 | 7.38 | 11.0 | |
| 1989 | estimate | 4,736,772 | 250,324 | 166,589 | 7.37 | 28.2 | |
| 1990 | estimate | 4,689,685 | 247,745 | 164,844 | 7.38 | 28.6 | |
| 1991 | estimate | 4,785,581 | 253,518 | 165,647 | 7.38 | 29.2 | |
| 1992 | estimate | 4,887,773 | 257,949 | 229,074 | 7.37 | 21.9 | |
| 1993 | estimate | 4,931,726 | 261,043 | 228,261 | 7.36 | 22.3 | |
| 1994 | estimate | 4,980,279 | 267,277 | 101,870 | 7.35 | 44.9 | |
| 1995 | estimate | 5,162,089 | 275,451 | 165,033 | 7.34 | 31.5 | |
| 1996 | estimate | 5,289,582 | 281,982 | 165,254 | 7.32 | 32.1 | |
| 1997 | estimate | 5,424,268 | 284,491 | 163,038 | 7.20 | 33.1 | |
| 1998 | estimate | 5,594,003 | 287,771 | 299,928 | 7.08 | 19.1 | |
| 1999 | estimate | 5,646,132 | 292,466 | 111,742 | 6.94 | 44.5 | |
| 2000 | estimate | 5,897,125 | 300,504 | 104,447 | 6.80 | 47.6 | |
| 2001 | estimate | 6,167,410 | 308,610 | 104,502 | 6.65 | 48.5 | |
| 2002 | estimate | 6,449,373 | 316,840 | 104,821 | 6.51 | 49.4 | |
| 2003 | estimate | 6,744,240 | 322,861 | 97,039 | 6.35 | 52.3 | |
| 2004 | estimate | 7,062,013 | 329,197 | 97,322 | 6.19 | 53.0 | |
| 2005 | estimate | 7,404,069 | 336,242 | 96,973 | 6.02 | 54.0 | |
| 2006 | estimate | 7,776,217 | 344,447 | 97,742 | 5.85 | 54.6 | |
| 2007 | estimate | 8,176,836 | 354,907 | 98,356 | 5.70 | 55.4 | |
| 2008 | estimate | 8,600,739 | 367,030 | 98,758 | 5.57 | 56.3 | |
| 2009 | estimate | 9,034,555 | 379,219 | 100,361 | 5.45 | 56.9 | |
| 2010 | estimate | 9,452,557 | 388,645 | 101,244 | 5.32 | 57.5 | |
| 2011 | estimate | 10,039,350 | 409,377 | 106,193 | 5.19 | 57.7 | |
| 2012 | estimate | 10,536,868 | 421,012 | 108,038 | 5.06 | 58.2 | |
| 2013 | estimate | 10,975,612 | 427,613 | 111,625 | 4.94 | 58.3 | |
| 2014 | estimate | 11,356,939 | 429,073 | 201,470 | 4.82 | 45.6 | |
| 2015 | estimate | 11,113,206 | 393,286 | 244,749 | 4.70 | 39.8 | |
| 2016 | estimate | 11,101,917 | 379,614 | 269,061 | 4.58 | 36.7 | |
| 2017 | estimate | 10,558,287 | 336,518 | 264,326 | 4.48 | 35.4 | |
| 2018 | estimate | 9,960,020 | 294,258 | 125,762 | 4.37 | 51.9 | |
| 2019 | estimate | 10,285,934 | 306,667 | 96,958 | 4.26 | 58.1 | |
| 2020 | estimate | 10,560,834 | 314,978 | 102,646 | 4.16 | 57.6 | |
| 2021 | estimate | 10,836,100 | 322,632 | 109,069 | 4.05 | 57.0 | |
| 2022 | estimate | 10,895,460 | 320,345 | 109,173 | 3.96 | 57.2 | |
| 2023 | estimate | 11,146,895 | 328,308 | 110,339 | 3.86 | 57.6 | |
| 2024 | estimate | 11,819,853 | 349,013 | 117,290 | 3.79 | 57.7 | |
| 2025 | projection | 12,066,964 | 11.7–12.4 million | 357,711 | 120,200 | 3.71 | 57.9 |
| 2026 | projection | 12,310,612 | 11.6–13.0 million | 365,962 | 123,090 | 3.63 | 58.0 |
| 2027 | projection | 12,561,462 | 11.6–13.7 million | 374,205 | 126,059 | 3.56 | 58.1 |
| 2028 | projection | 12,813,144 | 11.6–14.3 million | 381,724 | 129,007 | 3.49 | 58.2 |
| 2029 | projection | 13,069,856 | 11.6–15.0 million | 389,036 | 131,978 | 3.43 | 58.3 |
| 2030 | projection | 13,326,313 | 11.6–15.6 million | 395,444 | 134,983 | 3.37 | 58.5 |
| 2031 | projection | 13,588,594 | 11.6–16.2 million | 400,473 | 137,981 | 3.31 | 58.6 |
