Includes South Sudan real Gross Domestic Product growth rate, with latest forecasts and historical data, GDP per capita, GDP composition and breakdown by sector.
Browse additional economic indicators and data sets, selected by Global Finance editors, to learn more about South Sudan economic outlook, debt to GDP ratio, international trade performance and population trends. Rankings of South Sudan best banks and safest banks are also available.
Basic Information
Government Type: Presidential republic
Capital City: Juba
GDP & Economic Information
Macroeconomy & Sovereign Data
Central Bank |
Bank of South Sudan |
---|---|
Currency |
South Sudanese pounds (SSP) |
International Reserves |
USD 0.07 billion (2016) International Monetary Fund (IMF), data retrieved October 2019 |
Gross Domestic Product – GDP | USD 3.9 billion (2018, estimate) |
GDP (Purchasing Power Parity) | Intl$ 19.5 billion (2017, estimate) |
GDP Data
Real GDP growth |
2014 2.9% 2015 -0.2% 2016 -16.7% 2017* 5.5% 2018* 1.2% *Estimate |
---|---|
GDP per capita – current prices | USD 302.8 (2018, estimate) |
GDP per capita – PPP |
Intl$ 1,502.1 (2018, estimate) |
GDP (PPP) – share of world total | 0.02% (2019 estimate) |
GDP – composition by sector | N/A |
Gross domestic expenditure on R&D; (% of GDP) | N/A |
Inflation |
2014 52.8% 2015 379.8% 2016* 187.9% 2017* 83.5% 2018* 24.5% *Estimate |
South Sudan
Inflation & Debt
Inflation |
2014 52.8% 2015 379.8% 2016* 187.9% 2017* 83.5% 2018* 24.5% *Estimate |
---|---|
Government Bond Ratings |
Standard & Poor’s: N/A Moody’s: N/A Standard & Poor’s / Moody’s (Updated January 2017) |
Unemployment rate | N/A |
Household saving rates | N/A |
Public debt (General government gross debt as a % of GDP) |
2014 60.3% 2015 85.7% 2016 63.2% 2017* 42.2% 2018* 34.4% *Estimate |
Public deficit (General government net lending/borrowing as a % of GDP) |
2014 -17.4% 2015 -15.5% 2016 3.3% 2017* 1.2% 2018* 2.4% *Estiamte |
Market value of publicly traded shares | N/A |
Largest Companies | N/A |
Import/Export
Exports as percent of GDP (Exports of goods and services) |
54.9% (2016) |
---|---|
Shares in world total merchandising export |
N/A |
Shares in world total commercial services export |
N/A |
Total exports |
USD 3.1 billion (2018 estimate) |
Export commodities | N/A |
Total imports | USD 2.1 billion (2018 estimate) |
Import commodities | N/A |
Exports – major partners | N/A |
Imports – major partners | N/A |
Competitiveness & Trade
Current account balance | USD -0.3 billion (2018 estimate) |
---|---|
Current account balance by percentage of GDP | -6.5% (2018 estimate) |
FDI inflows |
2016 USD -17 million 2017 USD 80 million 2018 USD 191 million |
FDI Outflows | N/A |
Value of cross-border M&A, by country of purchaser |
N/A United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) – World Investment Report |
Cross-border M&A deals worth over $3 billion completed in 2014 | N/A |
Cross-border M&A deals worth over $3 billion completed in 2015 | N/A |
Best countries for doing business |
Economies are ranked on their ease of doing business. A high ease of doing business ranking means the regulatory environment is more conducive to the starting and operation of a local firm. Overall ranking: 185 out of 190 countries Subcategories: Starting a Business: 172 out of 190 countries Dealing with Construction Permits: 171 out of 190 countries Getting Electricity: 187 out of 190 countries Registering Property: 177 out of 190 countries Getting Credit: 181 out of 190 countries Protecting Minority Investors: 185 out of 190 countries Paying Taxes: 74 out of 190 countries Trading across Borders: 180 out of 190 countries Enforcing Contracts: 84 out of 190 countries Resolving Insolvency: 168 out of 190 countries |
Global competitiveness ranking | N/A |
Index of Economic Freedom | N/A |
Population & Geographic Data
Time Zone |
UTC+3 |
---|---|
Total Area |
644,329 sq km |
Total Population |
1990 N/A 2000 N/A 2010 N/A 2015 11.88 million 2020* 13.79 million *Estimate |
Urban population as % of total population |
1960 8.7% 1980 8.5% 2000 16.5% 2018 19.6% |
Population median age | 18.1 years (2018 estimate) |
Population growth rate | 1.6% (2018 estimate) |
Life expectancy | N/A |
% of population living on less than $3.10 a day | 64.8% (last available estimate, 2009) |
Inequality of wealth distribution (Gini index) | 46.3 (last available estimate, 2009) |
Freedom House rating |
Political Rights: 7 Civil Liberties: 7 (2019) (1 represents the most free, 7 the least free rating) |
Total telephone subscribers as % of population | Fixed: 0% Mobile: 33.5% (2018) (fixed-telephone subscribers and mobile-cellular subscribers) |
Internet users as % of total population |
7.98 % (2017) |
Language & Religon
Languages |
English (official), Arabic (includes Juba and Sudanese variants), regional languages include Dinka, Nuer, Bari, Zande, Shilluk |
---|---|
Literacy |
Total population: 27% Male: 40% Female: 16% (2009 est.) (age 15 and over can read and write) |
Religions |
Animist, Christian |
World Rankings
Population | 13.79 M |
---|---|
Mercer Cost of living index | N/A |
C02 Emissions per capita | 0.14 metric tons per capita (2014) |
Global Finance Rankings & Awards: South Sudan
Global Finance Magazine holds several conferences and awards ceremonies throughout the year to recognize the winning financial institutions and companies in a host of categories including World’s Best Trade Finance Banks, World's Biggest Banks, World's Safest Banks, World's Best Developed & Emerging Markets Banks, World's Best Internet Banks, and World’s Best Investment Banks.
Data Sources:
IMF World Economic Outlook
UN World Population Prospects
World Inequality Report
S&P Global Ratings
Moody’s
Fitch Ratings
IMF Direction of Trade Statistics (DOTS)
UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
CIA The World Factbook
World Bank’s World Integrated Trade Solution
Forbes Global 2000