Armed forces personnel in South Sudan

South Sudan: Armed forces personnel was 1.2% in 2020. ▼ Falling

Latest (2020)
1.2%
Change on year
down 72.4%
World rank
59th
of 171 countries
All-time high
4.8%
in 2011
All-time low
1.2%
in 2020
Years of data
11
2010–2020

Armed forces personnel in South Sudan, 2010–2020

123452010201520202010: 3.4 % of total labor force2011: 4.8 % of total labor force2012: 4.6 % of total labor force2013: 3.9 % of total labor force2014: 3.9 % of total labor force2015: 4 % of total labor force2016: 4.1 % of total labor force2017: 4.4 % of total labor force2018: 4.5 % of total labor force2019: 4.3 % of total labor force2020: 1.2 % of total labor force

Source: The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies. Measured in % of total labor force.

Analysis

South Sudan recorded 1.2% for armed forces personnel in 2020. That is the lowest value across all 11 years on record.

The figure is down 72.4% on the previous year and down 65.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, armed forces personnel in South Sudan peaked at 4.8% in 2011 and was at its lowest, 1.2%, in 2020.

That places South Sudan 59th out of 171 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 11 years of available data.

Armed forces personnel in South Sudan, year by year

Annual values for Armed forces personnel (% of total labor force) in South Sudan, 2010 to 2020.
Year % of total labor force Change
2010 3.4%
2011 4.8% +40.9%
2012 4.6% -4.7%
2013 3.9% -15.2%
2014 3.9% +0.2%
2015 4.0% +2.1%
2016 4.1% +3.6%
2017 4.4% +7.6%
2018 4.5% +1.1%
2019 4.3% -4.8%
2020 1.2% -72.4%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 4.2% 3.4% 4.8% 10
2020s 1.2% 1.2% 1.2% 1

Countries ranked near South Sudan

  1. 56 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 1.2% compare
  2. 57 Bulgaria 1.2% compare
  3. 58 Tunisia 1.2% compare
  4. 60 Croatia 1.2% compare
  5. 61 Thailand 1.1% compare
  6. 62 Fiji 1.1% compare

See the full ranking of 217 places →

More public sector data for South Sudan

All data for South Sudan →

Frequently asked questions

What is armed forces personnel in South Sudan?
Armed forces personnel in South Sudan was 1.2% in 2020, according to The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies.
What is the highest armed forces personnel recorded in South Sudan?
The highest recorded value was 4.8% in 2011.
What is the lowest armed forces personnel recorded in South Sudan?
The lowest recorded value was 1.2% in 2020.
How does South Sudan rank for armed forces personnel?
South Sudan ranks 59th out of 171 countries with data for 2020.
Is armed forces personnel rising or falling in South Sudan?
Over the last ten years it is down 65.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this South Sudan data come from?
The figures come from The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies, published as part of Armed forces personnel (% of total labor force). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Armed forces personnel in South Sudan. Statizoid, drawing on The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies. Retrieved 03 September 2026, from https://public-sector.statizoid.com/stat/armed-forces-personnel-percent-of-total-labor-force/south-sudan/

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About this data

Indicator
Armed forces personnel (% of total labor force)
Unit
% of total labor force
Source
The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
217 places, 6,411 data points, 1990–2020
Last refreshed

Armed forces personnel are active duty military personnel, including paramilitary forces if the training, organization, equipment, and control suggest they may be used to support or replace regular military forces. Labor force comprises all people who meet the International Labour Organization's definition of the economically active population.