South Sudan

Full name of country: Republic of South Sudan

Region: Africa

Official language: English

Population: 12,703,714 (2024 est.)

Nationality: South Sudanese (singular and plural) (noun), South Sudanese (adjective)

Capital: Juba

National anthem: South Sudan Oyee! (Hooray!), by Collective Of 49 Poets/Juba University Students And Teachers

National holiday: Independence Day, July 9 (2011)

Population growth: 4.65% (2024 est.)

Time zone: UTC +3

Flag: The flag of South Sudan has three equal horizontal stripes of black (top), red (center), and green (bottom). The red is edged in white.

Independence: July 9, 2011 (from Sudan)

Government type: presidential republic

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

The Republic of South Sudan is located in northeast Africa. South Sudan was first established as a result of a comprehensive peace agreement between the Republic of the Sudan and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) following the Second Sudanese Civil War. South Sudan established autonomy from Sudan in July 2005 and became an independent state in July 2011. Over two million people were killed as a result of the war for South Sudanese independence, many due to drought and starvation. In addition, millions of people became displaced refugees during the conflict, which lasted from 1983 to 2005. Internal political strife and eventual civil war broke out in South Sudan in 2013. The war, which pitted the South Sudanese government against a separatist faction, involved conflict between the country's ethnic groups and massacres and extensive human rights violations perpetrated by both sides. A 2020 peace deal ended the civil war and established a national unity government. However, power struggles within the new government and issues with food insecurity at the national level led to continued political instability into the 2020s.

Note: unless otherwise indicated, statistical data in this article is sourced from the CIA World Factbook, as cited in the bibliography.

People and Culture

Population:Juba, the capital of South Sudan, is also the country’s largest city, with an estimated population of 459,000 in 2023. In the months following the country’s independence, the city witnessed an unprecedented influx of people making their return to the south following decades of war. Although South Sudan is largely rural, other developing urban centers include Wau, Malakal, Yei, and Yambio.

South Sudanese represent a mixture of many East African tribes, including the Dinka (Jieng) people (35-40 percent of the population) and the Nuer (Naath) people (15 percent). Other groups represented include the Shilluk, Zande, Bari, Kakwa, Fertit, and Acoli peoples, among others (2011 estimates).

English is the official language of South Sudan. Government communications and business are conducted in English. Arabic and its local dialects are also spoken, as are regional tribal languages.

Many Southern Sudanese practice Indigenous animist beliefs. Christianity is also practiced by some. The Catholic and Anglican denominations of the Christian faith were brought to South Sudan through the work of missionaries. Some South Sudanese blend animist beliefs with Christian beliefs.

South Sudan was ranked 192 out of 193 countries on the 2022 United Nations Human Development Index, which measures quality-of-life indicators.

Indigenous People: Throughout its history, tensions between Arabs and Black Africans have been strong in Sudan. Fearing Arabic and Islamic influence from the north, southern guerrillas formed the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) in 1983 with the intention of achieving independence. The long-running war for independence, which originally began in 1955, resulted in millions of casualties, destroyed property, and displaced millions of people. Though South Sudan became independent in July 2011, in 2013 President Salva Kiir accused his former vice president, Riek Machar, of attempting a coup, which resulted in fighting between their respective supporters, particularly along ethnic lines. While the post-independence civil war ended in 2020, ethnic infighting continued to be a source of instability in South Sudan into the 2020s.

Human trafficking has been present in Sudan for hundreds of years. Precise figures relating to its modern manifestation are unavailable. However, it is known that people from the southern tribes were captured and enslaved by northerners during the civil war.

Education: South Sudan’s education infrastructure is underdeveloped. In particular, efforts to educate young girls are lacking. According to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), in 2016, the gender parity index of female to male school enrollment was 0.68 at the primary level (6.8 girls for every 10 boys), dropping to 0.46 at the secondary level.

The University of Juba, located in Juba, focuses on training South Sudanese to assist in the country’s enormous development challenges. The Catholic University of Sudan has campuses in both Sudan and the Republic of South Sudan.

In 2018, the adult literacy rate in what is now South Sudan was estimated at 34.5 percent (40.3 percent among men and 28.9 percent among women).

Health Care: South Sudan has some of the highest rates of infant mortality and maternal mortality in the world. Infant mortality stands at 60.1 deaths per 1,000 live births, one of the highest rates in the world (2024 estimate); the maternal mortality rate is 1,223 deaths per 100,000 live births, also one of the highest in the world (2020 estimates).

South Sudan’s health-care system is rudimentary at best and does not meet the needs of the population. The country suffers from a widespread shortage of facilities, supplies, and trained medical personnel, a situation worsened by the civil war. The vast majority of medical care in South Sudan is provided by international aid organizations, and the country has consistently struggled with shortages of healthcare workers.

