South Sudan — Population growth
Population Growth (Annual %) for South Sudan, 1961–2025.
Population growth for South Sudan was 2.03% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 65 years, from 1961 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 5.41% in 2011. The lowest was -5.42% in 2017 (about -2.7× the latest value). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 0.45% per year.
South Sudan ranks 48 of 217 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 22%. The median for Sub-Saharan Africa is 2.30%, so South Sudan sits below it. It peaked in 2011 and has fallen 62% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 278%. Within Sub-Saharan Africa it ranks 35 of 48 economies; Eritrea (2.00%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was down 380% in 1988. That is 175% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
From its 1961 level: doubled by 2000. Doubling roughly every 155 years at that pace.
World ranking. Climbed: 155th of 216 in 1961 → 152nd of 216 in 1970 → 81st of 216 in 1980 → 169th of 216 in 1990 → 5th of 217 in 2000 → 1st of 217 in 2010 → 28th of 217 in 2020 → 48th of 217 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1961 to 2025
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2.03% | -1.9 pp |
| 2024 | 3.93% | -0.2 pp |
| 2023 | 4.11% | +2.7 pp |
| 2022 | 1.42% | -0.1 pp |
| 2021 | 1.55% | -1.1 pp |
| 2020 | 2.6% | -0.3 pp |
| 2019 | 2.92% | +4.3 pp |
| 2018 | -1.34% | +4.1 pp |
| 2017 | -5.42% | -2.9 pp |
| 2016 | -2.53% | -1.4 pp |
| 2015 | -1.14% | -1.8 pp |
| 2014 | 0.61% | -3.1 pp |
| 2013 | 3.74% | -0.7 pp |
| 2012 | 4.45% | -1.0 pp |
| 2011 | 5.41% | +0.1 pp |
| 2010 | 5.29% | +0.6 pp |
| 2009 | 4.72% | -0.3 pp |
| 2008 | 4.99% | -0.1 pp |
| 2007 | 5.04% | +0.1 pp |
| 2006 | 4.97% | +0.1 pp |
| 2005 | 4.82% | +0.2 pp |
| 2004 | 4.67% | +0.1 pp |
| 2003 | 4.54% | +0.1 pp |
| 2002 | 4.47% | -0.0 pp |
| 2001 | 4.48% | +0.1 pp |
| 2000 | 4.42% | +1.8 pp |
| 1999 | 2.66% | +0.7 pp |
| 1998 | 1.99% | -0.8 pp |
| 1997 | 2.8% | +0.3 pp |
| 1996 | 2.48% | -0.5 pp |
| 1995 | 3% | +0.7 pp |
| 1994 | 2.3% | +1.4 pp |
| 1993 | 0.94% | -0.6 pp |
| 1992 | 1.5% | -0.6 pp |
| 1991 | 2.07% | +1.6 pp |
| 1990 | 0.52% | +3.3 pp |
| 1989 | -2.82% | -0.5 pp |
| 1988 | -2.33% | -3.2 pp |
| 1987 | 0.83% | -0.9 pp |
| 1986 | 1.78% | +0.0 pp |
| 1985 | 1.75% | -0.1 pp |
| 1984 | 1.89% | -0.4 pp |
| 1983 | 2.25% | -0.2 pp |
| 1982 | 2.45% | -0.0 pp |
| 1981 | 2.46% | -0.0 pp |
| 1980 | 2.48% | -0.0 pp |
| 1979 | 2.51% | -0.0 pp |
| 1978 | 2.54% | -0.0 pp |
| 1977 | 2.57% | -0.0 pp |
| 1976 | 2.59% | -0.0 pp |
| 1975 | 2.6% | -0.0 pp |
| 1974 | 2.61% | +0.2 pp |
| 1973 | 2.37% | +0.3 pp |
| 1972 | 2.11% | +0.4 pp |
| 1971 | 1.72% | +0.4 pp |
| 1970 | 1.3% | -0.0 pp |
| 1969 | 1.32% | -0.0 pp |
| 1968 | 1.33% | +0.1 pp |
| 1967 | 1.27% | -0.2 pp |
| 1966 | 1.45% | -0.4 pp |
| 1965 | 1.9% | +0.1 pp |
| 1964 | 1.85% | +0.3 pp |
| 1963 | 1.59% | +0.0 pp |
| 1962 | 1.59% | +0.1 pp |
| 1961 | 1.53% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was South Sudan’s Population growth in 1962?
1.59% (1962). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in annual %, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is South Sudan’s Population growth growing or shrinking?
Between 1961 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +33.0% in total — about 0.4% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SP.POP.GROW. 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: 2025: 2.03%; 2024: 3.93%; 2023: 4.11%; 2022: 1.42%; 2021: 1.55%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SP.POP.GROW — Population Growth (Annual %). 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.