South Sudan

**South Sudan** is a country in East Africa. Its official name is the **Republic of South Sudan**. It was part of Sudan until 2011. Just two years after South Sudan gained its independence, in 2013, a civil war began.

South Sudan is landlocked, meaning that no part of the country touches the ocean. The country is bordered by Ethiopia to the east; Kenya to the southeast; Uganda to the south; the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the southwest; the Central African Republic to the west; and the Republic of Sudan to the north.

South Sudan includes the vast swamp region of the Sudd formed by the White Nile, locally called the _Bahr al Jabal_.

## History

What is now South Sudan was once part of the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan. This part of the British Empire became the Republic of Sudan when independence was achieved in 1956.

After the First Sudanese Civil War, the Southern Sudan Autonomous Region was formed in 1972 and lasted until 1983. A second Sudanese civil war soon developed and ended with the Comprehensive Peace Agreement of 2005. Later that year, the Autonomous Government of Southern Sudan was formed.

### Independence

South Sudan became an independent state on 9 July 2011 at midnight local time, after a referendum held in January 2011. In the referendum, nearly 99% of voters wanted to separate from the rest of Sudan.

The United Nations Security Council met on 13 July 2011 to formally discuss admitting the Republic of South Sudan to the Security Council. The next day, 14 July 2011, South Sudan became a United Nations member state.

South Sudan has also applied to join the Commonwealth of Nations, the East African Community, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank. The country was declared eligible to apply for membership in the Arab League as well.

At the 2012 Summer Olympics, one athlete from South Sudan competed under the flag of the International Olympic Committee.

In 2013 a civil war broke out.

## People

According to estimates, in 2023 South Sudan's population was 11,483,374, and in 2024 it increased to 12,703,714.

South Sudan's population is fairly young overall. In 2023, around one out of every 5 people in South Sudan (22%) was between the ages of 0 and 14. Meanwhile, 3 out of 4 people (74%) were between the ages of 15 and 29. Fewer than four out of every hundred people (3.8%) were aged 65 or above.

As of 2025, life expectancy in Sudan was just 57.7 years. Only three countries in the world scored lower: Central African Republic, Nigeria, and Chad.

## Languages

There are over 60 indigenous languages in South Sudan, along with English (the country's official language) and Arabic.

## Religion

The main religion is Christianity, practised by nearly 78% of the population. Another 20% practise African traditional religions, and just 2% are Muslim.

## Economy

Much of South Sudan's economy is based on oil, but they also have a large lumber industry mainly consisting of teak.  It is a very poor and under-developed country. There is very little infrastructure, and the civil wars have caused a lot of damage.

## Infobox (country)

- **conventional long name**: Republic of South Sudan
- **common name**: South Sudan
- **image flag**: Flag of South Sudan.svg
- **image coat**: Coat of Arms of South Sudan.svg
- **symbol type**: Coat of arms
- **motto**: "Justice, Liberty, Prosperity"
- **national anthem**: "South Sudan Oyee!"
- **image map**: South Sudan (orthographic projection).svg
- **image map2**: South Sudan - Location Map (2012) - SSD - UNOCHA.svg
- **capital**: Juba
- **largest city**: capital
- **official languages**: English
- **national languages**: Juba Arabic, Dinka, Zande, many others
- **languages type**: Unofficial languages
- **languages**: *Swahili
*Arabic
- **demonym**: South Sudanese
- **government type**: Federation, Federal Presidential system, presidential republic, constitutional republic under a Totalitarianism, totalitarian dictatorship
- **leader title1**: President of South Sudan, President
- **leader name1**: Salva Kiir Mayardit
- **leader title2**: Vice President of South Sudan, Vice President
- **leader name2**: Reat Nhial Tuany
- **leader title3**: Vice President of South Sudan, First Vice President
- **leader name3**: Taban Deng Gai
- **legislature**: National Legislature (South Sudan), National Legislature
- **upper house**: Council of States (South Sudan), Council of States
- **lower house**: National Legislative Assembly (South Sudan), National Legislative Assembly
- **sovereignty type**: Establishment
- **established event1**: End of Anglo-Egyptian Sudan
- **established date1**: 1 January 1956
- **established event2**: Comprehensive Peace Agreement
- **established date2**: 6 January 2005
- **established event3**: Government of Southern Sudan (2005–2011), Autonomy
- **established date3**: 9 July 2005
- **established event4**: History of South Sudan#Independence, Independence from Sudan
- **established date4**: 9 July 2011
- **established event5**: United Nations United Nations Security Council Resolution 1999, admission
- **established date5**: 13 July 2011
- **area km2**: 619745
- **area rank**: 41st
- **area sq mi**: 239285
- **population census year**: 2008
- **population census rank**: 94th
- **population density km2**: 13.33
- **population density sq mi**: 34.52
- **population density rank**: 214th
- **gdp ppp**: $20.038 billion
- **gdp ppp year**: 2017
- **gdp ppp per capita**: $1,525
- **gdp nominal**: $3.618 billion
- **gdp nominal year**: 2017
- **gdp nominal per capita**: $275
- **gini**: 45.5
- **gini year**: 2009
- **hdi**: 0.418
- **hdi year**: 2015
- **hdi change**: decrease
- **hdi rank**: 181st
- **currency**: South Sudanese pound
- **currency code**: SSP
- **time zone**: East Africa Time
- **utc offset**: +3
- **drives on**: right
- **calling code**: Telephone numbers in South Sudan, +211
- **iso3166code**: SS
- **cctld**: .ss<sup>a</sup>
- **footnote a**: Registered and operational since 2019.