Unclean drinking water, poor sanitation, famine, and childhood malnutrition continue to have a negative impact on the health of South Sudanese. In 2020, only 78.4 percent of the population had access to improved drinking water, and just 24.6 percent had access to improved sanitation. Preventable diseases such as malaria, diarrheal illnesses, meningitis, typhoid fever, dengue, and hepatitis are common; the number of HIV/AIDS cases is also high. Traditional medicine is the only recourse for many poor, rural people.

Starting in 2011, the Ministry of Health has launched several construction projects, including the establishment of a teaching hospital in Juba, a blood bank, a national laboratory, and maternity complexes. In 2013, South Sudan secured financial backing for some of these projects from the United Arab Emirates.

Food: South Sudan's distinct cuisine differs from region to region, but several dishes have become common throughout the country. A common bread staple is called kisra, a type of flat bread generally made of corn and used to eat various stews prepared with meat and vegetables.

Soups and porridges, such as asseeda, are also typical dishes. Unique components of some stews and soups include peanut butter, dates, and offal.

Arts & Entertainment: Wrestling is popular in South Sudan. Traditionally, many tribes would celebrate the culmination of harvests by holding wrestling events. These events include singing and dancing. Basketball is also widely popular in South Sudan. Several South Sudanese have found success in the National Basketball Association (NBA) in the United States, including Luol Deng, Manute Bol, and Kueth Duany.

Football (soccer) is continuing to grow in popularity throughout the country. The South Sudan Youth Sports Association (SSYSA) regularly conducts clinics to teach the game to young boys. In addition, the South Sudan national football team was established in 2011. The following year, the team joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF), after a successful application to the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA).

Holidays: South Sudan’s Independence Day was widely celebrated on July 9, 2011. The event was also marked by the South Sudanese diaspora worldwide. Christian holidays are marked in accordance with the Western calendar. Islamic religious holidays, such as Eid al-Fitr, are observed by the country’s Muslim population.

Environment and Geography

Topography: South Sudan borders the Republic of the Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Central African Republic. The country’s topography includes wetlands, plateaus, and grassy savannas. The central and southern regions of South Sudan are covered by tropical forests. Sections of the country’s eastern border with Ethiopia are woodland and bushland. South Sudan’s northern border with the Republic of the Sudan is also mostly grassland and bush land.

Mount Kinyeti is the country’s highest point, at 3,187 meters (10,456 feet) above sea level. Kinyeti is part of the Immatong Mountains in the southeastern part of the country. Major rivers in South Sudan include the Lol and Jur Rivers and the White Nile.

Natural Resources: South Sudan has several mineral resources, including copper, iron ore, tungsten, silver, and gold. Hydropower is also generated in the country. Agricultural resources include sorghum, maize, rice, gum arabic, wheat, sugarcane, peanuts, sesame seeds, cassava, bananas, papayas, mangoes, and sweet potatoes.

South Sudan is also home to significant oil supplies, producing nearly three-fourths of the total oil output of Sudan prior to independence. Between 2005 and 2011, revenues from the region’s oil exports were divided evenly between the northern and southern areas; starting in 2012, South Sudan paid the Republic of the Sudan fees for the use of its pipelines and a port for export, although this arrangement ended in March 2022.

Lack of safe drinking water and desertification remain pressing environmental problems in South Sudan. The process of desertification has increased because of overgrazing. Poor agricultural practices have degraded the soil. Wood is also used as a fuel supply by a large portion of the population. In addition, an estimated 1 million landmines are scattered throughout the country, endangering both humans and wildlife.

Plants & Animals: South Sudan is home to a wide variety of plant and animal life. Native animal species include hartebeests, kob, topi, lions, giant forest hogs, monkeys, elephants, buffalo, elephants, and giraffes. South Sudan is home to Boma National Park and the Southern National Park. Much of the country’s plant life consists of shrubs, grasses, and broad-leaved trees. Rubber trees and baobab trees also grow in South Sudan.

Climate: Unlike the drier region to the north, South Sudan has a mostly tropical climate. The country experiences significant rainfall between April and July each year. Drought is common in the country’s north. Lying close to the equator, the average minimum and maximum temperatures in South Sudan remain much the same throughout the year. Lows in Juba are about 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit), and highs can reach up to 38 degrees Celsius (100.4 degrees Fahrenheit).

Economy

South Sudan is one of the poorest countries in the world. The country faces widespread challenges related to the development of its infrastructure. The country’s electricity system, water delivery systems, and roadways remain underdeveloped.

