Middle Africa · Africa

South Sudan

Discover South Sudan - the world's newest country, home to Africa's largest swamp, the White Nile's source, and one of Earth's great wildlife migrations.

Where Is South Sudan?

South Sudan is a country in Middle Africa. Its capital is Juba.

Where South Sudan isMiddle Africa · Capital Juba

Capital Juba
Population 12.2M
Area 619,745 km²

South Sudan is the world's youngest country, having gained independence from Sudan on July 9, 2011, after decades of civil war and a referendum where 98.83% voted for separation. It is a nation born from one of Africa's longest conflicts, and its early years of independence have been turbulent, with civil war erupting again in 2013. Yet the land itself holds extraordinary promise - the Sudd, one of the largest wetlands on Earth, filters the White Nile as it flows north toward Khartoum and Egypt, and the savanna grasslands support one of Africa's last great wildlife migrations.

The country is home to over 60 ethnic groups, with the Dinka and Nuer being the largest. Cattle are central to life here in ways that are hard for outsiders to grasp - they determine wealth, marriage, social status, and even personal names. The Dinka and Nuer are among the tallest people on Earth, and their cattle camps, where young men live alongside herds decorated with tassels and ash-covered horns, represent one of the last pastoral traditions on the continent that has changed little in thousands of years.

At a glance

Language

English (+ Arabic, Dinka, Nuer)

Currency

South Sudanese Pound (SSP)

Calling Code

+211

Drives On

Right

Internet

.ss

Timezone

CAT (UTC+2)

Script

Latin

Government

Presidential Republic

Independence

2011

By population

Largest cities in South Sudan

Juba

Capital on the White Nile, a rapidly growing city of dirt roads, UN compounds, and surprising entrepreneurial energy in the world's newest nation

525,000

Malakal

City on the White Nile in the Upper Nile region, a former trade hub severely damaged during the civil war but slowly rebuilding

160,000

Wau

Second largest city in the western Bahr el Ghazal region, a multiethnic trade center known for its cathedral and agricultural surroundings

150,000

Bor

Capital of Jonglei state on the White Nile, a gateway to the vast Sudd wetland and heartland of Dinka Bor cattle culture

80,000

People

Famous people from South Sudan

John Garang
Politics
Leader of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement who fought for Southern self-determination for over 20 years, died in a helicopter crash just weeks after being sworn in as Vice President in 2005
Luol Deng
Sport
Two-time NBA All-Star who fled South Sudan as a child during the civil war, became the country's most famous athlete and later invested millions back home
Manute Bol
Sport
At 7 feet 7 inches one of the tallest players in NBA history, used his earnings to fund education and relief in his homeland until his death in 2010
Emmanuel Jal
Music
Former child soldier turned hip-hop artist and peace activist, his music and memoir War Child brought global attention to South Sudan's struggles

Food

Traditional cuisine of South Sudan

Kisra: Thin fermented sorghum flatbread that serves as the base for most South Sudanese meals, torn by hand and used to scoop stews
Ful Medames: Slow-cooked fava beans mashed with oil, lemon, and spices, a hearty breakfast staple inherited from Sudanese culinary traditions
Asida: Thick porridge made from wheat or sorghum flour shaped into a mound and served with meat stew poured over it
Nyama Choma: Grilled meat - usually goat - seasoned simply and cooked over charcoal, the celebratory food served at every gathering and market

Nature

Nature and landmarks in South Sudan

Sudd WetlandRiver: One of the largest wetlands in the world, a vast swamp on the White Nile that expands to 57,000 square kilometers during the rainy season and supports extraordinary birdlife
Boma National ParkNational Park: Home to one of the largest wildlife migrations on Earth, with over a million white-eared kob, tiang, and mongalla gazelle crossing the plains seasonally
Imatong MountainsMountain: South Sudan's highest point at 3,187 meters near the Ugandan border, with montane forest, waterfalls, and some of the country's only cool-weather terrain
White NileRiver: The White Nile flows through the heart of South Sudan from Uganda to Sudan, the lifeline of the country and the waterway that connects communities across vast distances

Sport

Sports in South Sudan

Football: The Bright Stars became the newest FIFA member team in 2012 and competing in international football brought rare moments of national unity
Basketball: South Sudanese heritage has produced NBA players including Luol Deng and Manute Bol, and basketball is hugely popular among youth

Facts

Did you know?

South Sudan became the world's newest internationally recognized country on July 9, 2011, with 98.83% voting for independence in a referendum
The Sudd is so vast that when explorers tried to navigate it in the 19th century, the floating vegetation blocked passage for years
The Dinka people of South Sudan are among the tallest people on Earth, with average male height well over 180 centimeters
Cattle are so central to Dinka culture that men are often named after their favorite ox, and cattle colors have over 400 descriptive terms
South Sudan's wildlife migration in Boma National Park may rival the Serengeti in scale, with an estimated 1.3 million animals
Despite having significant oil reserves that account for nearly all government revenue, South Sudan remains one of the least developed countries in the world

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