Natural population growth rate in South Sudan
South Sudan: Natural population growth rate was 1.9% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Natural population growth rate in South Sudan, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
South Sudan recorded 1.9% for natural population growth rate in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.9% on the previous year and down 32.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, natural population growth rate in South Sudan peaked at 3.3% in 2003 and was at its lowest, -2.6%, in 1988.
That places South Sudan 54th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Natural population growth rate in South Sudan, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 1.4% | — |
| 1951 | 1.5% | +8.0% |
| 1952 | 1.6% | +5.3% |
| 1953 | 1.7% | +4.9% |
| 1954 | 1.8% | +3.9% |
| 1955 | 1.8% | +3.1% |
| 1956 | 1.8% | -1.2% |
| 1957 | 1.7% | -3.2% |
| 1958 | 1.4% | -22.1% |
| 1959 | 1.4% | +4.1% |
| 1960 | 1.5% | +3.7% |
| 1961 | 1.5% | +3.6% |
| 1962 | 1.6% | +3.3% |
| 1963 | 1.5% | -3.8% |
| 1964 | 2.1% | +37.3% |
| 1965 | 1.6% | -21.7% |
| 1966 | 1.2% | -26.5% |
| 1967 | 1.3% | +6.0% |
| 1968 | 1.3% | +5.5% |
| 1969 | 1.2% | -6.2% |
| 1970 | 1.3% | +5.2% |
| 1971 | 2.1% | +58.7% |
| 1972 | 2.1% | +1.3% |
| 1973 | 2.6% | +23.7% |
| 1974 | 2.6% | -0.1% |
| 1975 | 2.6% | +0.1% |
| 1976 | 2.6% | -0.2% |
| 1977 | 2.6% | -0.1% |
| 1978 | 2.6% | -0.2% |
| 1979 | 2.6% | -0.5% |
| 1980 | 2.6% | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 2.6% | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 2.6% | +0.5% |
| 1983 | 2.2% | -14.2% |
| 1984 | 1.9% | -14.3% |
| 1985 | 2.0% | +3.0% |
| 1986 | 2.0% | +2.5% |
| 1987 | 0.1% | -94.3% |
| 1988 | -2.6% | -2330.7% |
| 1989 | 1.8% | -168.7% |
| 1990 | 1.7% | -1.5% |
| 1991 | 1.8% | +3.8% |
| 1992 | 0.6% | -67.6% |
| 1993 | 0.7% | +12.5% |
| 1994 | 3.3% | +393.2% |
| 1995 | 2.1% | -35.2% |
| 1996 | 2.2% | +3.1% |
| 1997 | 2.2% | +1.2% |
| 1998 | -0.2% | -109.8% |
| 1999 | 3.1% | -1547.6% |
| 2000 | 3.3% | +3.8% |
| 2001 | 3.2% | -0.4% |
| 2002 | 3.2% | -0.7% |
| 2003 | 3.3% | +1.8% |
| 2004 | 3.2% | -2.0% |
| 2005 | 3.2% | -1.7% |
| 2006 | 3.1% | -1.9% |
| 2007 | 3.1% | -1.1% |
| 2008 | 3.0% | -0.5% |
| 2009 | 3.0% | -0.8% |
| 2010 | 2.9% | -2.2% |
| 2011 | 2.9% | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 2.9% | -1.3% |
| 2013 | 2.8% | -2.7% |
| 2014 | 2.0% | -28.4% |
| 2015 | 1.3% | -34.0% |
| 2016 | 1.0% | -23.7% |
| 2017 | 0.7% | -31.1% |
| 2018 | 1.7% | +136.5% |
| 2019 | 2.0% | +20.9% |
| 2020 | 2.0% | -1.4% |
| 2021 | 2.0% | -1.0% |
| 2022 | 1.9% | -2.5% |
| 2023 | 1.9% | -0.9% |
South Sudan compared with similar countries
- South Sudan's 1.9% is below the median for low income countries, which is 2.6%, 73% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- South Sudan's 1.9% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.4%, 79% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Natural population growth rate in South Sudan changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | -2330.7% | 0.1% | -2.6% |
| 1999 | +1547.6% | -0.2% | 3.1% |
| 1994 | +393.2% | 0.7% | 3.3% |
| 1989 | +168.7% | -2.6% | 1.8% |
| 2018 | +136.5% | 0.7% | 1.7% |
| 1998 | -109.8% | 2.2% | -0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 1.6% | 1.4% | 1.8% | 10 |
| 1960s | 1.5% | 1.2% | 2.1% | 10 |
| 1970s | 2.4% | 1.3% | 2.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.5% | -2.6% | 2.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.7% | -0.2% | 3.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.2% | 3.0% | 3.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.0% | 0.7% | 2.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.9% | 1.9% | 2.0% | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Sudan
More population data for South Sudan
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.0933 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.0243 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 0.4787 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.0243 % change on previous year (2100)
- 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)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.5193 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 1.92 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is natural population growth rate in South Sudan?
- Natural population growth rate in South Sudan was 1.9% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest natural population growth rate recorded in South Sudan?
- The highest recorded value was 3.3% in 2003.
- What is the lowest natural population growth rate recorded in South Sudan?
- The lowest recorded value was -2.6% in 1988.
- How does South Sudan rank for natural population growth rate?
- South Sudan ranks 54th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is natural population growth rate rising or falling in South Sudan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 32.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Sudan data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Natural population growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Births minus deaths, as a share of the population. This is the part of population change that comes only from births and deaths, ignoring migration.