South Sudan

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<p>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.<br><br>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.</p>

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East-Central Africa; south of Sudan, north of Uganda and Kenya, west of Ethiopia

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8 00 N, 30 00 E

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Africa

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more than four times the size of Georgia; slightly smaller than Texas

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<strong>note:</strong> 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

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0 km (landlocked)

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none (landlocked)

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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

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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

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hydropower, fertile agricultural land, gold, diamonds, petroleum, hardwoods, limestone, iron ore, copper, chromium ore, zinc, tungsten, mica, silver

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1,000 sq km (2012)

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Nile (shared with Rwanda [s], Tanzania, Uganda, Sudan, and Egypt [m]) - 6,650 km<br><br><strong>note:</strong> [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

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clusters found in urban areas, particularly in the western interior and around the White Nile, as shown in this population distribution map

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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

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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.)

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<strong>note: </strong>Figures are estimations due to population changes during South Sudan's civil war and the lack of updated demographic studies

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Christian 60.5%, folk religion 32.9%, Muslim 6.2%, other &lt;1%, unaffiliated &lt;1% (2020 est.)

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4.52% (2025 est.)

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35.68 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

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8.65 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

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18.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

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clusters found in urban areas, particularly in the western interior and around the White Nile, as shown in this population distribution map

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459,000 JUBA (capital) (2023)

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692 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

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4.98 children born/woman (2025 est.)

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2.43 (2025 est.)

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0.04 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

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6.6% (2014)

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water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water; wildlife conservation and loss of biodiversity; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; drought

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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

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20.6 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

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49.5 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

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presidential republic

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10 states; Central Equatoria, Eastern Equatoria, Jonglei, Lakes, Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Unity, Upper Nile, Warrap, Western Bahr el Ghazal, Western Equatoria

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<strong>note:</strong> 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)

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18 years of age; universal

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<strong>note: </strong>the president is both chief of state and head of government

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<strong>note:</strong> in mid-2022, the Government of South Sudan inaugurated an ad-hoc judiciary committee, a 12-member body led by two eminent jurists, that is charged with reviewing relevant laws, advising on judicial reform, and restructuring the judiciary

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Democratic Change or DC<br>Democratic Forum or DF<br>Labour Party or LPSS<br>South Sudan Opposition Alliance or SSOA<br>Sudan African National Union or SANU<br>Sudan People's Liberation Movement or SPLM<br>Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-In Opposition or SPLM-IO<br>United Democratic Salvation Front or UDSF    <br>United South Sudan African Party or USSAP<br>United South Sudan Party or USSP

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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

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9 July 2011 (from Sudan)

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Independence Day, 9 July (2011)

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<strong>description:</strong> 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<br><br><strong>meaning: </strong>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

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<strong>note 1:</strong> similar to the flag of Kenya<br><br><strong>note 2:</strong> South Sudan has one of two national flags that display six colors as part of the primary design -- the other is South Africa's

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African fish eagle

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red, green, blue, yellow, black, white

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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

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<strong>note:</strong> data in 2015 dollars

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<b>note:</b> annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

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<strong>note:</strong> data in 2015 dollars

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$4.629 billion (2023 est.)

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<b>note:</b> data in current dollars at official exchange rate

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<b>note:</b> annual % change based on consumer prices

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<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

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milk, cassava, sorghum, goat milk, vegetables, fruits, groundnuts, sesame seeds, beef, maize (2023)

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<b>note:</b> top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

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-36.8% (2015 est.)

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<b>note:</b> annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

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5.091 million (2023 est.)

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<b>note:</b> number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

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<b>note:</b> % of labor force seeking employment

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<b>note:</b> % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

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82.3% (2016 est.)

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<b>note:</b> % of population with income below national poverty line

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<b>note:</b> index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

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<strong>note:</strong> % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

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<strong>note:</strong> personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

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<b>note:</b> central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

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<b>note:</b> balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

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<b>note:</b> balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

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China 51%, Singapore 29%, UAE 10%, Germany 4%, Uganda 3% (2023)

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<b>note:</b> top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

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crude petroleum, refined petroleum, forage crops, gold, scrap iron (2023)

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<b>note:</b> top five export commodities based on value in dollars

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<b>note:</b> balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

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Uganda 33%, UAE 26%, Kenya 14%, China 10%, USA 3% (2023)

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<b>note:</b> top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

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garments, cement, other foods, iron bars, cereal flours (2023)

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<b>note:</b> top five import commodities based on value in dollars

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<b>note:</b> holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

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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)

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.ss

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Z8

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89 (2025)

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2 (2025)

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<strong>note:</strong> 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

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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)<br><br>Ministry of Interior: South Sudan National Police Service (SSNPS) (2025)

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<strong>note 1: </strong>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<strong><br><br>note 2:</strong> 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

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information varies; estimated 150-200,000 active Defense Forces (2025)

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<strong>note: </strong>some active SSPDF personnel may be militia; the National/Necessary Unified Forces (NUF) were 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

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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)

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<strong>note:</strong> South Sudan has been under a UN arms embargo since 2018 (extended for 1 year in May 2025)

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18 (legal minimum age)-35 for voluntary military service for men and women; 12-24 months service (2025)

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<strong>note: </strong>the UN reports that there are thousands of child soldiers in South Sudan serving in the SSPDF and militia forces although the South Sudanese Government has pledged to end the practice

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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<br><br>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<br><br>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)