| 2032 | projection | 13,862,230 | 11.6–16.9 million | 404,565 | 140,880 | 3.26 | 58.7 |
| 2033 | projection | 14,130,472 | 11.6–17.4 million | 407,065 | 143,717 | 3.20 | 58.8 |
| 2034 | projection | 14,393,058 | 11.6–18.2 million | 407,899 | 146,466 | 3.15 | 58.9 |
| 2035 | projection | 14,662,043 | 11.6–18.9 million | 407,878 | 149,184 | 3.10 | 59.0 |
| 2036 | projection | 14,935,156 | 11.6–19.6 million | 407,671 | 151,860 | 3.06 | 59.1 |
| 2037 | projection | 15,205,035 | 11.7–20.3 million | 406,637 | 154,395 | 3.01 | 59.3 |
| 2038 | projection | 15,466,371 | 11.8–21.1 million | 404,709 | 156,954 | 2.96 | 59.4 |
| 2039 | projection | 15,725,570 | 11.7–21.9 million | 403,036 | 159,603 | 2.92 | 59.5 |
| 2040 | projection | 15,975,818 | 11.7–22.5 million | 401,579 | 162,145 | 2.88 | 59.6 |
| 2041 | projection | 16,227,143 | 11.7–23.3 million | 400,089 | 164,575 | 2.84 | 59.8 |
| 2042 | projection | 16,473,158 | 11.7–24.0 million | 398,424 | 167,243 | 2.80 | 59.9 |
| 2043 | projection | 16,713,569 | 11.7–24.6 million | 396,958 | 169,760 | 2.76 | 60.0 |
| 2044 | projection | 16,944,845 | 11.8–25.4 million | 395,439 | 172,353 | 2.73 | 60.1 |
| 2045 | projection | 17,175,503 | 11.8–26.1 million | 394,971 | 174,937 | 2.69 | 60.2 |
| 2046 | projection | 17,397,316 | 11.8–27.1 million | 393,935 | 177,522 | 2.66 | 60.4 |
| 2047 | projection | 17,622,076 | 11.8–27.7 million | 393,212 | 180,233 | 2.63 | 60.5 |
| 2048 | projection | 17,834,598 | 11.8–28.5 million | 392,598 | 182,747 | 2.60 | 60.6 |
| 2049 | projection | 18,042,282 | 11.7–29.2 million | 392,069 | 185,460 | 2.58 | 60.7 |
| 2050 | projection | 18,243,510 | 11.7–30.0 million | 391,870 | 187,956 | 2.55 | 60.8 |
| 2051 | projection | 18,440,437 | 11.6–30.9 million | 391,940 | 190,382 | 2.53 | 60.9 |
| 2052 | projection | 18,645,556 | 11.7–31.5 million | 391,871 | 193,068 | 2.51 | 61.0 |
| 2053 | projection | 18,863,336 | 11.6–32.3 million | 392,306 | 195,695 | 2.48 | 61.1 |
| 2054 | projection | 19,058,262 | 11.5–33.3 million | 391,646 | 198,157 | 2.46 | 61.2 |
| 2055 | projection | 19,262,939 | 11.5–34.2 million | 391,664 | 200,658 | 2.44 | 61.3 |
| 2056 | projection | 19,455,986 | 11.4–35.1 million | 391,698 | 203,011 | 2.42 | 61.5 |
| 2057 | projection | 19,648,309 | 11.3–36.0 million | 390,943 | 205,210 | 2.39 | 61.6 |
| 2058 | projection | 19,841,567 | 11.3–36.8 million | 390,514 | 207,501 | 2.37 | 61.7 |
| 2059 | projection | 20,025,690 | 11.2–38.4 million | 389,781 | 209,659 | 2.35 | 61.8 |
| 2060 | projection | 20,219,500 | 11.1–39.2 million | 389,244 | 211,945 | 2.33 | 61.9 |
| 2061 | projection | 20,395,764 | 11.1–40.6 million | 388,383 | 214,102 | 2.31 | 62.0 |
| 2062 | projection | 20,570,033 | 11.1–41.1 million | 387,254 | 216,481 | 2.29 | 62.1 |
| 2063 | projection | 20,748,238 | 11.0–42.3 million | 386,551 | 218,816 | 2.28 | 62.3 |
| 2064 | projection | 20,923,288 | 11.1–43.2 million | 385,128 | 221,307 | 2.26 | 62.4 |
| 2065 | projection | 21,096,926 | 11.0–44.1 million | 384,237 | 223,899 | 2.24 | 62.5 |
