Population and Demographics of South Sudan
Fast population growth · +4.01% in 2024
South Sudan's fertility estimate is 3.8 children per woman, while annual population change stands at +4.01%. Over the 24 years from 2000 to 2024, South Sudan moved +98.0% in population size. Looking ahead, 18.34 million is projected for 2050 under the medium scenario, compared with 11.94 million in 2024.
Population Over Time in South Sudan
Between 2000 and 2024, South Sudan's population increased by about 5.91 million, moving from 6.032M to 11.943M. For 2050, the medium projection is 18.342M. That is a difference of about 6.40 million people from the 2024 estimate. The chart connects dated reference points only and should not be read as an annual interpolated series.
Age Structure and Sex Balance
South Sudan has a very young demographic profile in the 2024 broad age data. The youngest broad age group represents 38.92% of residents, against 2.99% in the 65+ group; the working-age band is 58.09%. The age balance is weighted toward younger residents.
Population by broad age group
The 2024 World Bank sex-share indicator gives South Sudan a female share of 50.8% and a male share of 49.2%. Females exceed males by 1.6 percentage points.
Female and male population share
Females made up 50.8% of the population in the World Bank's 2024 series, compared with 49.2% males.
What Is Shaping Population Change
South Sudan's demographic indicators put annual change at +4.01% and fertility at 3.8, within a population where the under-15 and 65-plus shares differ by 35.93 percentage points.
Looking back to 2000, South Sudan's 2024 population represents a +98.0% change, and the medium outlook then points +53.6% from 2024 to 2050; explaining that movement requires component data beyond these headline indicators.
2024 estimate for South Sudan. The world comparison value is 2.25 children per woman.
South Sudan vs. World
Using one 2024 comparison table keeps the context consistent. South Sudan's population change is higher than the global rate, fertility is above the global level, and its population is younger than the world median-age profile.
| Indicator | South Sudan | World | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual population change | +4.01% | +0.87% | 2024 |
| Total fertility rate | 3.8 | 2.25 | 2024 |
| Median age | 18 | 30.6 | 2024 |
All three comparison rows use 2024 values from the same harmonized country table. That table attributes its demographic series to UN World Population Prospects 2024, so no different-year values are mixed into this comparison.
Key Takeaways
The 2024 total is 11,943,408 people. Annual change in the same harmonized table is +4.01%.
Broad age shares show 2.99% aged 65+ compared with 38.92% under 15; the 15 to 64 group accounts for 58.09%.
Females make up 50.8% of the 2024 population in the World Bank indicator, with males at 49.2%.
The 2050 medium projection is 18.342M, 53.6% above the 2024 estimate.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of South Sudan?
The 2024 harmonized population estimate for South Sudan is 11,943,408 people.
Is the population of South Sudan growing or declining?
In the 2024 estimate, South Sudan's population is growing, with annual change of +4.01%.
What percentage of the population of South Sudan is aged 65 or older?
People aged 65 or older account for 2.99% of South Sudan's 2024 population in the UN WPP-based broad age data.
What is the projected population of South Sudan in 2050?
The UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium projection puts South Sudan's 2050 population at 18,341,974.
What is the fertility rate in South Sudan?
The 2024 harmonized fertility estimate for South Sudan is 3.8 children per woman.
Sources & methodology
This profile uses United Nations World Population Prospects 2024 as the primary framework for globally comparable population, age, fertility and projection data. The World Bank is the primary source for the female population share. Some country values were accessed through secondary retrieval interfaces that republish or organize UN data; those interfaces are identified below as secondary and are not treated as the original statistical publishers.
View sources used for this page
Primary global framework for the population estimates and projections.
Harmonized 2024 country table based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Harmonized broad age shares based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Harmonized reference for the 2000 population point.
Harmonized 2050 country projection based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Used for the 2024 female share; the male share is calculated as the remainder to 100%.