Source: IMF, World Economic Outlook (October 2026) · updated on
Public finances and external accounts
A fiscal surplus of 3.3 % of GDP
South Sudan: in 2025, the general government collected 3.3 % of GDP more than it spent, public debt stood at 64.2 % of GDP, the current account showed a deficit of 6.4 % (IMF).
- Fiscal balance · 2025
- +3.3 %
- of GDP · +9.0 pt since 2020
- Public debt · 2025
- 64.2 %
- of GDP · +15.9 pt since 2020
- Current account · 2025
- −6.4 %
- of GDP · +25.3 pt since 2020
Fiscal balance, % of GDP
Negative: a deficit · dashed: estimates and projections
Chart data as a table
| Year | South Sudan | East Africa |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | −16.3 % | −4.3 % |
| 2016 | −15.5 % | −3.7 % |
| 2017 | +4.2 % | −4.0 % |
| 2018 | −1.2 % | −4.1 % |
| 2019 | 0.0 % | −4.7 % |
| 2020 | −5.7 % | −5.3 % |
| 2021 | −9.8 % | −4.6 % |
| 2022 | +4.3 % | −4.4 % |
| 2023 | +8.8 % | −3.7 % |
| 2024 | +11.9 % | −3.3 % |
| 2025 · estimate | +3.3 % | −3.7 % |
| 2026 · projection | −0.3 % | −4.1 % |
| 2027 · projection | −0.2 % | −3.8 % |
| 2028 · projection | −0.5 % | −3.6 % |
| 2029 · projection | −0.7 % | −3.7 % |
| 2030 · projection | −0.6 % | −3.5 % |
- South Sudan
- East Africa
Source: IMF, World Economic Outlook (October 2026) · general government net lending or borrowing · group values weighted by GDP in dollars (Syli Atlas)
Current account, % of GDP
Trade, income and transfers with the rest of the world
Chart data as a table
| Year | South Sudan |
|---|---|
| 2015 | −3.3 % |
| 2016 | −7.6 % |
| 2017 | +10.3 % |
| 2018 | −12.3 % |
| 2019 | −4.8 % |
| 2020 | −31.7 % |
| 2021 | −0.1 % |
| 2022 | −7.9 % |
| 2023 | −18.0 % |
| 2024 | +53.9 % |
| 2025 · estimate | −6.4 % |
| 2026 · projection | +8.2 % |
| 2027 · projection | +5.0 % |
| 2028 · projection | +3.6 % |
| 2029 · projection | +3.9 % |
| 2030 · projection | +4.3 % |
Source: IMF, World Economic Outlook (October 2026)
Currency
South Sudanese pound
The South Sudanese pound has no fixed peg: its value against the dollar and the euro moves with the market and the central bank's policy.
- Currency
- SSP
- South Sudanese pound
- Exchange regime
- —
- no fixed peg
- Inflation · 2025
- 97.6 %
- average annual change in consumer prices
Currency codes: ISO 4217 · fixed parities: central banks (BCEAO, BEAC, Central Bank of the Comoros, Bank of Cape Verde…) · inflation: IMF, World Economic Outlook (October 2026)
Debt
The debt of South Sudan
The World Bank publishes no external debt figures for South Sudan.
- Public debt · 2025
- 64.2 %
- of GDP · IMF
Risk of debt distress
IMF and World Bank debt sustainability analysis
Latest analysis published on 2024-06-10: high.
Source: IMF, list of debt sustainability analyses of low-income countries, as of 2026-03-31 · imf.org