COUNTRY PROFILESouth Sudan
South Sudan's population is 12,188,788 (2025) — the 80th-largest in the world and the 32nd-largest in Africa, growing by about 245,380 people a year.
12,325,669
Population right now, ticking live from the last confirmed count.▲ growing12,188,788 (World Bank, 2025) + +245,380/year × elapsed time since 2025-12-31 — open formula, updates every tick
South Sudan Facts at a Glance
Five numbers that summarise the country — population trend, rank, density, wealth, share of humanity.
Population2025
12,188,788
World rank
#80
of 217 tracked geographies
Density
19.3 / km²
631,930 km² land area
Share of humanity
1 in 674 people on Earth lives in South Sudan
South Sudan's Population Growth
Yes — South Sudan's population rose by 245,380 people (+2.05%) between 2024 and 2025. The fertility rate is 3.8 births per woman. Net migration was positive in the latest year on record.
You, in South Sudan
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Enter a birth year between 1960 and 2025 to see where you'd land.
South Sudan Demographics
Every indicator has its own source and dataset year — shown honestly rather than smoothed into one.
Population density2025
19.3 people / km²
631,930 km² land area, 2025
Median age2025
19.7 years
half the population is older, half younger
Life expectancy2024
57.7 years
M 54.8 · F 60.7
Homicide rate2012
14.0 per 100,000
#166 safest of 196
Air quality (PM2.5)2023
23.7 µg/m³
lower is cleaner
Urban population2025
21.7 %
share living in cities
Fertility rate2025
3.8 births / woman
replacement level ≈ 2.1
Net migration2025
+6,145 people
positive in latest year
South Sudan in World Rankings
Every world ranking we publish, where this country sits in each one, and its overall percentile profile.
Population12,188,788 people
#80 / 217
→
Life expectancy57.7 years
#214 / 217
→
Cleanest air23.67 µg/m³ PM2.5
#136 / 200
→
Safest countries14 homicides / 100k
#166 / 196
→
Most dangerous14 homicides / 100k
#30 / 196
→
Percentile in each ranking — further from centre is a higher rank (closer to #1).
Population, 1960 to 2025
66 years of estimates from the same source.
Source: World Bank (SP.POP.TOTL) · annual estimates, 1960–2025 · hover the line for any year.
Age & sex structure
17 five-year bands, male and female, 2025.
Male — 5,994,222Female — 6,194,568
Largest cities
By population, GeoNames city-proper figures (not metro area).
Where is South Sudan Located?
- Capital
- Juba
- Currency
- Pound (SSP)
- Language(s)
- English
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Continent
- 54 countries in Africa →
- Land area
- 631,930 km²
- Area (GeoNames)
- 644,329 km²
- Borders
- 6 countries
DR Congo
Central African Republic
Ethiopia
Kenya
Sudan
UgandaSouth SudanVSExplore South Sudan in Every Ranking
Jump straight to the full world table for any of these indicators.
Frequently asked
What is the population of South Sudan?
South Sudan's population is 12,188,788 as of 2025 (World Bank estimate), ranking #80 of 217 countries and territories by population.
How many people live in South Sudan?
12,188,788 people, as of the 2025 World Bank estimate — the most recent figure this page tracks.
What is South Sudan's population density?
19.3 people per km², based on a land area of 631,930 km².
What is South Sudan ranked in population worldwide?
#80 of 217 countries and territories by population — see the full ranking table for every country's position.
What is the life expectancy in South Sudan?
57.7 years on average (2024) — 54.8 for men, 60.7 for women.
Sources
World Bank Open Data
CC BY 4.0 · population, GDP, life expectancy, homicide, PM2.5, vitals
data.worldbank.org →