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Urban population share — all countries

Urban population share — South Sudan

Urban population share in South Sudan in 2025 — 21.7%. Ranked 210 in the world out of 217. Since 1960, the indicator has risen by 13 pp.

2025 21.7% +0.3 pp vs 2024
World rank 210of 217
Period maximum 21.7%2025
Period minimum 8.5%1982

Trend over time

1960–2025 · % of population

Urban population share — South Sudan, 1960–202551015202519601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 8.7%1962: 8.6%1964: 8.6%1966: 8.6%1968: 8.5%1970: 8.5%1972: 8.5%1974: 8.5%1976: 8.5%1978: 8.5%1980: 8.5%1982: 8.5%1984: 8.7%1986: 9.7%1988: 11.2%1990: 12.6%1992: 13.8%1994: 14.5%1996: 15%1998: 15.6%2000: 16%2002: 16.4%2004: 16.8%2006: 17%2008: 17%2010: 17.5%2012: 18%2014: 18.5%2016: 19.1%2018: 19.6%2020: 20.2%2022: 20.8%2024: 21.4%2025: 21.7%
Change over the period: +13 pp Annual average: 0.2 pp

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: South Sudan

South Sudan 21.7%
World 57.8%
Sub-Saharan Africa 44.7%
Eastern Africa computed 31.8%
Low-income countries computed 35.6%
Urban population share — South Sudan, by year South Sudan All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 21.7 +0.3 pp
2024 21.4 +0.3 pp
2023 21.1 +0.3 pp
2022 20.8 +0.3 pp
2021 20.5 +0.3 pp
2020 20.2 +0.3 pp
2019 19.9 +0.3 pp
2018 19.6 +0.3 pp
2017 19.3 +0.3 pp
2016 19.1 +0.3 pp
2015 18.8 +0.3 pp
2014 18.5 +0.3 pp
2013 18.3 +0.3 pp
2012 18 +0.3 pp
2011 17.8 +0.2 pp
2010 17.5 +0.2 pp
2009 17.3 +0.3 pp
2008 17 +0 pp
2007 17 +0 pp
2006 17 +0.1 pp
2005 16.9 +0.1 pp
2004 16.8 +0.1 pp
2003 16.6 +0.2 pp
2002 16.4 +0.2 pp
2001 16.3 +0.2 pp
2000 16 +0.2 pp
1999 15.8 +0.2 pp
1998 15.6 +0.3 pp
1997 15.3 +0.3 pp
1996 15 +0.3 pp
1995 14.7 +0.3 pp
1994 14.5 +0.3 pp
1993 14.2 +0.4 pp
1992 13.8 +0.5 pp
1991 13.3 +0.6 pp
1990 12.6 +0.7 pp
1989 11.9 +0.8 pp
1988 11.2 +0.7 pp
1987 10.4 +0.7 pp
1986 9.7 +0.6 pp
1985 9.2 +0.4 pp
1984 8.7 +0.2 pp
1983 8.5 +0 pp
1982 8.5 −0 pp
1981 8.5 −0 pp
1980 8.5 −0 pp
1979 8.5 −0 pp
1978 8.5 −0 pp
1977 8.5 −0 pp
1976 8.5 −0 pp
1975 8.5 −0 pp
1974 8.5 −0 pp
1973 8.5 −0 pp
1972 8.5 −0 pp
1971 8.5 −0 pp
1970 8.5 −0 pp
1969 8.5 −0 pp
1968 8.5 −0 pp
1967 8.5 −0 pp
1966 8.6 −0 pp
1965 8.6 −0 pp
1964 8.6 −0 pp
1963 8.6 −0 pp
1962 8.6 −0 pp
1961 8.6 −0 pp
1960 8.7 —

Eastern Africa, 2025

The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages

DJ Djibouti 73 SO Somalia 55.1 ZM Zambia 45.9 SC Seychelles 45.5 ZW Zimbabwe 40.5 MU Mauritius 39 MZ Mozambique 37.2 TZ Tanzania 36.9 ER Eritrea 34.5 KM Comoros 33.9 MG Madagascar 32.9 KE Kenya 32.2 UG Uganda 31.9 RW Rwanda 30.9 BI Burundi 25.7 ET Ethiopia 24.1 SS South Sudan 21.7 MW Malawi 17.6
Full table for all countries

About the indicator

The share of population living in urban settlements, as a percent of the total. One caveat is central: each country sets the criteria for a city itself — in some places it is a settlement of 2,000 residents or more, in others 20,000, in others administrative status. Cross-country comparisons of urbanization are therefore always approximate, while the trend within a single country is informative.

Important: Sharp jumps in individual years are usually explained not by people moving but by changes in the administrative boundaries of cities.

Source: World Population Prospects (UN), license CC BY 3.0 IGO.

Other indicators for South Sudan

Demography Urban population

The absolute number of city dwellers by country.

South Sudan by year Environment Population living in slums

What share of the urban population lives in slums under the UN definition.

South Sudan by year Environment PM2.5 air pollution

The mean annual concentration of fine particles the population is exposed to.

South Sudan by year
All indicators for South Sudan