2025 Edition Primary

Background

<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>

Area

Land

NA

Total

644,329 sq km

Water

NA

Area - comparative

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

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

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Continent

Africa

Elevation

Highest point

Kinyeti 3,187 m

Lowest point

White Nile 381 m

Geographic coordinates

8 00 N, 30 00 E

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

Irrigated land

1,000 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

Border countries

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

<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

number of neighbors

6

Total

6,018 km

Land use

Agricultural land

44.9% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 3.9% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 40.8% (2023 est.)

arable land

3.94%

Forest

11.3% (2023 est.)

Other

43.8% (2023 est.)

permanent crops

0.13%

Landlocked

Yes

Location

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

Major rivers (by length in km)

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

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage

Congo (3,730,881 sq km), <em>(Mediterranean Sea)</em> Nile (3,254,853 sq km)

Map links

Google Maps

https://goo.gl/maps/Zm1AYCXb9HSNF1P27

OpenStreetMap

https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/1656678

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural resources

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

Population distribution

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

Subregion

Middle Africa

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 sq km fed by the waters of the White Nile that dominates the center of the country

Time zone

UTC+03:00

number of time zones

1

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)

Birth rate

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

Death rate

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

adult female

247 per 1,000

adult male

356 per 1,000

Dependency ratios

Elderly dependency ratio

4.7 (2024 est.)

Potential support ratio

21.1 (2024 est.)

Total dependency ratio

80.8 (2024 est.)

Youth dependency ratio

76.1 (2024 est.)

Drinking water source

Improved: rural

rural: 33.6% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: total

total: 41.2% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: urban

urban: 70% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: rural

rural: 66.4% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: total

total: 58.8% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: urban

urban: 30% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP)

1.6% of GDP (2016 est.)

Education expenditure (% national budget)

3.3% national budget (2015 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

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

Gross reproduction rate

2.43 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

12 % of GDP

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

5.9% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

2.1% of national budget (2022 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.8%

Infant mortality rate

Female

54.1 deaths/1,000 live births

Male

65.8 deaths/1,000 live births

neonatal

40 deaths/1,000 live births

Total

58.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Languages

Languages

English (official), Arabic (includes Juba and Sudanese variants), ethnic languages include Dinka, Nuer, Bari, Zande, Shilluk

Major-language sample(s)

<br>The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. (English)<br><br>كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)

number of languages

1

Life expectancy at birth

Female

62.2 years

Male

58.4 years

Total population

60.3 years (2024 est.)

Major urban areas - population

459,000 JUBA (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

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

Median age

Female

18.7 years

Male

18.7 years

Total

18.7 years (2025 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

97 births/1,000 women 15-19

Nationality

Adjective

South Sudanese

Noun

South Sudanese (singular and plural)

Net migration rate

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

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

6.6% (2014)

Physician density

0.04 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

Population

Female

6,227,373

Male

6,476,341

Total

12,703,714 (2024 est.)

Population growth rate

4.52% (2025 est.)

Religions

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

Sanitation facility access

Improved: rural

rural: 15.5% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: total

total: 24.9% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: urban

urban: 60.6% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: rural

rural: 84.5% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: total

total: 75.1% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: urban

urban: 39.4% of population (2022 est.)

Sex ratio

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

At birth

1.05 male(s)/female

Total population

1.04 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.98 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

Rate of urbanization

4.12% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Urban population

21.2% of total population (2023)

Vaccination rate

measles

72%

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

<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)

Capital

Etymology

the name comes from the name of a small Bari village that was located near the present-day city

Geographic coordinates

04 51 N, 31 37 E

Name

Juba

Time difference

UTC+2 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

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

Coat of arms

svg

https://mainfacts.com/media/images/coats_of_arms/ss.svg

Constitution

Amendment process

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

History

previous 2005 (pre-independence); latest signed 7 July 2011, effective 9 July 2011 (Transitional Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan, 2011)

Country name

alternative spellings

SS

Conventional long form

Republic of South Sudan

Conventional short form

South Sudan

Etymology

self-descriptive name from the country's geographic position within Sudan prior to independence; the name Sudan derives from the Arabic <em>balad-as-sudan</em>, meaning "Land of the Black [peoples]"

FIFA code

SSD

local long form (eng)