| 2066 | projection | 21,274,495 | 11.1–45.0 million | 383,614 | 226,745 | 2.23 | 62.6 |
| 2067 | projection | 21,438,115 | 11.1–46.3 million | 382,584 | 229,719 | 2.22 | 62.7 |
| 2068 | projection | 21,603,970 | 11.2–47.6 million | 381,331 | 232,669 | 2.21 | 62.8 |
| 2069 | projection | 21,776,031 | 11.3–48.5 million | 380,397 | 235,890 | 2.19 | 62.9 |
| 2070 | projection | 21,922,491 | 11.3–49.1 million | 378,524 | 239,322 | 2.18 | 63.0 |
| 2071 | projection | 22,057,456 | 11.1–50.1 million | 375,867 | 242,746 | 2.17 | 63.2 |
| 2072 | projection | 22,206,812 | 11.1–51.0 million | 373,352 | 246,511 | 2.15 | 63.3 |
| 2073 | projection | 22,350,044 | 11.1–51.7 million | 371,536 | 250,715 | 2.13 | 63.4 |
| 2074 | projection | 22,491,086 | 11.1–52.5 million | 369,703 | 255,080 | 2.12 | 63.5 |
| 2075 | projection | 22,632,011 | 11.1–53.6 million | 368,144 | 259,635 | 2.11 | 63.6 |
| 2076 | projection | 22,749,527 | 11.0–55.4 million | 366,026 | 264,131 | 2.10 | 63.7 |
| 2077 | projection | 22,847,753 | 10.9–55.9 million | 363,598 | 268,705 | 2.08 | 63.8 |
| 2078 | projection | 22,957,093 | 10.7–56.0 million | 361,417 | 273,580 | 2.07 | 63.9 |
| 2079 | projection | 23,053,273 | 10.5–56.5 million | 359,853 | 278,385 | 2.06 | 64.0 |
| 2080 | projection | 23,149,770 | 10.6–57.2 million | 357,986 | 283,129 | 2.05 | 64.1 |
| 2081 | projection | 23,223,688 | 10.4–58.1 million | 356,013 | 287,831 | 2.04 | 64.2 |
| 2082 | projection | 23,297,586 | 10.3–58.7 million | 354,040 | 292,274 | 2.03 | 64.3 |
| 2083 | projection | 23,373,321 | 10.3–59.1 million | 352,200 | 296,620 | 2.02 | 64.5 |
| 2084 | projection | 23,442,065 | 10.2–59.6 million | 350,649 | 300,921 | 2.01 | 64.5 |
| 2085 | projection | 23,513,389 | 10.1–60.8 million | 349,024 | 304,958 | 2.00 | 64.7 |
| 2086 | projection | 23,557,066 | 9.9–61.9 million | 347,326 | 308,523 | 1.99 | 64.8 |
| 2087 | projection | 23,610,446 | 10.1–62.5 million | 346,308 | 311,790 | 1.98 | 64.9 |
| 2088 | projection | 23,645,001 | 10.0–63.8 million | 344,392 | 314,598 | 1.98 | 65.0 |
| 2089 | projection | 23,689,853 | 9.8–64.7 million | 342,894 | 317,315 | 1.97 | 65.1 |
| 2090 | projection | 23,730,438 | 9.7–65.0 million | 341,804 | 319,853 | 1.96 | 65.2 |
| 2091 | projection | 23,752,024 | 9.9–65.6 million | 340,278 | 322,008 | 1.96 | 65.3 |
| 2092 | projection | 23,770,576 | 9.8–67.5 million | 338,762 | 323,875 | 1.95 | 65.3 |
| 2093 | projection | 23,790,333 | 9.7–68.9 million | 337,000 | 325,613 | 1.94 | 65.4 |
| 2094 | projection | 23,799,001 | 9.5–70.1 million | 334,861 | 326,703 | 1.94 | 65.5 |
| 2095 | projection | 23,797,585 | 9.5–71.1 million | 332,478 | 327,680 | 1.93 | 65.7 |
| 2096 | projection | 23,805,639 | 9.4–71.8 million | 330,394 | 328,549 | 1.92 | 65.8 |
| 2097 | projection | 23,816,312 | 9.3–73.2 million | 328,801 | 329,515 | 1.92 | 65.9 |
| 2098 | projection | 23,814,524 | 9.1–74.4 million | 326,780 | 330,299 | 1.91 | 66.0 |
| 2099 | projection | 23,832,354 | 9.0–75.8 million | 324,696 | 331,179 | 1.90 | 66.1 |
| 2100 | projection | 23,837,722 | 9.0–77.8 million | 322,475 | 332,108 | 1.89 | 66.2 |
