South Sudan — Unemployment
Unemployment Rate for South Sudan, 1991–2023.
Unemployment for South Sudan was 12.37% in 2023, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 33 years, from 1991 to 2023. The highest recorded value was 14.25% in 2020. The lowest was 12.07% in 1997 (about 1.0× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 0.01% per year.
South Sudan ranks 23 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 12%. The median for Sub-Saharan Africa is 5.45%, so South Sudan sits above it. It peaked in 2020 and has fallen 13% since. Over the last decade (2013–2023) the figure moved down 2%. Within Sub-Saharan Africa it ranks 10 of 47 economies; Cabo Verde (11.94%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 13% in 2020. That is 4% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Climbed: 37th of 187 in 1991 → 43rd of 187 in 2000 → 40th of 187 in 2010 → 33rd of 187 in 2020 → 23rd of 184 in 2023.
Key figures
Full history — 1991 to 2023
| Year | % of total labor force | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 12.37% | -0.1 pp |
| 2022 | 12.48% | -1.5 pp |
| 2021 | 13.95% | -0.3 pp |
| 2020 | 14.25% | +1.6 pp |
| 2019 | 12.66% | -0.2 pp |
| 2018 | 12.85% | -0.1 pp |
| 2017 | 12.98% | +0.1 pp |
| 2016 | 12.85% | +0.4 pp |
| 2015 | 12.46% | -0.1 pp |
| 2014 | 12.56% | -0.1 pp |
| 2013 | 12.67% | -0.1 pp |
| 2012 | 12.8% | +0.2 pp |
| 2011 | 12.59% | +0.1 pp |
| 2010 | 12.47% | +0.0 pp |
| 2009 | 12.44% | +0.1 pp |
| 2008 | 12.3% | +0.0 pp |
| 2007 | 12.27% | -0.0 pp |
| 2006 | 12.27% | +0.0 pp |
| 2005 | 12.27% | +0.0 pp |
| 2004 | 12.26% | +0.0 pp |
| 2003 | 12.23% | -0.0 pp |
| 2002 | 12.24% | -0.0 pp |
| 2001 | 12.28% | -0.0 pp |
| 2000 | 12.31% | +0.2 pp |
| 1999 | 12.14% | +0.0 pp |
| 1998 | 12.1% | +0.0 pp |
| 1997 | 12.07% | -0.2 pp |
| 1996 | 12.31% | -0.0 pp |
| 1995 | 12.33% | +0.0 pp |
| 1994 | 12.33% | +0.1 pp |
| 1993 | 12.23% | -0.1 pp |
| 1992 | 12.37% | +0.0 pp |
| 1991 | 12.33% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was South Sudan’s Unemployment in 1992?
12.37% (1992). 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 % of total labor force, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is South Sudan’s Unemployment growing or shrinking?
Between 1991 and 2023 the series was growing overall: +0.3% in total.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS. 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: 2023: 12.37%; 2022: 12.48%; 2021: 13.95%; 2020: 14.25%; 2019: 12.66%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS — Unemployment Rate. 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.