Society in South Sudan

An overview of key social indicators. Select a category for detailed trends, charts, and insights.

Explore Social Domains

Demographics

Coming Soon
Population Growth
4.1%(2023)
Death Rate
9.6 per 1k(2023)

Public Health

Coming Soon
Under-5 Mortality
98.7 per 1k(2023)
Health Expenditure
6.8%(2022)

Education & Human Capital

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Literacy Rate
34.5%(2018)
Primary Enrollment
35.2%(2015)
Secondary Enrollment
11.2%(2015)
Tertiary Enrollment
1(2018)
Education Expenditure
1.6%(2016)

Infrastructure & Connectivity

Coming Soon
Internet Users
9.3%(2020)
Access to Electricity
5.4%(2023)
Access to Basic Drinking Water
41.2%(2022)
Urban Population
2.4M(2023)
Rural Population
9M(2023)

Current Social Overview of South Sudan

A summary based on key social and demographic indicators.

  • South Sudan has an estimated population of 11.5M
    2023
    The nation is experiencing rapid demographic expansion with an annual growth rate of 4.1%
    2023
    , indicative of a dynamic and youthful population structure and potential for a significant demographic dividend. With a fertility rate of 3.9 births per woman
    2023
    , the population maintains momentum, necessitating strategic investments in social infrastructure. Positive net migration of approximately 15K individuals annually (or 1.3 per 1,000 inhabitants)
    2024
    contributes to population stability and growth.
  • Regarding public health, The notably low life expectancy of 57.6 years
    2023
    underscores critical public health challenges that necessitate urgent and comprehensive interventions. Concurrently, Healthcare delivery faces significant systemic challenges, as evidenced by elevated child mortality (under 5 years) (98.7 per 1,000 live births
    2023
    and maternal mortality (692 per 100,000 live births
    2023
    ) rates, suggesting areas for critical intervention and resource allocation. These outcomes are supported by a moderate commitment to health system development, with 6.8% of GDP directed to healthcare expenditure
    2022
    .
  • Critical educational challenges are highlighted by the low literacy rate of 35%
    2018
    , necessitating immediate and sustained interventions to improve foundational education. Complementing this, educational access remains notably limited with 35% primary enrollment
    2015
    , pointing to fundamental infrastructure, accessibility, and retention barriers across the educational system. This educational framework is supported by limited educational investment, at 1.6% of GDP
    2016
    , which may constrain the scale and quality of future human capital development initiatives.
  • In terms of infrastructure and connectivity, the primarily rural population distribution (79% rural population
    2023
    ) presents distinct challenges for universal infrastructure provision, service access, and economic modernization. Furthermore, critical infrastructure gaps are evident, with electricity access at 5%
    2023
    and internet penetration at 9%
    2020
    severely limiting economic potential, hindering social development, and impeding digital integration.

Key Development Insights

Population Dynamics

A youthful, rapidly growing population presents a "demographic dividend" opportunity if met with sufficient investment in jobs and services.

Public Health System

Addressing critical gaps in the healthcare system is essential to improve lagging indicators like life expectancy and maternal mortality.

Human Capital Formation

Improving foundational literacy and secondary school completion is a critical priority for unlocking future economic potential.

Infrastructure & Connectivity

Expanding access to basic infrastructure, particularly electricity, remains a key bottleneck for broad-based development.

More About This Country

Note: The information on this page has been compiled from authoritative sources. While every effort is made to ensure accuracy, please note that some figures may not be current or entirely precise.