Show the numbers: South Sudan, mid-2026, by single year of age
| Age | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 174,684 | 169,922 |
| 1 | 166,918 | 162,768 |
| 2 | 161,353 | 157,229 |
| 3 | 156,388 | 152,348 |
| 4 | 153,014 | 149,348 |
| 5 | 150,007 | 146,769 |
| 6 | 145,831 | 142,876 |
| 7 | 140,348 | 137,784 |
| 8 | 138,772 | 136,738 |
| 9 | 142,424 | 140,464 |
| 10 | 145,111 | 142,770 |
| 11 | 152,460 | 149,664 |
| 12 | 162,578 | 159,130 |
| 13 | 169,000 | 165,356 |
| 14 | 171,877 | 168,502 |
| 15 | 169,132 | 166,134 |
| 16 | 164,972 | 162,355 |
| 17 | 161,250 | 158,918 |
| 18 | 156,501 | 154,434 |
| 19 | 151,562 | 149,765 |
| 20 | 146,777 | 145,267 |
| 21 | 141,883 | 140,664 |
| 22 | 136,398 | 135,469 |
| 23 | 130,015 | 129,423 |
| 24 | 122,336 | 121,948 |
| 25 | 113,634 | 113,219 |
| 26 | 104,462 | 103,965 |
| 27 | 92,518 | 92,030 |
| 28 | 81,572 | 81,045 |
| 29 | 75,696 | 75,432 |
| 30 | 71,342 | 71,799 |
| 31 | 66,961 | 68,242 |
| 32 | 62,974 | 65,129 |
| 33 | 60,260 | 63,238 |
| 34 | 58,752 | 62,613 |
| 35 | 57,782 | 62,631 |
| 36 | 57,386 | 63,150 |
| 37 | 51,264 | 57,423 |
| 38 | 44,876 | 50,744 |
| 39 | 47,556 | 53,540 |
| 40 | 53,303 | 59,944 |
| 41 | 56,992 | 64,160 |
| 42 | 58,378 | 65,952 |
| 43 | 58,991 | 66,816 |
| 44 | 59,058 | 66,964 |
| 45 | 58,669 | 66,500 |
| 46 | 57,902 | 65,568 |
| 47 | 56,797 | 64,291 |
| 48 | 55,360 | 62,722 |
| 49 | 53,634 | 60,897 |
| 50 | 51,708 | 58,894 |
| 51 | 49,592 | 56,710 |
| 52 | 47,344 | 54,418 |
| 53 | 44,884 | 51,932 |
| 54 | 42,204 | 49,198 |
| 55 | 39,356 | 46,246 |
| 56 | 36,482 | 43,204 |
| 57 | 33,799 | 40,305 |
| 58 | 31,354 | 37,622 |
| 59 | 29,103 | 35,132 |
| 60 | 27,011 | 32,800 |
| 61 | 25,175 | 30,746 |
| 62 | 23,423 | 28,800 |
| 63 | 21,692 | 26,885 |
| 64 | 20,086 | 25,106 |
| 65 | 18,543 | 23,390 |
| 66 | 17,059 | 21,726 |
| 67 | 15,632 | 20,109 |
| 68 | 14,277 | 18,560 |
| 69 | 12,975 | 17,064 |
| 70 | 11,715 | 15,610 |
| 71 | 10,514 | 14,222 |
| 72 | 9,362 | 12,890 |
| 73 | 8,262 | 11,610 |
| 74 | 7,224 | 10,393 |
| 75 | 6,250 | 9,236 |
| 76 | 5,382 | 8,072 |
| 77 | 4,685 | 7,148 |
| 78 | 4,126 | 6,534 |
| 79 | 3,582 | 5,866 |
| 80 | 3,029 | 5,089 |
| 81 | 2,522 | 4,332 |
| 82 | 2,072 | 3,637 |
| 83 | 1,684 | 3,018 |
| 84 | 1,352 | 2,476 |
| 85 | 1,070 | 2,006 |
| 86 | 831 | 1,601 |
| 87 | 629 | 1,252 |
| 88 | 458 | 955 |
| 89 | 320 | 710 |
| 90 | 213 | 512 |
| 91 | 134 | 359 |
| 92 | 80 | 243 |
| 93 | 44 | 158 |
| 94 | 22 | 98 |
| 95 | 10 | 56 |
| 96 | 3 | 30 |
| 97 | 2 | 13 |
| 98 | 1 | 4 |
| 99 | 1 | 1 |
| 100+ | 4 | 4 |
SSD · 1950–2100 · every age, every year
South Sudan, every age in every year
Each column is a year and each row an age; the denser the ink in a cell, the more people. Everyone born in the same year climbs one 45° diagonal, so famines, baby booms and migration show up as streaks. Select a cell to follow its generation.
SSD · ages 15–64
Who does the work in South Sudan
On the UN's projection, South Sudan will have the most working-age people it ever has in 2093: 16,104,700 people aged 15–64. In 2023 it had 6,572,630.
