Countries South Sudan
South Sudan

South Sudan

Africa GEC: OD ISO: SS

Key Economic Indicators

GDP (PPP)
<strong>note:</strong> data in 2015 dollars
GDP Per Capita
<strong>note:</strong> data in 2015 dollars
GDP Growth Rate
<b>note:</b> annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
Inflation Rate
91.44%
Unemployment
12.37%
GDP (Nominal)
$4.629 billion (2023 est.)
Public Debt
86.6% of GDP (2016 est.)
Current Account
$577.9 million

Economic Overview

low-income, oil-based Sahelian economy; extreme poverty and food insecurity; COVID-19 and ongoing violence threaten socioeconomic potential; environmentally fragile; ongoing land and property rights issues; natural resource rich but lacks infrastructure

All Economic Data

Agricultural products
milk, cassava, sorghum, goat milk, vegetables, fruits, groundnuts, sesame seeds, beef, maize (2023)
note: <b>note:</b> top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
Budget
Expenditures: $1.984 billion (2023 est.)
Note: <b>note:</b> central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
Revenues: $2.513 billion (2023 est.)
Currency
code: SSP
name: South Sudanese pound (SSP) [£]
Current account balance
$577.9 million
Current account balance 2021: -$6.55 million (2021 est.)
Current account balance 2022: -$596.748 million (2022 est.)
Current account balance 2023: $577.9 million (2023 est.)
Note: <b>note:</b> balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Exchange rates
Currency: South Sudanese pounds (SSP) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2020: 165.907 (2020 est.)
Exchange rates 2021: 306.355 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2022: 534.511 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2023: 930.331 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2024: 2,163.104 (2024 est.)
Exports
Exports 2021: $4.652 billion (2021 est.)
Exports 2022: $5.811 billion (2022 est.)
Exports 2023: $4.499 billion (2023 est.)
Note: <b>note:</b> balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Exports - commodities
crude petroleum, refined petroleum, forage crops, gold, scrap iron (2023)
note: <b>note:</b> top five export commodities based on value in dollars
Exports - partners
China 51%, Singapore 29%, UAE 10%, Germany 4%, Uganda 3% (2023)
note: <b>note:</b> top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Foreign direct investment
net inflows: $83.42 million
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
Agriculture: 10.4% (2015 est.)
Industry: 33.1% (2015 est.)
Note: <b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
Services: 56.6% (2015 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$4.629 billion (2023 est.)
note: <b>note:</b> data in current dollars at official exchange rate
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
44.1 (2016)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2016: 44 (2016 est.)
Note: <b>note:</b> index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
Household income or consumption by percentage share
Highest 10%: 33% (2016 est.)
Lowest 10%: 1.8% (2016 est.)
Note: <strong>note:</strong> % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
Imports
Imports 2021: $4.037 billion (2021 est.)
Imports 2022: $6.402 billion (2022 est.)
Imports 2023: $4.443 billion (2023 est.)
Note: <b>note:</b> balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Imports - commodities
garments, cement, other foods, iron bars, cereal flours (2023)
note: <b>note:</b> top five import commodities based on value in dollars
Imports - partners
Uganda 33%, UAE 26%, Kenya 14%, China 10%, USA 3% (2023)
note: <b>note:</b> top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Industrial production growth rate
-36.8% (2015 est.)
note: <b>note:</b> annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
91.44%
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: -6.7% (2022 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023: 2.4% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024: 91.4% (2024 est.)
Note: <b>note:</b> annual % change based on consumer prices
Labor force
5.091 million (2023 est.)
note: <b>note:</b> number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
total: 5.07 million persons
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture: 63.76%
industry: 1.67%
services: 34.57%
Population below poverty line
82.3% (2016 est.)
note: <b>note:</b> % of population with income below national poverty line
Public debt
Public debt 2016: 86.6% of GDP (2016 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
Note: <strong>note:</strong> data in 2015 dollars
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021: $6.945 billion (2021 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $6.585 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $6.752 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate
Note: <b>note:</b> annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
Real GDP growth rate 2015: -10.8% (2015 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2016: -13.9% (2016 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2017: -5.2% (2017 est.)
Real GDP per capita
Note: <strong>note:</strong> data in 2015 dollars
Real GDP per capita 2021: $400 (2021 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $400 (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023: $400 (2023 est.)
Remittances
$1.14 billion
Note: <strong>note:</strong> personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Remittances 2013: 0% of GDP (2013 est.)
Remittances 2014: 0% of GDP (2014 est.)
Remittances 2015: 9.5% of GDP (2015 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$72.88 million
Note: <b>note:</b> holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021: $341.932 million (2021 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022: $94.914 million (2022 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023: $72.881 million (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate
12.37%
Note: <b>note:</b> % of labor force seeking employment
Unemployment rate 2021: 14.1% (2021 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022: 12.6% (2022 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023: 12.5% (2023 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
Female: 17.6% (2023 est.)
Male: 19.4% (2023 est.)
Note: <b>note:</b> % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
Total: 18.5% (2023 est.)
Map of South Sudan

Economic Rankings

Inflation Rate #8
Unemployment Rate #24
Gini Index #39
Exports #137
Imports #140
GDP (Nominal) #162
Reserves #165
GDP (PPP) #169
GDP Growth Rate #193
GDP per Capita #193

Quick Facts

Agricultural products
milk, cassava, sorghum, goat milk, vegetables, fruits, groundnuts, sesame seeds, beef, maize (2023)
Labor force
5.091 million (2023 est.)
Exports - partners
China 51%, Singapore 29%, UAE 10%, Germany 4%, Uganda 3% (2023)
Imports - partners
Uganda 33%, UAE 26%, Kenya 14%, China 10%, USA 3% (2023)
Exchange rates
South Sudanese pounds (SSP) per US dollar -

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