PopulationTracker

South Sudan population

Current population of South Sudan

12,462,438

Live estimate, extrapolated from the latest official figures

Births today
203
Deaths today
68
Change today (UTC)
+141
World rank
81st of 218
0.15% of world population
Population
12,188,788
2025 estimate
Annual growth
+2.03%
2025
Density
18 /km²
2023
Land area
631,930 km²
Urban population
22%
2025
Median age
18.7 yrs
2025 (UN WPP)
Fertility rate
3.79
births per woman, 2024
Life expectancy
57.7 yrs
2024
Net migration
+6,145
2025
Capital
Juba
Region
Sub-Saharan Africa

Population of South Sudan: overview

South Sudan has a population of 12,188,788 according to the latest official estimates (2025), the 81st largest in the world. South Sudan is part of the Sub-Saharan Africa region and its capital is Juba.

The population is expanding quickly, at 2.03% per year. In absolute terms that meant roughly 245,380 additional people over the past year.

The country is sparsely settled, with only about 18 people per km², spread across 631,930 km² of land. It is one of the least urbanized countries in the world — just 22% of people live in cities.

With a median age of just 18.7 years, South Sudan has one of the youngest populations in the world. The fertility rate of 3.79 children per woman sits above the replacement level of 2.1. Life expectancy at birth is 57.7 years (2024).

The UN projects strong growth ahead: 18.34 million people by 2050, about 50% more than today. The 2030 projection is 13,457,454.

South Sudan population, 1960–2025 and projections

04M8M12M16M20M19601980200020202040projected2025: 12.19M1960: 2,931,5591961: 2,976,7241962: 3,024,3081963: 3,072,6691964: 3,129,9181965: 3,189,8351966: 3,236,4231967: 3,277,6481968: 3,321,5281969: 3,365,5331970: 3,409,6141971: 3,468,6461972: 3,542,4971973: 3,627,3831974: 3,723,2591975: 3,821,4941976: 3,921,9101977: 4,024,0321978: 4,127,6571979: 4,232,6051980: 4,339,0301981: 4,447,2721982: 4,557,6861983: 4,661,5741984: 4,750,6271985: 4,834,2961986: 4,921,2401987: 4,962,3951988: 4,848,0291989: 4,713,2291990: 4,737,6331991: 4,836,6771992: 4,909,7491993: 4,956,0021994: 5,071,1841995: 5,225,8361996: 5,356,9251997: 5,509,1361998: 5,620,0681999: 5,771,6282000: 6,032,2672001: 6,308,3912002: 6,596,8062003: 6,903,1272004: 7,233,0412005: 7,590,1432006: 7,976,5262007: 8,388,7882008: 8,817,6472009: 9,243,5562010: 9,745,9532011: 10,288,1092012: 10,756,2402013: 11,166,2752014: 11,235,0732015: 11,107,5612016: 10,830,1022017: 10,259,1542018: 10,122,9772019: 10,423,3842020: 10,698,4672021: 10,865,7802022: 11,021,1772023: 11,483,3742024: 11,943,4082025: 12,188,7882030: 13,457,4542050: 18,341,974
Population of South Sudan by year
YearPopulationGrowth rateAnnual change
202512,188,788+2.03%+245,380
202411,943,408+3.93%+460,034
202311,483,374+4.11%+462,197
202211,021,177+1.42%+155,397
202110,865,780+1.55%+167,313
202010,698,467+2.60%+275,083
201910,423,384+2.92%+300,407
201810,122,977−1.34%−136,177
201710,259,154−5.42%−570,948
201610,830,102−2.53%−277,459
201511,107,561−1.14%−127,512
201411,235,073+0.61%+68,798
20109,745,953+5.29%+502,397
20057,590,143+4.82%+357,102
20006,032,267+4.42%+260,639
19955,225,836+3.00%+154,652
19904,737,633+0.52%+24,404
19854,834,296+1.75%+83,669
19804,339,030+2.48%+106,425
19753,821,494+2.60%+98,235
19703,409,614+1.30%+44,081
19653,189,835+1.90%+59,917
19602,931,559––

Recent years annually, earlier years at five-year steps. Annual change compares against the immediately preceding year.

South Sudan population forecast

United Nations World Population Prospects 2024, medium variant.

Projected population of South Sudan
YearProjected populationvs today
203013,457,454+10.4%
205018,341,974+50.5%

South Sudan population pyramid (2025)

Age and sex structure from UN World Population Prospects 2024: 38.0% of South Sudan's population is under 15, 58.9% is of working age (15–64), and 3.1% is 65 or older. Hover any bar for the group's size.

MaleFemale
0%2%2%4%4%6%6%8%8%0-4 male: 796,800 (6.5%)0-4 female: 776,442 (6.4%)0-45-9 male: 715,984 (5.9%)5-9 female: 702,880 (5.8%)10-14 male: 827,528 (6.8%)10-14 female: 810,438 (6.6%)10-1415-19 male: 783,774 (6.4%)15-19 female: 772,057 (6.3%)20-24 male: 647,316 (5.3%)20-24 female: 641,777 (5.3%)20-2425-29 male: 428,144 (3.5%)25-29 female: 425,640 (3.5%)30-34 male: 308,808 (2.5%)30-34 female: 323,192 (2.7%)30-3435-39 male: 256,337 (2.1%)35-39 female: 286,221 (2.3%)40-44 male: 294,817 (2.4%)40-44 female: 332,434 (2.7%)40-4445-49 male: 278,555 (2.3%)45-49 female: 314,634 (2.6%)50-54 male: 226,784 (1.9%)50-54 female: 261,041 (2.1%)50-5455-59 male: 160,921 (1.3%)55-59 female: 191,582 (1.6%)60-64 male: 112,130 (0.9%)60-64 female: 137,713 (1.1%)60-6465-69 male: 74,830 (0.6%)65-69 female: 96,148 (0.8%)70-74 male: 44,499 (0.4%)70-74 female: 61,502 (0.5%)70-7475-79 male: 23,136 (0.2%)75-79 female: 35,638 (0.3%)80-84 male: 10,260 (0.1%)80-84 female: 17,735 (0.1%)80-8485-89 male: 3,154 (0.0%)85-89 female: 6,180 (0.1%)90-94 male: 426 (0.0%)90-94 female: 1,235 (0.0%)90-9495-99 male: 13 (0.0%)95-99 female: 76 (0.0%)100+ male: 6 (0.0%)100+ female: 6 (0.0%)100+

South Sudan population FAQ

What is the population of South Sudan in 2026?

South Sudan's population is estimated at about 12.46 million in 2026, extrapolated from the latest official figure of 12,188,788 (2025). South Sudan ranks 81st in the world by population.

Is the population of South Sudan growing or shrinking?

South Sudan's population is growing at about 2.03% per year, an increase of roughly 245,380 people over the past year.

How densely populated is South Sudan?

South Sudan has about 18 people per square kilometre across a land area of 631,930 km².

What share of the world's population lives in South Sudan?

South Sudan is home to about 0.15% of the world's population.

What is South Sudan's projected population in 2050?

United Nations medium-variant projections put South Sudan's population at 18,341,974 in 2050, passing through 13,457,454 in 2030.

What is the median age in South Sudan?

The median age in South Sudan is 18.7 years (2025 estimate) — half the population is younger and half older than that.

Sources: World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0); median age and projections from UN World Population Prospects 2024. Live figures are estimates extrapolated from the latest official data — see methodology.