Refugees by country of origin in South Sudan

South Sudan: Refugees by country of origin was 2.29 million people in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
2.29 million people
Change on year
down 0.1%
World rank
4th
of 204 countries
All-time high
2.44 million people
in 2017
All-time low
0 people
in 2011
Years of data
14
2011–2024

Refugees by country of origin in South Sudan, 2011–2024

0500.0k1.0M1.5M2.0M2.5M2011201720242011: 0 people2012: 87.0k people2013: 114.5k people2014: 616.2k people2015: 778.7k people2016: 1.4M people2017: 2.4M people2018: 2.3M people2019: 2.2M people2020: 2.2M people2021: 2.4M people2022: 2.3M people2023: 2.3M people2024: 2.3M people

Source: UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.

Analysis

In 2024, refugees by country of origin in South Sudan stood at 2.29 million people.

That represents a change of down 0.1% on the previous year and up 271.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, refugees by country of origin in South Sudan peaked at 2.44 million people in 2017 and was at its lowest, 0 people, in 2011.

South Sudan ranks 4th of 204 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Refugees by country of origin in South Sudan, year by year

Annual values for Refugees by country of origin in South Sudan, 2011 to 2024.
Year people Change
2011 0 people
2012 87,007 people
2013 114,468 people +31.6%
2014 616,206 people +438.3%
2015 778,722 people +26.4%
2016 1.44 million people +84.5%
2017 2.44 million people +69.8%
2018 2.29 million people -6.3%
2019 2.23 million people -2.2%
2020 2.19 million people -2.1%
2021 2.36 million people +7.9%
2022 2.30 million people -2.9%
2023 2.29 million people -0.1%
2024 2.29 million people -0.1%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 1.11 million people 0 people 2.44 million people 9
2020s 2.29 million people 2.19 million people 2.36 million people 5

Countries ranked near South Sudan

  1. 1 Syria 5.95 million people compare
  2. 2 Afghanistan 5.77 million people compare
  3. 3 Ukraine 5.12 million people compare
  4. 5 Sudan 2.09 million people compare
  5. 6 Myanmar 1.32 million people compare
  6. 7 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 1.06 million people compare

See the full ranking of 204 places →

More population data for South Sudan

All data for South Sudan →

Frequently asked questions

What is refugees by country of origin in South Sudan?
Refugees by country of origin in South Sudan was 2.29 million people in 2024, according to UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest refugees by country of origin recorded in South Sudan?
The highest recorded value was 2.44 million people in 2017.
What is the lowest refugees by country of origin recorded in South Sudan?
The lowest recorded value was 0 people in 2011.
How does South Sudan rank for refugees by country of origin?
South Sudan ranks 4th out of 204 countries with data for 2024.
Is refugees by country of origin rising or falling in South Sudan?
Over the last ten years it is up 271.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this South Sudan data come from?
The figures come from UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Refugees by country of origin. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Refugees by country of origin in South Sudan. Statizoid, drawing on UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 01 September 2026, from https://population.statizoid.com/stat/refugee-population-by-country-or-territory-of-origin-2/south-sudan/

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About this data

Indicator
Refugees by country of origin
Unit
people
Source
UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
204 places, 7,190 data points, 1960–2024
Last refreshed

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.