aged 15–64 children under 15 aged 65 and over
How to read this: the orange squares are 100 people aged 15–64 in 2023, and the rows below are how many children (teal) and how many people aged 65 or older (violet) lived alongside them.
Fewer than 50 dependants live alongside every 100 people aged 15–64 in 45 years: 2056–2100.
fewer than 50 dependants per 100 the same, projected 50 or more
How to read this: one stripe a year from 1950 to 2100. A stripe takes colour in a year when fewer than 50 dependants live alongside every 100 people of working age, and stays grey otherwise; hatching means the year is projected.
SSD · arrivals minus departures
Who arrives in South Sudan, and who leaves
In 2020–2025 South Sudan gains 78,163 people a year: everyone who arrives, minus everyone who leaves. The age at which that happens most is 10–14, at 12,826 a year more arriving than leaving.
more arrive than leave more leave than arrive
How to read this: left to right is age, from babies to 100. Blue squares above the line are ages at which more people arrive than leave; orange squares below it, ages at which more leave than arrive. These are the UN's projection for 2020–2025. There is no record of migration by age before 2020.
Across the counted years, 1950 to 2023, its biggest single-year gain was 455,000 (2023); its biggest loss, 670,477 (2017).
In 2024, 914,001 people living in South Sudan had been born in another country, 8 of every 100 people there, against 14 in 1990.
SSD · births by the mother's age · 1950–2100
Who has the babies in South Sudan
Of every 100 babies born in South Sudan in 2023, 23 had a mother under 20, 61 a mother aged 20 to 34 and 16 a mother aged 35 or older. In 1950 it was 18 under 20 and 21 aged 35 or older.
18 · 61 · 21
23 · 61 · 16
18 · 65 · 17
The mother's age: under 20 20 to 34 35 or older projected
How to read this: each block is 100 babies born in that year, one square each, coloured by how old the mother was. The numbers under a block are the three groups, youngest mothers first.
- Babies born, 2023
- 328,308
- Average age when women have a baby
- 28.6 years
- 30.0 in 1950
- Babies a year per 1,000 girls aged 15–19
- 97
- 154 in 1950
Babies by the mother's age, 1950–2100
| Mother's age | 1950 | 1975 | 2000 | 2023 | 2050 projected | 2100 projected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10–14 | 2,675 | 4,213 | 5,780 | 8,503 | 5,135 | 588 |
| 15–19 | 19,600 | 31,196 | 45,968 | 68,124 | 65,389 | 23,896 |
| 20–24 | 29,335 | 46,590 | 73,792 | 99,830 | 115,748 | 72,364 |
| 25–29 | 25,806 | 42,962 | 67,693 | 57,242 | 79,536 | 85,018 |
| 30–34 | 20,441 | 36,078 | 50,220 | 41,844 | 59,865 | 80,322 |
| 35–39 | 14,933 | 25,807 | 34,175 | 29,610 | 45,909 | 46,564 |
| 40–44 | 8,106 | 14,524 | 18,245 | 18,146 | 17,327 | 12,300 |
| 45–49 | 2,008 | 3,582 | 4,410 | 4,759 | 2,803 | 1,324 |
| 50–54 | 103 | 180 | 221 | 250 | 158 | 99 |
| All babies | 123,007 | 205,132 | 300,504 | 328,308 | 391,870 | 322,475 |
The UN's births for each year, split by the mother's age in the UN's own proportions.
