MigrantoMigration trends in South Sudan
Africa
South Sudan loses more people than it takes in: 3.2M emigrants against 911.3K immigrants. Net balance −2.3M — 19% of the country's population
11.9M
Population
911.3K
Immigrants
3.2M
Emigrants
−2.3M
Outflow
1 in 13 residents of South Sudan was born abroad — and 1 in 5 people born in South Sudan lives abroad
#25 in the world by net migration loss
Top corridors
The largest migration flows in South Sudan
Where people come from
Key moments
How migration has changed since 1990
1990
0 immigrants · 479.2K emigrants
1995
- DR Congo replaced Ethiopia as the main destination for those leaving
- The exodus eased — the diaspora shrank by 44%
- Emigration to Ethiopia declined sharply — 285K fewer migrants there
2005
- Ethiopia replaced DR Congo as the main destination for those leaving
- The exodus eased — the diaspora shrank by 25%
2010
- The gap between arrivals and departures was cut in half
- A significant migration corridor emerged from Uganda — 125.4K new residents
- A significant migration corridor emerged from DR Congo — 60.8K new residents
- Sudan became a significant new destination — 212.9K residents had moved there
2015
- A surge of arrivals — the foreign-born population jumped 269%
- An accelerating exodus — the diaspora grew by 165%
- Sudan overtook Uganda as the largest source of new arrivals
- Ethiopia replaced Sudan as the main destination for those leaving
2020
- Surge of departures to Uganda — 696.2K people left
- Surge of departures to Sudan — 611.6K people left
- The diaspora passed 1M people
- The outflow deepened — net losses doubled to 1.5M
Today
- Sudan replaced Uganda as the main destination for those leaving
- Since 1990: 911.3K more foreign-born residents and 2.7M more emigrants
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
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