Access to electricity in urban vs. rural areas in South Sudan
South Sudan: Access to electricity in urban vs. rural areas was 22.8% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Access to electricity in urban vs. rural areas in South Sudan, 2000–2024
Source: SDG 7.1.1 Electrification Dataset, World Bank, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of urban population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for access to electricity in urban vs. rural areas in South Sudan is 22.8%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is up 19.4% on the previous year and up 96.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, access to electricity in urban vs. rural areas in South Sudan peaked at 22.8% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 4.0%, in 2010.
South Sudan ranks 212th of 212 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
Access to electricity in urban vs. rural areas in South Sudan, year by year
| Year | % of urban population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 8.1% | — |
| 2001 | 8.3% | +2.5% |
| 2002 | 8.4% | +1.2% |
| 2003 | 8.6% | +2.4% |
| 2004 | 8.8% | +2.3% |
| 2005 | 9.0% | +2.3% |
| 2006 | 9.3% | +3.3% |
| 2007 | 9.5% | +2.2% |
| 2008 | 9.8% | +3.2% |
| 2009 | 16.6% | +69.4% |
| 2010 | 4.0% | -75.9% |
| 2011 | 10.8% | +170.0% |
| 2012 | 11.1% | +2.8% |
| 2013 | 11.3% | +1.8% |
| 2014 | 11.6% | +2.7% |
| 2015 | 11.9% | +2.6% |
| 2016 | 12.1% | +1.7% |
| 2017 | 9.6% | -20.7% |
| 2018 | 12.6% | +31.2% |
| 2019 | 13.6% | +7.9% |
| 2020 | 14.6% | +7.4% |
| 2021 | 15.6% | +6.8% |
| 2022 | 15.0% | -3.8% |
| 2023 | 19.1% | +27.3% |
| 2024 | 22.8% | +19.4% |
South Sudan compared with similar countries
- South Sudan's 22.8% is below the median for low income countries, which is 77.0%, 30% of the median. (24 countries reporting)
- South Sudan's 22.8% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 85.3%, 27% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Access to electricity in urban vs. rural areas in South Sudan changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | +170.0% | 4.0% | 10.8% |
| 2010 | -75.9% | 16.6% | 4.0% |
| 2009 | +69.4% | 9.8% | 16.6% |
| 2018 | +31.2% | 9.6% | 12.6% |
| 2023 | +27.3% | 15.0% | 19.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 9.6% | 8.1% | 16.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 10.9% | 4.0% | 13.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.4% | 14.6% | 22.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Sudan
- 209 Democratic Republic of Congo 55.0% compare
- 210 Chad 51.0% compare
- 211 Central African Republic 38.8% compare
More energy & mining data for South Sudan
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate 2.52 % change on previous year (2024)
- Coal consumption, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Coal production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Primary energy use, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Gas production 0 terawatt-hours (2024)
- Fossil fuel production per person, by fuel 0 kilowatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fossil fuel production by fuel 0 terawatt-hours (2024)
- Gas production per person 0 kilowatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fossil fuel production by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Gas production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is access to electricity in urban vs. rural areas in South Sudan?
- Access to electricity in urban vs. rural areas in South Sudan was 22.8% in 2024, according to SDG 7.1.1 Electrification Dataset, World Bank, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest access to electricity in urban vs. rural areas recorded in South Sudan?
- The highest recorded value was 22.8% in 2024.
- What is the lowest access to electricity in urban vs. rural areas recorded in South Sudan?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.0% in 2010.
- How does South Sudan rank for access to electricity in urban vs. rural areas?
- South Sudan ranks 212th out of 212 countries with data for 2024.
- Is access to electricity in urban vs. rural areas rising or falling in South Sudan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 96.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Sudan data come from?
- The figures come from SDG 7.1.1 Electrification Dataset, World Bank, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Access to electricity in urban vs. rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
The definition used in international statistics adopts a very low cutoff for what it means to ‘have access to electricity’. It is defined as having an electricity source that can provide very basic lighting, and charge a phone or power a radio for 4 hours per day.