South Sudan

Official name: Republic of South Sudan
Also known as: southern Sudan

South Sudan MapCapital: Juba
Total Area: 644,329 km² (248,777 mi²)
Approximate population: 12,703,714
Location: North East Africa
Languages: English (official), Arabic (includes Juba and Sudanese variants), ethnic languages include Dinka, Nuer, Bari, Zande, Shilluk
Religions: Sunni Muslim, Christian, other traditional beliefs
Currency: South Sudanese pound (SSP)
Organizations: United Nations, African Union, East African Community, and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, Greater Horn of Africa.
Border countries (6): Sudan (1,937 km/1,204 mi), Central African Republic (682 km/424 mi), Democratic Republic of the Congo (628 km/390 mi), Ethiopia (883 km/549 mi), Kenya (232 km/144 mi), Uganda (435 km/270 mi).
Coastline 0 km (landlocked)


South Sudan is divided into (10) states:
Central Equatoria, Eastern Equatoria, Jonglei, Lakes, Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Unity, Upper Nile, Warrap, Western Bahr el Ghazal, Western Equatoria; note - in 2015, the creation of (28) new states was announced and in 2017 four additional states; following the February 2020 peace agreement, the country was again reorganized into the (10) original states, plus 2 administrative areas, Pibor and Ruweng, and 1 special administrative status area, Abyei (which is disputed between South Sudan and Sudan); this latest administrative revision has not yet been vetted by the US Board on Geographic Names.


Natural resources: hydropower, fertile agricultural land, gold, diamonds, petroleum, hardwoods, limestone, iron ore, copper, chromium ore, zinc, tungsten, mica, silver.

note: South Sudan-Sudan boundary represents 1 January 1956 alignment; final alignment pending negotiations and demarcation; final sovereignty status of Abyei Area pending negotiations between South Sudan and Sudan.
— South Sudan, country located in northeastern Africa that was part of Sudan, its neighbor to the north, until 2011.