Birth rate in South Sudan
South Sudan: Birth rate was 28.59 births per 1,000 people in 2023. ▼ Falling
Birth rate in South Sudan, 1950–2023
Source: Human Mortality Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in births per 1,000 people.
Analysis
In 2023, birth rate in South Sudan stood at 28.59 births per 1,000 people. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.6% on the previous year and down 25.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, birth rate in South Sudan peaked at 54.57 births per 1,000 people in 1971 and was at its lowest, 28.59 births per 1,000 people, in 2023.
That places South Sudan 37th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 50.7 births per 1,000 people | 49.34 births per 1,000 people | 51.78 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 53.1 births per 1,000 people | 52.03 births per 1,000 people | 54.28 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 53.68 births per 1,000 people | 52.27 births per 1,000 people | 54.57 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 51.38 births per 1,000 people | 50.56 births per 1,000 people | 53.11 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 52.15 births per 1,000 people | 50.67 births per 1,000 people | 52.71 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 45.15 births per 1,000 people | 41.02 births per 1,000 people | 49.82 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 35.7 births per 1,000 people | 29.07 births per 1,000 people | 39.88 births per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 29.2 births per 1,000 people | 28.59 births per 1,000 people | 29.69 births per 1,000 people | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Sudan
- 34 Equatorial Guinea 29.6 births per 1,000 people compare
- 35 Senegal 29.42 births per 1,000 people compare
- 36 Comoros 28.65 births per 1,000 people compare
- 38 Eritrea 28.54 births per 1,000 people compare
- 39 Rwanda 28.35 births per 1,000 people compare
- 40 Sao Tome and Principe 28.18 births per 1,000 people compare
More population data for South Sudan
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.0% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 1.57 million people (2100)
- Population density 37.73 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth 0.0% (2100)
- Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate 3.79 births per woman (2024)
- Refugees by country of asylum 514,794 people (2024)
- Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception 3.79 births per woman (2024)
- Total fertility rate vs. contraceptive prevalence 3.79 births per woman (2024)
- Natural population growth rate 1.9% (2023)
- Fertility rate: births per woman 3.86 live births per woman (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is birth rate in South Sudan?
- Birth rate in South Sudan was 28.59 births per 1,000 people in 2023, according to Human Mortality Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest birth rate recorded in South Sudan?
- The highest recorded value was 54.57 births per 1,000 people in 1971.
- What is the lowest birth rate recorded in South Sudan?
- The lowest recorded value was 28.59 births per 1,000 people in 2023.
- How does South Sudan rank for birth rate?
- South Sudan ranks 37th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is birth rate rising or falling in South Sudan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 25.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Sudan data come from?
- The figures come from Human Mortality Database (2025); UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Birth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The total number of births per 1,000 people in a given year.