Overview
South Sudan is a landlocked country located in East Africa. It is bordered by Sudan to the north, Ethiopia to the east, Kenya to the southeast, Uganda to the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the southwest, and the Central African Republic to the west. The capital and largest city is Juba, and the country has an estimated population of just over 12.7 million as of 2024.
Geography and Landscape
South Sudan's diverse landscape includes vast plains and plateaus, dry and tropical savannahs, inland floodplains, and forested mountains. The Nile River system is the defining physical feature of the country, running south to north across its center. The country is dominated by a large swamp known as the Sudd, which is a significant geographical landmark.
History
Sudan was occupied by Egypt under the Muhammad Ali dynasty in the 1800s and governed as an Anglo-Egyptian condominium from 1899 until Sudanese independence in 1956. Following the First Sudanese Civil War, the Southern Sudan Autonomous Region was formed in 1972 and lasted until 1983.
The Second Sudanese Civil War broke out in 1983 and ended in 2005 with the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. Later that year, southern autonomy was restored when an Autonomous Government of Southern Sudan was formed.
Independence
South Sudan became an independent state on 9 July 2011, following 98.8% support for independence in a January 2011 referendum. It is the most recent sovereign state with widespread recognition as of 2026. On 9 July 2011, South Sudan became the 54th independent country in Africa, and 9 July is now celebrated as Independence Day, a national holiday.
Recent Conflict and Current Governance
South Sudan descended into the South Sudanese Civil War from 2013 to 2018, enduring rampant human rights abuses, including forced displacement, ethnic massacres, and killings of journalists by various parties. The country has since been governed by a coalition formed by leaders of the former warring factions: Salva Kiir Mayardit of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) and Riek Machar of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO). The country continues to recover from the war while experiencing ongoing and systemic ethnic violence.
Population and Demographics
The South Sudanese population is composed mostly of Nilotic peoples spanning a variety of ethnic and linguistic groups. Of South Sudan's ethnic groups, the Dinka are the largest, followed by the Nuer as the second-largest, the Azande as the third-largest, and the Bari as the fourth-largest.
South Sudan is demographically among the youngest nations in the world, with roughly half its people under 18 years old. The majority of inhabitants adhere to Christianity or various traditional indigenous faiths, with a sizeable Muslim minority.
Religion and Culture
The majority of South Sudan's population practices Christianity or various traditional indigenous faiths, with a notable Muslim minority also present in the country.
International Status
South Sudan is a member of the United Nations, African Union, East African Community, and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development. Since 14 July 2011, South Sudan has been the 193rd member of the United Nations, and on 27 July 2011, it became the 54th country to join the African Union.
Economy and Development
South Sudan is one of the least developed countries in the world, ranking the lowest in the Human Development Index. The South Sudanese economy has historically produced the world's lowest nominal GDP per capita. The economy is predominantly rural and relies chiefly on subsistence farming. Around 2005, the economy began a transition from rural dominance, and urban areas within South Sudan have seen extensive development.