Updated
Overview
Kenya has 4.7 times the population of South Sudan: 57.53 million people against 12.19 million (2025).
Kenya's economy is 11 times the size of South Sudan's, at $135.94B versus $12.00B.
Per person, Kenya is the wealthier of the two: $2,363 against $1,080 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Kenya | South Sudan | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $135.94B | $12.00B | 2025 / 2015 | $124.50B / — |
| GDP per capita | Higher: $2,363 | $1,080 | 2025 / 2015 | — / — |
| GDP growth | Higher: 4.6% | -10.8% | 2025 / 2015 | — / — |
| Inflation | Lower: 4.1% | 91.4% | 2025 / 2024 | 4.5% / — |
| Unemployment | Lower: 5.4% | 12.4% | 2025 / 2023 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 34 | — | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $137 | — | 2019 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $119 | — | 2024 | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 57.53 million | 12.19 million | 2025 | 55.75 million / 12.70 million |
| Population growth | 1.9% | 2.0% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 20.0 yrs | 18.7 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 3.12 | 3.71 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | Higher: 63.8 yrs | 57.7 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 32% | 22% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | Higher: 35% | 7% | 2024 / 2019 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 580,367 km² | 644,329 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 99.1/km² | 18.9/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 21 Mt | Lower: 1.70 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 0.4 t | Lower: 0.1 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $1.23B | $2.03B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.0% | 2.0% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 24,000 | 53,000 | 2020 | — / — |
Sources by row: World Bank WDI, IMF WEO, UN WPP 2024, ILOSTAT, The Economist. Emphasis marks the stronger figure where one direction is meaningfully better.
Reading the numbers
Economy
Kenya grew while the other economy contracted: 4.6% against -10.8%.
Inflation is a serious concern in South Sudan at 91.4%, while the other economy sits at 4.1%.
People and society
Demographically the two are similar, with median ages of 20.0 (Kenya) and 18.7 (South Sudan).
Life expectancy is 6.1 years longer in Kenya (63.8 vs 57.7).
Kenya is considerably more urbanized: 32% of people live in cities, against 22%.
Internet adoption is higher in Kenya (35% vs 7% of the population).
Geography
By land area, Kenya is 10% smaller than South Sudan: 580,367 km² versus 644,329 km².
The two share a land border, which shapes their trade, migration, and security relationship.
Kenya is far more densely settled: 99 people per km² against 19.
Military
South Sudan spends about 65% more on defence than Kenya: $2.03B versus $1.23B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Relative to its economy, South Sudan carries the heavier military burden: 2.0% of GDP versus 1.0%.
South Sudan fields the larger armed forces: 53,000 personnel against 24,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Kenya bigger than South Sudan?
- South Sudan is larger by land area. Kenya covers 580,367 km² while South Sudan covers 644,329 km², so South Sudan is 11% larger than the other.
- Which has more people, Kenya or South Sudan?
- Kenya has the larger population: 57.53 million versus 12.19 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Kenya richer than South Sudan?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Kenya is richer: $2,363 against $1,080. Total GDP tells the same story: $135.94B for Kenya versus $12.00B for South Sudan.
- Who spends more on their military, Kenya or South Sudan?
- South Sudan spends more: $2.03B versus $1.23B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).