South Sudan: New Country, Familiar Story
As African countries increasingly appear on investors’ radars, the world’s newest country, South Sudan, is forging ahead with its drive to attract foreign investment.
South Sudan GDP and Economic Data
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.
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International Reserves
USD 0.07 billion (2016)
International Monetary Fund (IMF), data retrieved October 2019
Real GDP growth
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017* | 2018* |
| 2.9% | -0.2% | -16.7% | 5.5% | 1.2% |
*Estimate
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Inflation
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016* | 2017* | 2018* |
| 52.8% | 379.8% | 187.9% | 83.5% | 24.5% |
*Estimate
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Public debt (General government gross debt as a % of GDP)
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017* | 2018* |
| 60.3% | 85.7% | 63.2% | 42.2% | 34.4% |
*Estimate
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Public deficit (General government net lending/borrowing as a % of GDP)
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017* | 2018* |
| -17.4% | -15.5% | 3.3% | 1.2% | 2.4% |
*Estimate
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Government bond ratings
Standard & Poor's: N/A
Moody's: N/A
Standard & Poor's / Moody's (Updated January 2017)
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Current account balance by percentage of GDP
-6.5% (2018 estimate)
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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
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FDI inflows
| 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
| USD -17 million | USD 80 million | USD 191 million |
FDI outflows
N/A
Value of cross-border M&A, by country of purchaser
N/A
Cross-border M&A deals worth over $3 billion completed in 2014
N/A
(for a monthly update on M&A; click here )
Cross-border M&A deals worth over $3 billion completed in 2015
N/A
(for a monthly update on M&A; click here )
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
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Languages
English (official), Arabic (includes Juba and Sudanese variants), regional languages include Dinka, Nuer, Bari, Zande, Shilluk
Total population
| 1990 | 2000 | 2010 | 2015 | 2020* |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | 11.88 million | 13.79 million |
*Estimate
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Urban population as % of total population
| 1960 | 1980 | 2000 | 2018 |
| 8.7% | 8.5% | 16.5% | 19.6% |
Literacy
Total population: 27%
Male: 40%
Female: 16% (2009 est.)
(age 15 and over can read and write)
% 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)
Source
Freedom House rating
Political Rights: 7
Civil Liberties: 7 (2019)
(1 represents the most free, 7 the least free rating)
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Total telephone subscribers as % of population
Fixed: 0% Mobile: 33.5% (2018) (fixed-telephone subscribers and mobile-cellular subscribers)