🇸🇸 South Sudan Population 2026

As of 2026, the population of South Sudan is 12,436,037, ranking #80 in the world (0.15% of the global population), based on UN World Population Prospects 2024. The population is growing at 2.02% per year. The biggest city is Juba with 450,000 inhabitants.

Live estimate

12,440,407

Growth rate

2.02%

Density

people / km² (57 / mi²)

Median age

19.0

Fertility rate

3.63

births per woman

Life expectancy

58.0

years

South Sudan population 1950–2100

Population of South Sudan, 1950–2100 — solid: UN estimates, dashed: UN medium-variant projection.

By 2050, the population of South Sudan is projected to reach 18,341,974, and 23,840,772 by 2100.

South Sudan population by year

Year	Population	Growth	Density /km²	Median age
2026	12,436,037	2.02%	22.0	19.0
2025	12,188,788	2.00%	21.6	18.7
2024	11,943,408	2.07%	21.2	18.3
2023	11,483,374	5.86%	20.4	18.0
2022	11,021,178	2.28%	19.5	17.6
2021	10,865,780	0.55%	19.3	17.3
2020	10,698,467	2.57%	19.0	17.0
2019	10,423,384	2.64%	18.5	16.6
2018	10,122,977	3.22%	17.9	16.1
2017	10,259,154	-5.83%	18.2	16.1
2016	10,830,102	-5.02%	19.2	17.0
2015	11,107,562	-0.10%	19.7	17.5
2014	11,235,072	-2.17%	19.9	18.0
2013	11,166,276	3.42%	19.8	18.3
2012	10,756,240	4.08%	19.1	18.2
2011	10,288,109	4.84%	18.2	18.0
2010	9,745,954	6.02%	17.3	17.6
2009	9,243,556	4.52%	16.4	17.3
2008	8,817,647	4.92%	15.6	17.1
2007	8,388,788	5.05%	14.9	16.8
2006	7,976,526	5.02%	14.1	16.5
2005	7,590,143	4.90%	13.5	16.4
2004	7,233,041	4.73%	12.8	16.4
2003	6,903,126	4.60%	12.2	16.4
2002	6,596,806	4.47%	11.7	16.3
2001	6,308,392	4.47%	11.2	16.3
2000	6,032,268	4.48%	10.7	16.2
1999	5,771,628	4.35%	10.2	16.1
1998	5,620,068	0.93%	10.0	15.9
1997	5,509,136	3.08%	9.8	15.8
1996	5,356,925	2.51%	9.5	15.8
1995	5,225,836	2.44%	9.3	15.8
1994	5,071,184	3.59%	9.0	15.8
1993	4,956,002	0.98%	8.8	15.8
1992	4,909,750	0.90%	8.7	15.9
1991	4,836,677	2.11%	8.6	15.9
1990	4,737,633	2.02%	8.4	15.9
1989	4,713,228	-1.00%	8.4	16.0
1988	4,848,028	-4.59%	8.6	15.7
1987	4,962,395	-0.13%	8.8	15.4
1986	4,921,240	1.80%	8.7	15.5
1985	4,834,296	1.77%	8.6	15.6
1984	4,750,626	1.73%	8.4	15.7
1983	4,661,574	2.06%	8.3	15.7
1982	4,557,686	2.45%	8.1	15.8
1981	4,447,272	2.46%	7.9	15.9
1980	4,339,030	2.47%	7.7	16.0
1979	4,232,605	2.49%	7.5	16.0
1978	4,127,656	2.53%	7.3	16.1
1977	4,024,032	2.56%	7.1	16.2
1976	3,921,910	2.58%	7.0	16.2
1975	3,821,494	2.60%	6.8	16.3
1974	3,723,259	2.60%	6.6	16.3
1973	3,627,384	2.61%	6.4	16.4
1972	3,542,498	2.12%	6.3	16.4
1971	3,468,646	2.10%	6.1	16.5
1970	3,409,614	1.33%	6.0	16.6
1969	3,365,533	1.27%	6.0	16.8
1968	3,321,528	1.36%	5.9	16.9
1967	3,277,648	1.30%	5.8	17.1
1966	3,236,423	1.23%	5.7	17.2
1965	3,189,835	1.67%	5.7	17.3
1964	3,129,918	2.13%	5.5	17.4
1963	3,072,669	1.56%	5.4	17.4
1962	3,024,308	1.61%	5.4	17.4
1961	2,976,724	1.56%	5.3	17.4
1960	2,931,559	1.50%	5.2	17.5
1959	2,888,785	1.44%	5.1	17.5
1958	2,848,354	1.38%	5.0	17.5
1957	2,804,096	1.76%	5.0	17.6
1956	2,754,592	1.81%	4.9	17.6
1955	2,705,082	1.82%	4.8	17.6
1954	2,657,094	1.76%	4.7	17.6
1953	2,611,733	1.69%	4.6	17.6
1952	2,569,209	1.60%	4.6	17.6
1951	2,529,620	1.51%	4.5	17.5
1950	2,493,283	1.39%	4.4	17.5