Republic of South Sudan

Diplomatic representation from the US

Chief of mission

Ambassador Michael J. ADLER (since 24 August 2022)<br>

Email address and website

<br>ACSJuba@state.gov<br><br>https://ss.usembassy.gov/

Embassy

Kololo Road adjacent to the EU's compound, Juba

Mailing address

4420 Juba Place, Washington DC&nbsp; 20521-4420

Telephone

[211] 912-105-188

Diplomatic representation in the US

Chancery

1015 31st Street NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20007

Chief of mission

Ambassador Santino Fardol Watod DICKEN (since 18 September 2024)

Email address and website

<br>info.ssdembassy@gmail.com<br><br>https://www.ssembassydc.org/

FAX

[1] (202) 644-9910

Telephone

[1] (202) 600-2238

Executive branch

Cabinet

National Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved by the Transitional National Legislative Assembly

Chief of state

President Salva KIIR Mayardit (since 9 July 2011)

Election results

<em><br>2010:</em> Salva KIIR Mayardit elected leader of then-Southern Sudan; percent of vote - Salva KIIR Mayardit (SPLM) 93%, Lam AKOL (SPLM-DC) 7%

Election/appointment process

president directly elected by simple-majority popular vote for a 4-year term (eligible for a second term)

Expected date of next election

scheduled for 2015 but has been postponed multiple times, currently to be held in December 2026

Head of government

President Salva KIIR Mayardit (since 9 July 2011)

Most recent election date

11-15 April 2010

Note

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

Flag

<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

note

<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

Flag description

The flag of South Sudan is composed of three equal horizontal bands of black, red with white top and bottom edges, and green. A blue equilateral triangle which spans about two-fifth the width of the field is superimposed on the hoist side with its base on the hoist end of the field. At the center of this triangle is a five-pointed yellow star.

Flag image

svg

https://flagcdn.com/ss.svg

Government type

presidential republic

Independence

9 July 2011 (from Sudan)

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

Highest court(s)

Supreme Court of South Sudan (consists of a chief justice, deputy chief justice, and 5 additional justices); the 2011 Transitional Constitution of South Sudan calls for 9, rather than 5 additional justices

Judge selection and term of office

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

Note

<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

Subordinate courts

national level - Courts of Appeal; High Courts; County Courts; state level - High Courts; County Courts; customary courts; other specialized courts and tribunals

Legislative branch

Legislative structure

bicameral

Legislature name

Législature nationale (National Legislature)

Legislative branch - lower chamber

Chamber name

Transitional National Legislative Assembly (Al-Majlis Al-Tachirii)

Expected date of next election

December 2026

Most recent election date

5/10/2021

Number of seats

550 (all appointed)

Percentage of women in chamber

32.4%

Scope of elections

full renewal

Legislative branch - upper chamber

Chamber name

Council of States (Al-Watani)

Expected date of next election

December 2026

Most recent election date

8/2/2021

Number of seats

100 (all appointed)

Percentage of women in chamber

32.1%

Scope of elections

full renewal

National color(s)

red, green, blue, yellow, black, white

National holiday

Independence Day, 9 July (2011)

National symbol(s)

African fish eagle

Political parties

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

Start of week

Sunday

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

UN Member

Yes

Agricultural products

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

note

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

Budget

Expenditures

$1.984 billion (2023 est.)

Note

<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

Revenues

$2.513 billion (2023 est.)

Currency

code

SSP

name

South Sudanese pound (SSP) [£]

Current account balance

$577.9 million

Current account balance 2021

-$6.55 million (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

-$596.748 million (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

$577.9 million (2023 est.)

Note

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

Economic overview

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

Exchange rates

Currency

South Sudanese pounds (SSP) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2020

165.907 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

306.355 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

534.511 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

930.331 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

2,163.104 (2024 est.)

Exports

Exports 2021

$4.652 billion (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$5.811 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$4.499 billion (2023 est.)

Note

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

Exports - commodities

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

note

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

Exports - partners

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

note

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

Foreign direct investment

net inflows

$83.42 million

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

Agriculture

10.4% (2015 est.)

Industry

33.1% (2015 est.)

Note

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

Services

56.6% (2015 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$4.629 billion (2023 est.)

note

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

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

44.1 (2016)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2016

44 (2016 est.)

Note

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

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Highest 10%

33% (2016 est.)

