Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in South Sudan
South Sudan: Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre was 3.83 people per square kilometre in 2023. ▲ Rising
Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in South Sudan, 2012–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in people per square kilometre.
Analysis
South Sudan recorded 3.83 people per square kilometre for number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in 2023. That is the highest value across all 12 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.7% on the previous year and up 18.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in South Sudan peaked at 3.83 people per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 3.07 people per square kilometre, in 2012.
That places South Sudan 201st out of 215 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 12 years of available data.
Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in South Sudan, year by year
| Year | people per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 3.07 people per square kilometre | — |
| 2013 | 3.23 people per square kilometre | +5.3% |
| 2014 | 3.3 people per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 2015 | 3.31 people per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 3.27 people per square kilometre | -1.1% |
| 2017 | 3.14 people per square kilometre | -3.9% |
| 2018 | 3.14 people per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 3.28 people per square kilometre | +4.4% |
| 2020 | 3.42 people per square kilometre | +4.1% |
| 2021 | 3.52 people per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 2022 | 3.62 people per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 2023 | 3.83 people per square kilometre | +5.7% |
South Sudan compared with similar countries
- South Sudan's 3.83 people per square kilometre is below the median for low income countries, which is 23.39 people per square kilometre, 16% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- South Sudan's 3.83 people per square kilometre is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 28.41 people per square kilometre, 13% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 3.22 people per square kilometre | 3.07 people per square kilometre | 3.31 people per square kilometre | 8 |
| 2020s | 3.6 people per square kilometre | 3.42 people per square kilometre | 3.83 people per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Sudan
- 198 Vanuatu 5.85 people per square kilometre compare
- 199 Kazakhstan 4.65 people per square kilometre compare
- 200 Chad 4.04 people per square kilometre compare
- 202 Canada 3.69 people per square kilometre compare
- 203 Niger 3.67 people per square kilometre compare
- 204 Libya 3.65 people per square kilometre compare
More population data for South Sudan
- Population regions 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 long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.0243 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.0933 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 17,461 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 1.92 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.5193 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth 0.0% (2100)
- Population density 37.73 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 1.57 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in South Sudan?
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in South Sudan was 3.83 people per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre recorded in South Sudan?
- The highest recorded value was 3.83 people per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre recorded in South Sudan?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.07 people per square kilometre in 2012.
- How does South Sudan rank for number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre?
- South Sudan ranks 201st out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre rising or falling in South Sudan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Sudan data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 12 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Number of people living in urban and rural areas divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Number of people living in urban and rural areas ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Number of people living in urban and rural areas divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.