Number of people employed in agriculture in South Sudan
South Sudan: Number of people employed in agriculture was 2.83 million people in 2023. ▲ Rising
Number of people employed in agriculture in South Sudan, 1991–2023
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of people employed in agriculture in South Sudan is 2.83 million people, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 33 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.4% on the previous year and up 7.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people employed in agriculture in South Sudan peaked at 2.83 million people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 1.15 million people, in 1991.
South Sudan ranks 44th of 186 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 33 years of available data.
Number of people employed in agriculture in South Sudan, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 1.15 million people | — |
| 1992 | 1.16 million people | +0.9% |
| 1993 | 1.16 million people | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 1.19 million people | +1.9% |
| 1995 | 1.22 million people | +2.7% |
| 1996 | 1.24 million people | +2.0% |
| 1997 | 1.27 million people | +2.4% |
| 1998 | 1.30 million people | +1.9% |
| 1999 | 1.33 million people | +2.8% |
| 2000 | 1.39 million people | +4.2% |
| 2001 | 1.45 million people | +4.3% |
| 2002 | 1.51 million people | +4.0% |
| 2003 | 1.57 million people | +4.1% |
| 2004 | 1.64 million people | +4.8% |
| 2005 | 1.73 million people | +5.4% |
| 2006 | 1.83 million people | +5.6% |
| 2007 | 1.93 million people | +5.8% |
| 2008 | 2.04 million people | +5.7% |
| 2009 | 2.15 million people | +5.2% |
| 2010 | 2.29 million people | +6.3% |
| 2011 | 2.44 million people | +6.7% |
| 2012 | 2.56 million people | +4.7% |
| 2013 | 2.64 million people | +3.5% |
| 2014 | 2.62 million people | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 2.55 million people | -2.6% |
| 2016 | 2.45 million people | -3.8% |
| 2017 | 2.26 million people | -7.8% |
| 2018 | 2.24 million people | -1.1% |
| 2019 | 2.36 million people | +5.6% |
| 2020 | 2.45 million people | +3.6% |
| 2021 | 2.57 million people | +4.9% |
| 2022 | 2.69 million people | +4.6% |
| 2023 | 2.83 million people | +5.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1.22 million people | 1.15 million people | 1.33 million people | 9 |
| 2000s | 1.72 million people | 1.39 million people | 2.15 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.44 million people | 2.24 million people | 2.64 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.64 million people | 2.45 million people | 2.83 million people | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Sudan
More agriculture & rural data for South Sudan
- Rural population, per capita 0.7832 units per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 17.13 % change on previous year (2015)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.1036 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2015)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 111.85 current US$ per person (2015)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0008 units per US$ of GDP (2015)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 1.66 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population 9.55 million (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 10.4% (2015)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 1.24 billion current US$ (2015)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 10.4% (2015)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people employed in agriculture in South Sudan?
- Number of people employed in agriculture in South Sudan was 2.83 million people in 2023, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of people employed in agriculture recorded in South Sudan?
- The highest recorded value was 2.83 million people in 2023.
- What is the lowest number of people employed in agriculture recorded in South Sudan?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.15 million people in 1991.
- How does South Sudan rank for number of people employed in agriculture?
- South Sudan ranks 44th out of 186 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of people employed in agriculture rising or falling in South Sudan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Sudan data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of people employed in agriculture. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Number of people working in agriculture, including hunting, forestry and fishing.