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Christians, primarily Roman Catholic, Anglican, and Presbyterian, account for about three-fifths of South Sudan’s population. Christianity is a result of European missionary efforts that began in the second half of the 19th century. The remainder of the population is a mix of Muslims and those who follow traditional animist religions, the latter outnumbering the former. Although the animists share some common elements of religious belief, each ethnic group has its own indigenous religion. Virtually all of South Sudan’s traditional African religions share the conception of a high spirit or divinity, usually a creator god. There exist two conceptions of the universe: the earthly and the heavenly, or the visible and the invisible. The heavenly world is seen as being populated by spiritual beings whose function is to serve as intermediaries or messengers of God; in the case of the Nilotic peoples, these spirits are identified with their ancestors. The supreme deity is the object of rituals using music and dance.
Settlement patterns
South Sudan as a whole has a rather low population density, although distribution throughout the country is uneven. The greatest population densities are found along the Nile rivers and their tributaries. About four-fifths of South Sudan’s population is rural. Rural settlements are usually clustered along watercourses because of water supply problems, especially during the dry months. The most common type of housing in rural areas is a round hut known as a tukul. It has a thatched conical roof and is made of mud, grass, millet stalks, and wooden poles.
South Sudan was the least-urbanized area when Sudan became independent in 1956 but has since experienced a high rate of urban growth. Still, only about one-fifth of the population is urban. Major towns include Wau, Malakal, Yei, Yambio, and Juba, the capital.
Mohy el Din Sabr Jay L. Spaulding Ahmad Alawad Sikainga The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaDemographic trends
The population of South Sudan is overwhelmingly young, with more than two-fifths of the population under the age of 15 and more than one-fourth between the ages of 15 and 29. Life expectancy is much lower than the world average and is lower than that of neighbouring countries.
Decades of civil war in Sudan, fought largely in what is now South Sudan, took a toll on the population. It was estimated that between 1983, when a census was taken, and 2005, when the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) was signed, more than two million people died and some 4–5.5 million were displaced, many of whom were southern Sudanese. After the signing of the CPA, many southern Sudanese returned to the region, especially during the run-up to the 2011 referendum on southern independence, when more than 120,000 made their way back to the south. South Sudan hosts refugees from Sudan’s Darfur region as well as from other countries, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic, and Ethiopia.
Economy
South Sudan is among the poorest and least-developed countries in the world. Almost four-fifths of its inhabitants depend on farming or animal husbandry for their livelihoods. The civil war that began in late 2013 severely disrupted the economy of South Sudan.
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing
Traditional rain-fed farming of small plots predominates in South Sudan, although mechanized farming techniques are increasingly utilized in some areas, such as in the northern part of the country. South Sudan’s main crop is sorghum. Other crops include corn (maize), millet, rice, cassava (manioc), peanuts (groundnuts), sweet potatoes, okra, and coffee. The main subsistence crops are sorghum, corn, and cassava, with smaller amounts of millet and rice being in grown in some areas. Peanuts are the primary cash crop. There is a considerable amount of livestock raised in the country, including goats, sheep, and cattle. Some livestock are raised for export, but this sector of the country’s economy is underdeveloped.
The forests of South Sudan yield hardwood timber, such as mahogany and sant (a type of acacia), and softwoods. Gum arabic (in South Sudan it is called gum africa), a water-soluble gum obtained from acacia trees and used in the production of adhesives, candy, and pharmaceuticals, is an important agricultural export.
The Nile rivers are the main source of fish, especially Nile perch. Most of the catch is consumed locally. There is the potential to increase the amount of fish that is sold at market and the possibility of having enough fish available to export, given proper support and development of the fishing industry. Transportation and storage limitations, however, have hindered such efforts in the past.
Resources and power
Petroleum is by far South Sudan’s most important natural resource. Oil was first discovered in the southwestern Sudan (now part of South Sudan) in 1977, and a commercially viable find was made in 1980. The long-running civil war prevented any exploitation of the oil deposits, however, until the end of the 20th century. Although the vast majority of these oil reserves are now in South Sudan, the necessary infrastructure for transporting the oil goes through Sudan, its neighbour to the north. Other known resources include marble, mica, and uranium.
