South Sudan vs Sudan: Refugees by country of origin
South Sudan
2.29 million people
in 2024
Sudan
2.09 million people
in 2024
South Sudan rank
4th
Sudan rank
5th
Refugees by country of origin over time
- South Sudan
- Sudan
How they compare
South Sudan currently reports 2.29 million people against 2.09 million people in Sudan, a difference of 196,250 people.
That makes South Sudan's figure about 1.1 times Sudan's.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 14 shared years of data; in 2011 it was Sudan ahead.
South Sudan ranks 4th and Sudan ranks 5th of 204 countries.
South Sudan has averaged higher in every one of the 2 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | South Sudan | Sudan | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 1.11 million people | 646,158 people | 464,187 people | South Sudan |
| 2020s | 2.29 million people | 1.21 million people | 1.08 million people | South Sudan |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher refugees by country of origin, South Sudan or Sudan?
- South Sudan, at 2.29 million people against 2.09 million people in Sudan as of 2024.
- What is the difference in refugees by country of origin between South Sudan and Sudan?
- 196,250 people, with South Sudan ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for South Sudan and Sudan?
- 14 years are reported by both, from 2011 to 2024.
- How do South Sudan and Sudan rank globally for refugees by country of origin?
- South Sudan ranks 4th and Sudan ranks 5th of 204 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- UNHCR (2025) β with major processing by Our World in Data, published as Refugees by country of origin. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
People who fled their country of origin and are in need of international protection. Refugees are those who have already been granted asylum status in the country they moved to. This includes all refugees, not just those who fled that year.