Year	Population	Growth	Density /km²	Median age
2027	12,687,303	1.98%	22.5	19.4
2028	12,941,500	1.98%	22.9	19.7
2029	13,198,085	1.94%	23.4	20.1
2030	13,457,454	1.95%	23.9	20.4
2031	13,725,412	1.99%	24.3	20.7
2032	13,996,351	1.92%	24.8	21.1
2033	14,261,765	1.84%	25.3	21.4
2034	14,527,550	1.85%	25.8	21.7
2035	14,798,600	1.85%	26.2	22.0
2036	15,070,096	1.79%	26.7	22.4
2037	15,335,703	1.70%	27.2	22.7
2038	15,595,970	1.66%	27.6	22.9
2039	15,850,694	1.58%	28.1	23.2
2040	16,101,480	1.56%	28.5	23.4
2041	16,350,150	1.50%	29.0	23.5
2042	16,593,363	1.45%	29.4	23.7
2043	16,829,207	1.37%	29.8	23.8
2044	17,060,174	1.35%	30.2	23.9
2045	17,286,410	1.28%	30.6	24.1
2046	17,509,696	1.28%	31.0	24.3
2047	17,728,337	1.20%	31.4	24.4
2048	17,938,440	1.16%	31.8	24.6
2049	18,142,896	1.11%	32.2	24.8
2050	18,341,974	1.07%	32.5	25.0
2051	18,542,997	1.11%	32.9	25.2
2052	18,754,446	1.16%	33.2	25.4
2053	18,960,799	1.03%	33.6	25.6
2054	19,160,601	1.07%	34.0	25.9
2055	19,359,463	1.00%	34.3	26.1
2056	19,552,147	0.98%	34.7	26.4
2057	19,744,938	0.98%	35.0	26.6
2058	19,933,628	0.92%	35.3	26.9
2059	20,122,595	0.96%	35.7	27.1
2060	20,307,632	0.87%	36.0	27.4
2061	20,482,898	0.85%	36.3	27.7
2062	20,659,136	0.86%	36.6	28.0
2063	20,835,763	0.84%	36.9	28.2
2064	21,010,107	0.83%	37.2	28.5
2065	21,185,711	0.84%	37.6	28.8
2066	21,356,305	0.77%	37.9	29.0
2067	21,521,042	0.77%	38.1	29.3
2068	21,690,000	0.79%	38.4	29.6
2069	21,849,261	0.67%	38.7	29.8
2070	21,989,974	0.61%	39.0	30.1
2071	22,132,134	0.68%	39.2	30.3
2072	22,278,428	0.64%	39.5	30.5
2073	22,420,565	0.63%	39.7	30.8
2074	22,561,549	0.63%	40.0	31.0
2075	22,690,769	0.52%	40.2	31.2
2076	22,798,640	0.43%	40.4	31.4
2077	22,902,423	0.48%	40.6	31.6
2078	23,005,183	0.42%	40.8	31.8
2079	23,101,521	0.42%	40.9	32.0
2080	23,186,729	0.32%	41.1	32.2
2081	23,260,637	0.32%	41.2	32.4
2082	23,335,453	0.33%	41.4	32.5
2083	23,407,693	0.29%	41.5	32.7
2084	23,477,727	0.30%	41.6	32.9
2085	23,535,228	0.19%	41.7	33.0
2086	23,583,756	0.23%	41.8	33.2
2087	23,627,724	0.15%	41.9	33.4
2088	23,667,427	0.19%	42.0	33.5
2089	23,710,145	0.17%	42.0	33.7
2090	23,741,231	0.09%	42.1	33.8
2091	23,761,300	0.08%	42.1	34.0
2092	23,780,454	0.08%	42.2	34.1
2093	23,794,667	0.04%	42.2	34.2
2094	23,798,293	-0.01%	42.2	34.4
2095	23,801,612	0.03%	42.2	34.5
2096	23,810,976	0.04%	42.2	34.7
2097	23,815,418	-0.01%	42.2	34.8
2098	23,823,439	0.07%	42.2	35.0
2099	23,835,038	0.02%	42.2	35.1
2100	23,840,772	0.03%	42.3	35.2

States & provinces of South Sudan by population

#	State / province	Population	Share
1	Jonglei	1,873,176	15.1%
2	Central Equatoria	1,443,500	11.6%
3	Upper Nile	1,385,478	11.1%
4	Warrap	920,045	7.4%
5	Eastern Equatoria	906,126	7.3%
6	Northern Bahr el Ghazal	720,898	5.8%
7	Lakes	695,730	5.6%
8	Western Equatoria	619,029	5.0%
9	Unity	585,801	4.7%
10	Western Bahr el Ghazal	333,431	2.7%

State populations: GeoNames (latest official figures, reference dates vary by country).

Biggest cities in South Sudan

#	City	Region	Population
1	Juba capital	Central Equatoria	450,000
2	Winejok	Northern Bahr al Ghazal	300,000
3	Yei	Central Equatoria	260,720
4	Malakal	Upper Nile	160,765
5	Wau	Western Bahr al Ghazal	127,384
6	Kuacjok	Warrap	78,000
7	Pajok	Eastern Equatoria	49,000
8	Gogrial	Warrap	44,600
9	Yambio	Western Equatoria	40,382
10	Aweil	Northern Bahr al Ghazal	38,745
11	Rumbek	Lakes	32,083
12	Bor	Jonglei	26,782
13	Torit	Eastern Equatoria	20,048
14	Leer	Unity	17,827
15	Tonj	Warrap	17,338

FAQ

What is the population of South Sudan in 2026?

The population of South Sudan is 12,436,037 in 2026, according to UN World Population Prospects 2024 (medium variant).

What is the biggest city in South Sudan?

Juba is the biggest city in South Sudan with 450,000 inhabitants and it is also the capital.

Is the population of South Sudan growing or shrinking?

The population of South Sudan is growing at 2.02% per year.

Neighboring countries

Sources

Country data: United Nations World Population Prospects 2024, medium variant (CC BY 3.0 IGO). Retrieved 2026-07-06.
City and state data: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Retrieved 2026-07-06.

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