Lowest 10%

1.8% (2016 est.)

Note

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

Imports

Imports 2021

$4.037 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$6.402 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$4.443 billion (2023 est.)

Note

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

Imports - commodities

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

note

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

Imports - partners

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

note

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

Industrial production growth rate

-36.8% (2015 est.)

note

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

91.44%

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

-6.7% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

2.4% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

91.4% (2024 est.)

Note

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

Labor force

5.091 million (2023 est.)

note

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

total

5.07 million persons

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

63.76%

industry

1.67%

services

34.57%

Population below poverty line

82.3% (2016 est.)

note

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

Public debt

Public debt 2016

86.6% of GDP (2016 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Note

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

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$6.945 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$6.585 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$6.752 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Note

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

Real GDP growth rate 2015

-10.8% (2015 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2016

-13.9% (2016 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2017

-5.2% (2017 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Note

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

Real GDP per capita 2021

$400 (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

$400 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$400 (2023 est.)

Remittances

$1.14 billion

Note

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

Remittances 2013

0% of GDP (2013 est.)

Remittances 2014

0% of GDP (2014 est.)

Remittances 2015

9.5% of GDP (2015 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$72.88 million

Note

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

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021

$341.932 million (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$94.914 million (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$72.881 million (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate

12.37%

Note

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

Unemployment rate 2021

14.1% (2021 est.)

Unemployment rate 2022

12.6% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

12.5% (2023 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

Female

17.6% (2023 est.)

Male

19.4% (2023 est.)

Note

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

Total

18.5% (2023 est.)

Coal

Imports

100 metric tons (2022 est.)

Electricity

Consumption

566.034 million kWh (2023 est.)

consumption per capita

47 kWh

Installed generating capacity

136,000 kW (2023 est.)

Transmission/distribution losses

23.966 million kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

Electrification - rural areas

1.7%

Electrification - total population

8.4% (2022 est.)

Electrification - urban areas

15%

Electricity generation sources

Fossil fuels

93.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectric

0%

nuclear

0%

renewable

0.34%

Solar

6.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

69 kg of oil equivalent

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

2.092 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Petroleum

Crude oil estimated reserves

3.75 billion barrels (2021 est.)

Refined petroleum consumption

11,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Total petroleum production

146,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Renewable energy consumption

32.4%

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

per 100 inhabitants

0 per 100

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

(2023 est.) less than 1

Total

0 (2023 est.)

Broadcast media

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)

Internet country code

.ss

Internet users

Percent of population

9% (2022 est.)

Telephone calling code

+211

Telephones - fixed lines

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

(2023 est.) less than 1

Total subscriptions

0 (2023 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100

47 per 100

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

30 (2022 est.)

Total subscriptions

6.17 million (2023 est.)

Airports

89 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Z8

Driving side

Right

Heliports

2 (2025)

Railways

Note

<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

Total

248 km (2018)

Vehicle registration code

Land forces

armored vehicles

tanks

Military - note

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)

Military and security forces

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)

active duty personnel

53,000

note

<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

percent of total labor force

1.17 %

Military and security service personnel strengths

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

note

<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

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

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)

note

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

Military expenditures

2 % of GDP

current USD

$2,027,890,373

Military Expenditures 2020

2% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

2% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

2% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

2% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military Expenditures 2024

2% of GDP (2024 est.)

percent of central government expenditure

8.23 %

percent of GDP

1.96 % of GDP

Military service age and obligation

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

note

<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

Military strength ranking

PowerIndex score

2.4645

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs

1,359,795 (2024 est.)

Refugees

517,471 (2024 est.)

Stateless persons

18,000 (2024 est.)

Trafficking in persons

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 remained on Tier 3; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/south-sudan/

Carbon dioxide emissions

From petroleum and other liquids

1.725 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Total emissions

1.725 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Environmental issues

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

International environmental agreements

Party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

Signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Methane emissions

Agriculture

696 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Energy

59.4 kt (2022-2024 est.)

Other

12.7 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Waste

120.2 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Particulate matter emissions

20.6 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Protected areas

15 % of total land area

Renewable electricity output

0 % of total

Total renewable water resources

49.5 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal

3 % of internal resources

Agricultural

240 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Industrial

225 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Municipal

193 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Waste and recycling

Municipal solid waste generated annually

2.681 million tons (2024 est.)