South Sudan is a landlocked country in East-Central Africa, bordered by Ethiopia to the east, Kenya and Uganda to the south, Democratic Republic of Congo to the west, and Sudan to the north. It is the world’s youngest country, having gained its independence from Sudan in July 2011. The population of South Sudan is estimated to be at 11 million people as of 2017. According to Petwithsupplies, the capital city of South Sudan is Juba with a population of 403 200 (with suburbs; UN estimate) (2020).
The geography of South Sudan consists mainly of tropical lowlands that rise up in elevation towards its northern region. The White Nile River runs through the country from south to north which provides water for irrigation and hydropower generation. To the southeast lies swampland while mountains are located on its western border with Democratic Republic of Congo.
The economy of South Sudan is largely reliant on oil exports which account for nearly 98% of its total exports earnings. Other mineral resources such as gold and iron ore are also found in some areas but have yet to be exploited due to ongoing conflict in many parts of the country. Agriculture plays an important role in providing employment for a large portion of South Sudan’s population with farming activities such as crop cultivation, fishing, animal husbandry and forestry taking place throughout much of the nation’s rural areas.
In terms of infrastructure development, South Sudan has made significant progress over the past decade with new roads being constructed throughout much of the country as well as improvements being made to electricity supply networks in many urban centers. Despite this progress there remain many challenges facing South Sudan’s economy including political instability due to ongoing conflict between different ethnic groups within its borders, corruption within government institutions and a lack of access to financial services or credit facilities which limit economic growth potential for many businesses operating within its borders.
Foreign Trade of South Sudan
South Sudan has limited foreign trade, mainly due to its lack of infrastructure and the ongoing civil war. The country imports a variety of goods, including food, fuel and manufactured items. Imports come mainly from Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia and Sudan. South Sudan also imports a small amount of goods from other countries such as China and India. Exports are mainly crude oil and agricultural products such as coffee and sesame. Oil accounts for more than 90 percent of the country’s exports. Most of these exports are sent to Asian markets such as China, India and Japan. Other countries that import South Sudanese products include France, Italy and Malaysia. South Sudan is also a member of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) which allows it to trade with other African countries in the region. As part of this agreement, the country is allowed to export some products duty-free or at reduced rates depending on their origin or destination. The government has also recently signed an agreement with Kenya to create an East African free-trade area which will allow members to trade freely within the area without tariffs or restrictions on goods originating from member states. This could be beneficial for South Sudan’s trade development in the future.
Major Trading Partners of South Sudan
South Sudan’s major trading partners are largely located in the East African region. Uganda is South Sudan’s largest trading partner, accounting for almost 40 percent of imports and around 70 percent of exports. Kenya is the second largest trading partner, making up around 20 percent of imports and 15 percent of exports. Ethiopia is also a major trading partner, accounting for around 10 percent of imports and 5 percent of exports. Other important trading partners include Sudan, China, India, France, Italy and Malaysia.
Uganda is an important source for food imports to South Sudan as well as fuel and manufactured items. Kenya mainly provides fuel and other consumer goods to South Sudan. Ethiopia supplies agricultural products such as coffee and sesame to the country while other countries import mainly crude oil from South Sudan. China has recently become an important player in the country’s export market as it has been purchasing large quantities of crude oil from the country. India also purchases oil from South Sudan but also imports agricultural products such as sesame seeds and coffee beans from the country. France and Italy primarily purchase crude oil from South Sudan while Malaysia imports a variety of goods from the country including energy products, machinery and furniture products.
South Sudan is a member of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) which allows it to trade with other African countries in the region without tariffs or restrictions on goods originating from member states. The government has also recently signed an agreement with Kenya to create an East African free-trade area which will allow members to trade freely within this area without tariffs or restrictions on goods originating from member states. These agreements could be beneficial for South Sudan’s future trade development if they are properly implemented in order to increase access to markets abroad for its producers.
Major Imports and Exports of South Sudan
South Sudan is a landlocked nation in East Africa, bordered by Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic. It is one of the world’s youngest countries, having become independent from Sudan in 2011. South Sudan’s economy is largely dependent on its oil exports, which account for over 80 percent of its GDP. As such, South Sudan’s major imports and exports are heavily influenced by this sector.
South Sudan’s top imports include food products such as wheat and corn, fuel and oil products such as gasoline and diesel fuel, manufactured items such as machinery and vehicles and construction materials such as cement and steel. These items are largely imported from Uganda (which accounts for almost 40 percent of imports), Kenya (which accounts for around 20 percent of imports), Ethiopia (which accounts for around 10 percent of imports) China (which has recently become an important player in the country’s import market) and India (which also purchases oil from South Sudan).
South Sudan’s top exports include crude oil, agricultural products such as coffee beans and sesame seeds, minerals like gold and diamonds as well as livestock products like beef. The majority of these goods are exported to Uganda (accounting for almost 70 percent of exports), Kenya (accounting for around 15 percent of exports), Ethiopia (accounting for around 5 percent of exports) China (which purchases large quantities of crude oil from the country) India (which also purchases oil from South Sudan) France and Italy (primarily purchasing crude oil from South Sudan) Malaysia (importing a variety of goods from the country including energy products, machinery and furniture products).
In order to increase access to markets abroad for its producers, South Sudan is a member of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) which allows it to trade with other African countries in the region without tariffs or restrictions on goods originating from member states. The government has also recently signed an agreement with Kenya to create an East African free-trade area which will allow members to trade freely within this area without tariffs or restrictions on goods originating from member states. These agreements could be beneficial for South Sudan’s future trade development if they are properly implemented.