South Sudan flag
SSD Data file updated Jul 5, 2026

South Sudan

Country profile covering economy, demographics, military, quality-of-life signals, and historical trends.

Quick Facts

Capital
Juba
Currency
South Sudanese Pound (SSP)
Language
English
Government
Federal presidential constitutional republic
Internet Users
6.7%
Unemployment
12.4%

Population

12.19M

GDP

$4.62B

GDP per Capita

$416

Area

619,745 km²

Life Expectancy

57.7 years

HDI

0.4

Economy

5 metrics
GDP (USD) $4.62B
GDP Per Capita (USD) $416
Unemployment Rate (%) 12.4%
GINI Index (Income Inequality) 44.0
Currency South Sudanese Pound (SSP)

Society & Demographics

4 metrics
Life Expectancy (years) 57.7
Literacy Rate (%) 34.5%
Internet Users (%) 6.7%
Human Development Index 0.4

Military Strength

9 metrics
Active Personnel 185,000
Reserve Personnel 30,000
Total Military Personnel 215,000
Defense Budget (USD) $430M
Tanks 150
Armored Vehicles 600
Self-Propelled Artillery 20
Towed Artillery 120
Rocket Projectors 60

Air Force

7 metrics
Total Aircraft 45
Fighters 12
Attack Aircraft 8
Transport Aircraft 10
Trainer Aircraft 6
Helicopters 20
Attack Helicopters 6

Education

4 metrics
Education Expenditure (% of GDP) 1.5%
Universities 18
Primary Enrollment (%) 46.5%
Secondary Enrollment (%) 11.0%

Healthcare

5 metrics
Healthcare Expenditure (% of GDP) 3.2%
Physicians per 1,000 people 0.0
Hospital Beds per 1,000 people 0.4
Life Expectancy (Male) 53.5
Life Expectancy (Female) 56.8

Cost of Living

12 metrics
Cost of Living Index 28.5
Rent Index 18.2
Groceries Index 30.1
Restaurant Price Index 22.4
Local Purchasing Power 6.5
Meal at Inexpensive Restaurant (USD) $3
Three-Course Meal for 2 (USD) $12
Monthly Rent - City Center (USD) $250
Monthly Rent - Outside Center (USD) $90
Monthly Utilities (USD) $35
Internet (60 Mbps, USD) $40
Monthly Public Transport Pass (USD) $8

Historical Data

No Historical Data Available

Historical data is not available for the selected countries.

Compare South Sudan

Religious Composition

  • Christian 60.5%
  • Indigenous Traditional 32.9%
  • Muslim 6.2%
  • Other 0.4%

Beverages per Person

  • Alcohol 0.4 L pure/yr

Per-capita — consumption where available, else FAOSTAT supply · alcohol = litres of pure alcohol (WHO)

Age Demographics

17.8 Median Age
Age Distribution
0-14
42.3%
15-29
28.6%
30-44
15.4%
45-59
8.5%
60-69
3.2%
70+
2.0%

Related Rankings

Next Steps