Power sources used in South Sudan vary across urban and rural areas. Only a small portion of the population has access to electricity via public sources or private generators: in urban areas about one-sixth of the population has access to electricity as a source of lighting, while in rural areas access is available to less than 1 percent of the population. At the time of independence, several new power stations were under construction or recently completed, promising to increase the amount of power available in the country. Firewood is an important fuel for cooking, used by almost all of the rural population and about two-fifths of the urban population. In urban areas charcoal is used by about half of the population for cooking. The country has considerable hydroelectric potential, but it was not fully developed at the time of independence.
Manufacturing of South Sudan
The manufacturing sector of the economy historically has been small, development being hindered by such factors as the long-running civil war as well as severe shortages of trained manpower and raw materials. With the signing of the CPA in 2005, the GoSS began to look toward development and expansion in this sector. There is some production of beer, soft drinks, sugar, and other food products. Because of the long lack of basic infrastructure in many key areas, the construction industry saw considerable growth as preparations were made for independence. Despite the lucrative oil fields in South Sudan, there are no working refineries in the country, and oil pumped from South Sudan must be refined in Sudan.
Finance and trade
After the signing of the CPA in 2005 and prior to South Sudan’s independence, a dual banking system was in place in the region that recognized the Bank of Southern Sudan as the regional bank and the Central Bank of Sudan as the national bank. Prior to independence and shortly thereafter, South Sudan used the Sudanese pound, the national currency of Sudan. Soon after South Sudan declared independence, the Central Bank of South Sudan became the national bank and a new currency, the South Sudan pound, was introduced. In addition to the central bank, there are also commercial and foreign banks in the country.
South Sudan’s chief export is crude petroleum. Other exports include gum arabic. Because of food insecurity and the limited manufacturing sector, the country must import most items, including many foodstuffs, motor vehicles and machinery, and manufactured goods.
South Sudan participates in trade organizations in the region. It became a member of the East African Community (EAC) in 2016, and it has been approved for membership in the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), although it has not formally been made a member state yet.
Services
The fledgling services sector consists primarily of government employees and small businesses, largely shops and restaurants, that have been opening in South Sudan since the signing of the 2005 CPA. South Sudan shows promising potential for a lucrative tourism industry, as it is known for its scenic beauty and diverse array of wildlife and vegetation and is home to many national parks and game reserves. The government has encouraged the growth of a burgeoning hotel and hospitality industry, which is much needed to support the growth of tourism.
Labour and taxation
Agriculture is the main area of employment in South Sudan, with some four-fifths of all households depending on agricultural activities as their main source of livelihood. Historically, the limited industrial sector and the predominance of rural life have largely negated the need for workers’ and employers’ associations. Regardless, trade unions were banned in Sudan in 1989, which affected South Sudan until its 2011 independence.
Prior to independence, most of the government’s revenue was derived from its oil-revenue-sharing arrangement with the national government in Khartoum; similar arrangements were expected to continue after the secession of South Sudan. Very little revenue is raised by direct or indirect taxation.
Transportation and telecommunications
South Sudan’s transport system is underdeveloped and is a serious constraint on economic growth. Prior to the region’s secession from the north, it was estimated that there were some 2,500–3,400 miles (4,000–5,500 km) of main roads, of which only some 30 miles (50 km) were paved. There were also about 4,700 miles (7,500 km) of secondary roads, unpaved and in various states of disrepair. The utility of the unpaved roadways is compromised during the rainy season, when many of them are impassable. There are some 150 miles (240 km) of railway track linking the city of Wau with Sudan. After years of disrepair due to long-running conflict, the railway line resumed operations in 2010. It is used to transport freight. Road construction and expanding the rail system have been priorities of the government.
South Sudan is landlocked, and its rivers, particularly the White Nile and its tributaries, are important transportation links. The White Nile and the Baḥr Al-Ghazāl are navigable throughout the year, and steamer services are available on the White Nile. Ports include those at Juba and Bor, located on the Mountain Nile, and at Malakal, on the White Nile.
The country has several dozen airfields, but few have paved runways, and, as a result, many are inoperable during the rainy season. By far the busiest facility is the international airport at Juba; other heavily used airports include those at Malakal, Rumbek, and Wau. South Sudan is served by several international and domestic airlines, including Southern Sudan Airlines, which was created in 2005 to serve the newly semiautonomous region.
Decades of civil conflict have hindered the development of telecommunications infrastructure in South Sudan, but this area has seen quite a bit of expansion since the CPA was signed in 2005. There is no network of landlines for telephone service, but mobile phone providers have established coverage in and around the country’s main cities and towns. Internet service is available in many of the main cities and towns.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica