How it works Try a lens The library Explore Get started FAQ Download on the App Store →

COUNTRIES

South Sudan: map, flag, capital and key facts

South Sudan is a country in Africa, in East Africa, with about 12.2 million people (2025) and an area of 646,883 square kilometres. Its capital is Juba, and it shares land borders with 6 countries.

By Team Geography Last reviewed

Flag of South Sudan
Flag of South Sudan
Map showing where the country sits among its neighbours
South Sudan in solid, land neighbours outlined, capital marked.

Key facts about South Sudan

CapitalJuba
ContinentAfrica
RegionEast Africa
Population12,188,788 2025, World Bank. 80th of 195.
Area646,883 km² (249,763 sq mi) World Bank, surface area. 41st largest of 195.
Population density19 people per km²
Land neighbours6: Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, Uganda
Official nameRepublic of South Sudan
UN statusMember state
Capital coordinates4.83° N, 31.58° E Juba, Natural Earth.

Land neighbours

South Sudan borders 6 countries on land. Each links to its own page.

Central African RepublicBanguiDemocratic Republic of the CongoKinshasaEthiopiaAddis AbabaKenyaNairobiSudanKhartoumUgandaKampala

From the Geography app

The app teaches each country through short hand written lenses: PLACE for physical geography, STORY for history and identity, NOW for the news, and THREAD for the ties between countries. Here is one of South Sudan's 5, in full.

PLACELens 1 of 5

What landscape defines the world's youngest nation?

South Sudan, which gained independence in 2011, is dominated by the vast floodplain of the White Nile and its tributaries. At the country's heart lies the Sudd, one of the world's largest freshwater wetlands, which swells during the rainy season to cover an area the size of England. The Imatong Mountains along the Ugandan border reach 3,187 meters at Mount Kinyeti, the country's highest point. Seasonal flooding renders much of the road network impassable for months, isolating communities and complicating governance.

More on Sudd

Derived from the Arabic word for "barrier," the Sudd is a labyrinth of papyrus, water hyacinth, and floating vegetation that blocked Nile navigation for centuries. It supports massive wildlife migrations, including the white-eared kob, tiang antelope, and Mongalla gazelle.

4 more lenses on South Sudan in the app

  • STORY What shaped South Sudanese identity?
  • NOW What crisis has defined South Sudan since independence?
  • THREAD Neighbors who brokered independence and still hold leverage
  • STORY What natural heritage survives in South Sudan?

Titles only. The app brings each lens back on a spaced repetition schedule set by how well you knew it: New, Hazy or Clear.

Compare South Sudan with another country

Opens the country comparison tool with population, area, income and more side by side, every figure dated.

Common questions

What is the capital of South Sudan?
The capital of South Sudan is Juba. Juba lies at about 4.8 degrees north and 31.6 degrees east. South Sudan is in Africa, in the region often called East Africa. It is home to about 12.2 million people. The world capitals quiz on this site tests every capital, and the printable capitals sheets cover each continent.
What is the population of South Sudan?
About 12.2 million people live in South Sudan, according to the World Bank figures for 2025. That makes it the 80th most populous of the 195 countries. With an area of 646,883 square kilometres, that is about 19 people per square kilometre.
What countries border South Sudan?
South Sudan shares land borders with 6 countries: Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan and Uganda. The map on this page outlines each of them around South Sudan. The count includes only borders on land, not neighbours across a sea or a lake.
How big is South Sudan?
South Sudan covers 646,883 square kilometres, or about 249,763 square miles. That makes it the 41st largest of the 195 countries. The figure is total surface area, which includes inland water such as lakes and rivers. Its population of about 12.2 million gives a density of 19 people per square kilometre.

Keep exploring