Exports of timber, particularly teak, are important to the South Sudanese economy. Revenues from oil exports are also significant to national revenues. In 2016, the percentage of South Sudanese living below the poverty line was estimated at 76.4 percent. The 2017 gross domestic product (GDP, purchasing power parity) was estimated at US$20.01 billion, or just US$1,600 per capita.

The majority of retail goods available in South Sudan are imported from neighboring Sudan, Uganda, and Kenya.

Numerous economic barriers and the alleged involvement of past regional governments with terrorist organizations continue to prevent American and other Western companies from conducting business in South Sudan. China has invested billions of dollars in South Sudan in exchange for access to its oil and mineral resources.

In July 2011, the country began the transition to its new currency, the South Sudanese pound.

Industry: The industrial sector of South Sudan continues to face major development challenges. Oil exports are the single greatest revenue source, but oil is generally exported in its crude form rather than being refined in South Sudan.

Light industry mostly depends on the products of the agricultural sector. However, manufacturing is growing, and includes construction materials, beverages, soap, cigarettes, textiles, and paper.

Agriculture: Agriculture is central to the South Sudanese economy. The majority of the country’s labor force is engaged in agriculture, particularly subsistence farming.

Forests are exploited for timber, and charcoal is an important by-product. Sheep, goats, cattle, camels, and poultry are the most common forms of livestock and are kept in large numbers. The country's rivers are commonly exploited for fish.

Tourism: South Sudan continues to develop its tourism sector. It is thought that the country’s wildlife resources could result in tourism becoming a major economic contributor. However, regional violence and a lack of tourist infrastructure outside Juba (including airports and hotels) have hampered the establishment of the travel industry in the country.

Government

After winning its independence from the United Kingdom and Egypt in 1956, the Republic of the Sudan experienced decades of turmoil marked by coups, autocratic governments, and a lengthy civil war. It also endured strained ties with its neighbors and in the international community for its alleged support of terrorists.

South Sudan was granted autonomous status in January 2011 as part of a peace agreement between the Sudan People’s Liberation Army and the government. It had been operating as an autonomous state since July 2005 and became independent in July 2011.

The country ratified an interim constitution in July 2011 and amended it in 2015. The constitution established an executive branch headed by a president who serves as head of state and commander of the armed forces. Former SPLA leader Salva Kiir Mayardit was elected as South Sudan’s first president in 2011. The president ostensibly serves a four-year term, but the 2015 election was repeatedly postponed due to ongoing instability and violence.

The legislative branch consists of the National Legislative Assembly and the Council of States. The National Legislative Assembly consists of four hundred seats, and the Council of States has fifty. The Supreme Court of South Sudan is the highest court in the land.

Upon achieving independence in July 2011, South Sudan became a member of both the African Union and the United Nations.

In October 2015, the ten states that made up South Sudan’s three historical provinces—Bahr el Ghazal in the northeast, Equatoria in the south, and the Greater Upper Nile in the northwest—were dissolved and replaced by twenty-eight newly established states. The constitutionality of these states, the creation of which was decreed by President Kiir, is a matter of dispute. In January 2017, four more new states were created, for a total of thirty-two. In 2020, the country reverted to its original ten-state structure.

Interesting Facts

• The South Sudanese pound features an image of Dr. John Garang, a founder of the South Sudanese independence movement.
• Students and teachers at Juba University won a songwriting contest to determine South Sudan’s national anthem.
• South Sudan's first president, Salva Kiir, habitually wore a black cowboy hat given to him in 2006 by US president George W. Bush.

Bibliography

"What We Do." UNICEF South Sudan, UNICEF, www.unicef.org/southsudan/what-we-do. Accessed 15 Jan. 2025.

"Human Development Insights." Human Development Reports, 13 Mar. 2024, hdr.undp.org/data-center/country-insights#/ranks. Accessed 15 Jan. 2025.

"South Sudan." Global Health Workforce Alliance, World Health Organization, 13 Apr. 2012, www.who.int/workforcealliance/countries/ssd/en/. Accessed 11 July 2018.

"South Sudan." World Bank, 2024, data.worldbank.org/country/south-sudan. Accessed 15 Jan. 2025.

"South Sudan." The World Factbook, Central Intelligence Agency, 23 Dec. 2024, www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/south-sudan/. Accessed 15 Jan. 2025.

"South Sudan Country Profile." BBC News, 4 Sep. 2023, www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-14069082. Accessed 15 Jan. 2025

"The World Bank in South Sudan: Overview." The World Bank, 2024, www.worldbank.org/en/country/southsudan/overview. Accessed 15 Jan. 2025.