South Sudan — Life expectancy
Life Expectancy at Birth for South Sudan, 1960–2024.
Life expectancy for South Sudan was 57.7 in 2024, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 65 years, from 1960 to 2024. The highest recorded value was 58.3 in 2013. The lowest was 11.0 in 1988 (about 5.3× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 1.13% per year.
South Sudan ranks 214 of 217 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 99%. The median for Sub-Saharan Africa is 64.3, so South Sudan sits below it. It peaked in 2013 and has fallen 1% since. Over the last decade (2014–2024) the figure moved up 27%. Within Sub-Saharan Africa it ranks 45 of 48 economies; Central African Republic (57.7) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 157% in 1989. That is 14% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
From its 1960 level: doubled by 2008. Doubling roughly every 61 years at that pace.
World ranking. Climbed: 215th of 215 in 1960 → 216th of 216 in 1970 → 215th of 216 in 1980 → 217th of 217 in 1990 → 210th of 217 in 2000 → 194th of 217 in 2010 → 212th of 217 in 2020 → 214th of 217 in 2024.
Key figures
Full history — 1960 to 2024
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 57.74 | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 57.62 | +0.7% |
| 2022 | 57.2 | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 57.05 | -1.0% |
| 2020 | 57.65 | -0.8% |
| 2019 | 58.13 | +12.0% |
| 2018 | 51.91 | +46.8% |
| 2017 | 35.35 | -3.7% |
| 2016 | 36.72 | -7.6% |
| 2015 | 39.76 | -12.9% |
| 2014 | 45.63 | -21.7% |
| 2013 | 58.29 | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 58.24 | +1.0% |
| 2011 | 57.67 | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 57.49 | +1.1% |
| 2009 | 56.85 | +1.0% |
| 2008 | 56.28 | +1.5% |
| 2007 | 55.43 | +1.4% |
| 2006 | 54.65 | +1.3% |
| 2005 | 53.97 | +1.7% |
| 2004 | 53.05 | +1.4% |
| 2003 | 52.32 | +5.9% |
| 2002 | 49.39 | +1.7% |
| 2001 | 48.55 | +2.0% |
| 2000 | 47.59 | +6.9% |
| 1999 | 44.54 | +133.8% |
| 1998 | 19.05 | -42.4% |
| 1997 | 33.07 | +2.9% |
| 1996 | 32.12 | +1.9% |
| 1995 | 31.51 | -29.8% |
| 1994 | 44.86 | +101.5% |
| 1993 | 22.26 | +1.5% |
| 1992 | 21.94 | -24.8% |
| 1991 | 29.19 | +1.9% |
| 1990 | 28.63 | +1.5% |
| 1989 | 28.22 | +156.8% |
| 1988 | 10.99 | -47.0% |
| 1987 | 20.72 | -36.9% |
| 1986 | 32.82 | +1.4% |
| 1985 | 32.36 | +1.8% |
| 1984 | 31.79 | -8.5% |
| 1983 | 34.73 | -10.2% |
| 1982 | 38.68 | +1.0% |
| 1981 | 38.31 | +0.7% |
| 1980 | 38.03 | +0.6% |
| 1979 | 37.81 | +0.6% |
| 1978 | 37.59 | +0.5% |
| 1977 | 37.4 | +0.8% |
| 1976 | 37.09 | +0.6% |
| 1975 | 36.87 | +0.8% |
| 1974 | 36.59 | +0.9% |
| 1973 | 36.28 | +15.9% |
| 1972 | 31.29 | +1.0% |
| 1971 | 30.99 | +20.9% |
| 1970 | 25.63 | +0.9% |
| 1969 | 25.4 | -2.7% |
| 1968 | 26.1 | +0.9% |
| 1967 | 25.86 | +0.9% |
| 1966 | 25.63 | -10.9% |
| 1965 | 28.78 | -11.3% |
| 1964 | 32.46 | +14.9% |
| 1963 | 28.25 | -0.9% |
| 1962 | 28.51 | +0.8% |
| 1961 | 28.28 | +0.8% |
| 1960 | 28.05 | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was South Sudan’s Life expectancy in 1961?
28.28 (1961). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are South Sudan’s Life expectancy figures nominal or inflation-adjusted?
They are exactly as the World Bank publishes them — years — with no inflation restatement and no PPP conversion. Years the source does not report are omitted rather than interpolated.
Is South Sudan’s Life expectancy growing or shrinking?
Between 1960 and 2024 the series was growing overall: +105.8% in total — about 1.1% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SP.DYN.LE00.IN. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2024: 57.74; 2023: 57.62; 2022: 57.2; 2021: 57.05; 2020: 57.65. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SP.DYN.LE00.IN — Life Expectancy at Birth. Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.