Updated
Overview
Uganda has 4.2 times the population of South Sudan: 51.38 million people against 12.19 million (2025).
Uganda's economy is 5.2 times the size of South Sudan's, at $61.99B versus $12.00B.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Uganda | South Sudan | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $61.99B | $12.00B | 2025 / 2015 | $53.65B / — |
| GDP per capita | Higher: $1,206 | $1,080 | 2025 / 2015 | — / — |
| GDP growth | Higher: 6.3% | -10.8% | 2025 / 2015 | — / — |
| Inflation | Lower: 3.6% | 91.4% | 2025 / 2024 | 3.3% / — |
| Unemployment | Lower: 2.7% | 12.4% | 2025 / 2023 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 35 | — | 2025 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $161 | — | 2021 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $35 | — | 2024 | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 51.38 million | 12.19 million | 2025 | 50.86 million / 12.70 million |
| Population growth | 2.7% | 2.0% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 16.9 yrs | 18.7 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 4.06 | 3.71 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | Higher: 68.5 yrs | 57.7 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 32% | 22% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | Higher: 9% | 7% | 2024 / 2019 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 241,550 km² | 644,329 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 212.7/km² | 18.9/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 6.33 Mt | Lower: 1.70 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | Lower: 0.1 t | 0.1 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $1.12B | $2.03B | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 1.9% | 2.0% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 46,000 | 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
Uganda grew while the other economy contracted: 6.3% against -10.8%.
Inflation is a serious concern in South Sudan at 91.4%, while the other economy sits at 3.6%.
People and society
Demographically the two are similar, with median ages of 16.9 (Uganda) and 18.7 (South Sudan).
Life expectancy is 10.7 years longer in Uganda (68.5 vs 57.7).
Uganda is considerably more urbanized: 32% of people live in cities, against 22%.
Geography
By land area, Uganda is 63% smaller than South Sudan: 241,550 km² versus 644,329 km².
The two share a land border, which shapes their trade, migration, and security relationship.
Uganda is far more densely settled: 213 people per km² against 19.
Military
South Sudan spends about 80% more on defence than Uganda: $2.03B versus $1.12B (World Bank/SIPRI data).
South Sudan fields the larger armed forces: 53,000 personnel against 46,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Uganda bigger than South Sudan?
- South Sudan is larger by land area. Uganda covers 241,550 km² while South Sudan covers 644,329 km², so South Sudan is 2.7 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Uganda or South Sudan?
- Uganda has the larger population: 51.38 million versus 12.19 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Uganda richer than South Sudan?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Uganda is richer: $1,206 against $1,080. Total GDP tells the same story: $61.99B for Uganda versus $12.00B for South Sudan.
- Who spends more on their military, Uganda or South Sudan?
- South Sudan spends more: $2.03B versus $1.12B per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).