SSD · healthy years · 2021
Years in good health in South Sudan
In South Sudan, WHO puts the healthy years a newborn could expect in 2021 at 50.5 (95% range 49.3–51.9), out of 58.6 in all. The years in less than full health come to 8.1, below the world's 9.5: shorter lives leave fewer years in which to be ill.
51.4 in full health, 9.2 not: 60.6 years
49.6 in full health, 6.9 not: 56.5 years
a year in full health a year in less than full health
How to read this: each square is a year of life, each row ten years; filled squares are years in full health, rounded to whole years.
Women: 51.4 healthy years of 60.6. Men: 49.6 of 56.5. In 2019, before the pandemic, the healthy years were 51.0.
SSD · forced from home · end of 2025
Displacement in South Sudan
At the end of 2025, 1,277,527 people were displaced inside South Sudan, about 105 of every 1,000 people living there.
- hosted from abroad605,064
- displaced inside it1,277,527
- South Sudan nationals abroad2,510,483
stayed inside their own country crossed a border
How to read this: one square stands for 50,000 people, so the rows can be compared with one another. The last row is people from South Sudan living in another country, wherever they are.
In 2025, 3,959 people asked for asylum in South Sudan for the first time; 97,102 people from South Sudan asked for asylum in another country. Of every 100 people from South Sudan whose claims were decided that year, 92 were given protection. Who asks for asylum, and who is given it
SSD · of every 100 people
How people live in South Sudan
Of every 100 people in South Sudan in 2025, 33 lived in a city, 32 in a town or suburb and 35 in the countryside.
cities towns and suburbs rural areas
94.6 of every 100 have no electricity at home (2024). 93.3 of every 100 do not use the internet (2019).
How to read this: 100 squares, one for every 100th person, coloured by where they live, as the key says. The same rule is used in every country.
SSD · adults 25 and over · 2020
How far people in South Sudan went in school
Of every 100 adults in South Sudan in 2020, 73 never went to school and 15 finished upper secondary or went further.
73 never went to school 12 finished primary 12 finished upper secondary 3 studied after school
The young went further: 65.8 of every 100 women aged 25–29 never went to school, against 90.7 of every 100 aged 60–64 (men: 53 against 77.2).
The middle projection has its working-age people most numerous in 2065; those among them who finished upper secondary are still growing in 2100.
How to read this: the row is the adults (25 and over) shrunk to 100 people, coloured by how far each went in school, least schooling on the left. The Wittgenstein Centre's count, 2020.
SSD · cities · 2025
Cities in South Sudan
South Sudan had 25 cities in 2025, home to 4.1 million people. The largest, Nimule, holds 5 of every 100 people in South Sudan.
- Nimule581,444
- Torit424,731
- Juba391,311
- Riwoto330,053
- Kapoeta270,167
- Yei228,087
- Narus212,131
- Bor173,688
- Wau140,376
- Yambio130,598
All 8 cities in South Sudan that reach 300,000 people
How to read this: the 10 largest cities in 2025, bars on one scale. A city is the whole built-up area on the UN's rule, not the city's own boundary.
Apparatus
Sources and method
Every figure on this page comes from the UN's World Population Prospects 2024: the annual country tables (estimates to 2023, projections with 95% intervals from 2024), and the population by single year of age and sex for the pyramid.
The censuses, surveys and registers behind the UN's estimates for South Sudan are listed, source by source, on the UN's own data sources page.
Sources: UN WPP 2024 · World Bank · UNHCR · country code lists · UN WUP 2025 · Wittgenstein Centre · WHO GHO · flag-icons · Natural Earth. Every source, its licence and how to cite it →
Checked before it was drawn
Verified 2026-09-30 · 73 canaries The pyramid for every year was checked against the published total. What that stamp counts, and what every page here has to pass before it can be built: how this site checks its figures.