Population in the largest city in South Sudan
South Sudan: Population in the largest city was 18.9% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Population in the largest city in South Sudan, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of urban population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population in the largest city in South Sudan is 18.9%, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 0.8% on the previous year and up 23.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in the largest city in South Sudan peaked at 21.5% in 1983 and was at its lowest, 6.5%, in 1960.
That places South Sudan 116th out of 153 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Population in the largest city in South Sudan, year by year
| Year | % of urban population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 6.5% | — |
| 1961 | 7.1% | +8.8% |
| 1962 | 7.7% | +8.7% |
| 1963 | 8.3% | +8.7% |
| 1964 | 9.0% | +8.4% |
| 1965 | 9.8% | +8.3% |
| 1966 | 10.6% | +8.8% |
| 1967 | 11.6% | +8.9% |
| 1968 | 12.6% | +8.9% |
| 1969 | 13.7% | +8.8% |
| 1970 | 15.0% | +8.9% |
| 1971 | 16.2% | +8.4% |
| 1972 | 17.5% | +8.0% |
| 1973 | 18.6% | +6.2% |
| 1974 | 18.9% | +1.5% |
| 1975 | 19.1% | +1.5% |
| 1976 | 19.4% | +1.5% |
| 1977 | 19.7% | +1.5% |
| 1978 | 20.0% | +1.5% |
| 1979 | 20.3% | +1.5% |
| 1980 | 20.6% | +1.6% |
| 1981 | 21.0% | +1.6% |
| 1982 | 21.3% | +1.6% |
| 1983 | 21.5% | +1.0% |
| 1984 | 21.2% | -1.3% |
| 1985 | 20.5% | -3.4% |
| 1986 | 19.5% | -4.7% |
| 1987 | 18.7% | -4.5% |
| 1988 | 18.4% | -1.5% |
| 1989 | 18.3% | -0.7% |
| 1990 | 17.7% | -3.3% |
| 1991 | 17.0% | -3.9% |
| 1992 | 16.6% | -2.3% |
| 1993 | 16.5% | -0.2% |
| 1994 | 16.6% | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 16.5% | -0.4% |
| 1996 | 16.6% | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 16.6% | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 16.7% | +0.9% |
| 1999 | 16.8% | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 16.6% | -1.2% |
| 2001 | 16.4% | -1.2% |
| 2002 | 16.2% | -1.0% |
| 2003 | 16.1% | -0.9% |
| 2004 | 15.9% | -0.9% |
| 2005 | 15.8% | -0.9% |
| 2006 | 15.7% | -0.8% |
| 2007 | 15.5% | -0.7% |
| 2008 | 15.5% | -0.5% |
| 2009 | 15.2% | -1.6% |
| 2010 | 14.9% | -2.0% |
| 2011 | 14.6% | -2.2% |
| 2012 | 14.4% | -1.2% |
| 2013 | 14.3% | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 14.7% | +2.6% |
| 2015 | 15.4% | +4.5% |
| 2016 | 16.3% | +5.9% |
| 2017 | 17.7% | +9.0% |
| 2018 | 18.6% | +4.7% |
| 2019 | 18.6% | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 18.7% | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 18.9% | +1.4% |
| 2022 | 19.2% | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 19.0% | -1.2% |
| 2024 | 18.8% | -1.1% |
| 2025 | 18.9% | +0.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 9.7% | 6.5% | 13.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 18.5% | 15.0% | 20.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 20.1% | 18.3% | 21.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 16.8% | 16.5% | 17.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 15.9% | 15.2% | 16.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 16.0% | 14.3% | 18.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 18.9% | 18.7% | 19.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Sudan
More urban development data for South Sudan
- Population density 18.17 people per sq. km of land area (2023)
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 23.67 micrograms per cubic meter (2023)
- Population in largest city 500,088 (2025)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 23 - Ecological 13.46 Hectares (2020)
- PM2.5 air pollution, population exposed to levels exceeding WHO 100.0% (2017)
- Dollar value of all resources made available to strengthen 7.77 million (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population in the largest city in South Sudan?
- Population in the largest city in South Sudan was 18.9% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest population in the largest city recorded in South Sudan?
- The highest recorded value was 21.5% in 1983.
- What is the lowest population in the largest city recorded in South Sudan?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.5% in 1960.
- How does South Sudan rank for population in the largest city?
- South Sudan ranks 116th out of 153 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population in the largest city rising or falling in South Sudan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 23.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Sudan data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN), published as part of Population in the largest city (% of urban population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Population in largest city is the percentage of a country's urban population living in that country's largest metropolitan area.