Life expectancy in South Sudan
South Sudan: Life expectancy was 57.62 years in 2023. ▲ Rising
Life expectancy in South Sudan, 1950–2023
Source: Riley (2005); Zijdeman et al. (2015); HMD (2025); UN WPP (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
The most recent figure for life expectancy in South Sudan is 57.62 years, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of up 0.7% on the previous year and down 1.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, life expectancy in South Sudan peaked at 58.29 years in 2013 and was at its lowest, 10.99 years, in 1988.
That places South Sudan 232nd out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Life expectancy in South Sudan, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 30.21 years | — |
| 1951 | 30.63 years | +1.4% |
| 1952 | 30.98 years | +1.1% |
| 1953 | 31.36 years | +1.2% |
| 1954 | 31.7 years | +1.1% |
| 1955 | 32.02 years | +1.0% |
| 1956 | 31.62 years | -1.2% |
| 1957 | 30.89 years | -2.3% |
| 1958 | 27.61 years | -10.6% |
| 1959 | 27.83 years | +0.8% |
| 1960 | 28.05 years | +0.8% |
| 1961 | 28.28 years | +0.8% |
| 1962 | 28.51 years | +0.8% |
| 1963 | 28.25 years | -0.9% |
| 1964 | 32.46 years | +14.9% |
| 1965 | 28.78 years | -11.3% |
| 1966 | 25.63 years | -10.9% |
| 1967 | 25.86 years | +0.9% |
| 1968 | 26.1 years | +0.9% |
| 1969 | 25.4 years | -2.7% |
| 1970 | 25.63 years | +0.9% |
| 1971 | 30.99 years | +20.9% |
| 1972 | 31.29 years | +1.0% |
| 1973 | 36.28 years | +15.9% |
| 1974 | 36.59 years | +0.9% |
| 1975 | 36.87 years | +0.8% |
| 1976 | 37.09 years | +0.6% |
| 1977 | 37.4 years | +0.8% |
| 1978 | 37.59 years | +0.5% |
| 1979 | 37.81 years | +0.6% |
| 1980 | 38.03 years | +0.6% |
| 1981 | 38.31 years | +0.7% |
| 1982 | 38.68 years | +0.9% |
| 1983 | 34.73 years | -10.2% |
| 1984 | 31.79 years | -8.5% |
| 1985 | 32.36 years | +1.8% |
| 1986 | 32.82 years | +1.4% |
| 1987 | 20.72 years | -36.9% |
| 1988 | 10.99 years | -47.0% |
| 1989 | 28.22 years | +156.8% |
| 1990 | 28.63 years | +1.5% |
| 1991 | 29.19 years | +1.9% |
| 1992 | 21.94 years | -24.8% |
| 1993 | 22.26 years | +1.5% |
| 1994 | 44.86 years | +101.5% |
| 1995 | 31.51 years | -29.8% |
| 1996 | 32.12 years | +1.9% |
| 1997 | 33.07 years | +2.9% |
| 1998 | 19.05 years | -42.4% |
| 1999 | 44.54 years | +133.8% |
| 2000 | 47.59 years | +6.9% |
| 2001 | 48.55 years | +2.0% |
| 2002 | 49.39 years | +1.7% |
| 2003 | 52.32 years | +5.9% |
| 2004 | 53.05 years | +1.4% |
| 2005 | 53.96 years | +1.7% |
| 2006 | 54.65 years | +1.3% |
| 2007 | 55.42 years | +1.4% |
| 2008 | 56.28 years | +1.5% |
| 2009 | 56.85 years | +1.0% |
| 2010 | 57.48 years | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 57.67 years | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 58.24 years | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 58.29 years | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 45.62 years | -21.7% |
| 2015 | 39.76 years | -12.9% |
| 2016 | 36.72 years | -7.6% |
| 2017 | 35.35 years | -3.7% |
| 2018 | 51.9 years | +46.8% |
| 2019 | 58.13 years | +12.0% |
| 2020 | 57.65 years | -0.8% |
| 2021 | 57.05 years | -1.0% |
| 2022 | 57.2 years | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 57.62 years | +0.7% |
South Sudan compared with similar countries
- South Sudan's 57.62 years is below the median for low income countries, which is 63.65 years, 91% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- South Sudan's 57.62 years is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 64.1 years, 90% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Life expectancy in South Sudan changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | +156.8% | 10.99 years | 28.22 years |
| 1999 | +133.8% | 19.05 years | 44.54 years |
| 1994 | +101.5% | 22.26 years | 44.86 years |
| 1988 | -47.0% | 20.72 years | 10.99 years |
| 2018 | +46.8% | 35.35 years | 51.9 years |
| 1998 | -42.4% | 33.07 years | 19.05 years |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 30.49 years | 27.61 years | 32.02 years | 10 |
| 1960s | 27.73 years | 25.4 years | 32.46 years | 10 |
| 1970s | 34.75 years | 25.63 years | 37.81 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 30.66 years | 10.99 years | 38.68 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 30.72 years | 19.05 years | 44.86 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 52.81 years | 47.59 years | 56.85 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 49.92 years | 35.35 years | 58.29 years | 10 |
| 2020s | 57.38 years | 57.05 years | 57.65 years | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Sudan
More health data for South Sudan
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.47 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.665 % change on previous year (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 12,029 deaths (2100)
- Estimated changes in temperature-related death rates compared to projected death rates 1,347 deaths per 1,000 people (2090)
- Deaths in armed conflicts by region 123 deaths (2026)
- Deaths in armed conflicts based on where they occurred 123 deaths (2026)
- Population ages 25-29, female, per capita 0.0349 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, female, per capita 0.0265 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 30-34, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2015)
- Population ages 30-34, female, annual growth rate 1.24 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is life expectancy in South Sudan?
- Life expectancy in South Sudan was 57.62 years in 2023, according to Riley (2005); Zijdeman et al. (2015); HMD (2025); UN WPP (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest life expectancy recorded in South Sudan?
- The highest recorded value was 58.29 years in 2013.
- What is the lowest life expectancy recorded in South Sudan?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.99 years in 1988.
- How does South Sudan rank for life expectancy?
- South Sudan ranks 232nd out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is life expectancy rising or falling in South Sudan?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Sudan data come from?
- The figures come from Riley (2005); Zijdeman et al. (2015); HMD (2025); UN WPP (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Life expectancy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Period life expectancy is the number of years the average person born in a certain year would live if they experienced the same chances of dying at each age as people did that year.