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Economy of Somalia vs South Sudan compared: GDP & Debt

Updated on by Georank team

Somalia has a GDP of $12B compared to $12B for South Sudan, ranking 150/197 and 149/197 by economy size, respectively.

Somalia vs South Sudan GDP by year

Somalia
South Sudan
1x
Year GDP, current $
Somalia South Sudan
2024 $11,967,000,000 -
2023 $10,958,000,000 -
2022 $10,203,000,000 -
2021 $9,483,000,000 -
2020 $8,628,000,000 -
2019 $8,656,000,000 -
2018 $7,873,000,000 -
2017 $7,621,501,710 -
2016 $6,613,743,070 -
2015 $6,152,149,100 $11,997,800,760
2014 $5,728,399,720 $13,962,212,847
2013 $5,062,881,600 $18,426,469,017
2012 $4,364,670,160 $11,931,472,169
2011 $2,906,000,097 $14,907,308,933
2010 $2,687,807,004 $14,602,072,411
2009 $2,948,594,552 $12,231,264,525
2008 $5,913,620,293 $14,586,253,383
2007 $5,430,713,729 -
2006 $5,026,743,282 -
2005 $4,683,246,454 -
2004 $3,859,592,813 -
2003 $2,836,724,352 -
2002 $2,192,684,135 -
2001 $2,252,847,465 -
2000 $3,412,797,450 -
1999 $3,045,751,528 -
1998 $2,962,047,564 -
1997 $2,191,749,014 -
1996 $1,792,234,297 -
1995 $1,534,756,135 -
1994 $1,481,205,098 -
1993 $1,260,132,956 -
1992 $709,297,579 -
1991 $717,974,930 -
1990 $1,031,282,081 -
1989 $1,181,360,844 -
1988 $1,051,596,967 -
1987 $1,018,972,664 -
1986 $916,590,786 -
1985 $875,702,247 -
1984 $787,434,542 -
1983 $735,408,642 -
1982 $774,578,932 -
1981 $699,302,473 -
1980 $602,515,548 -
1979 $589,566,929 -
1978 $564,571,823 -
1977 $498,550,725 -
1976 $871,344,245 -
1975 $757,015,879 -
1974 $572,504,036 -
1973 $483,699,611 -
1972 $447,883,941 -
1971 $347,039,446 -
1970 $347,985,394 -
1969 $306,357,285 -
1968 $286,719,885 -
1967 $271,781,887 -
1966 $257,375,897 -
1965 $243,725,898 -
1964 $229,529,913 -
1963 $216,145,936 -
1962 $203,531,928 -
1961 $191,659,914 -
1960 $180,459,937 -

Data sources: World Bank | Economy & Growth (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/economy/somalia/south-sudan | CC BY

GDP per capita in Somalia vs South Sudan by year

Somalia
GDP per capita

GDP per capita, PPP
South Sudan
GDP per capita

GDP per capita, PPP
1x
Year Current $
Somalia South Sudan
GDP per capita GDP per capita, PPP GDP per capita GDP per capita, PPP
2024 $630 $1,602 - -
2023 $597 $1,556 - -
2022 $573 $1,486 - -
2021 $549 $1,392 - -
2020 $518 $1,454 - -
2019 $540 $1,548 - -
2018 $509 $1,552 - -
2017 $511 $1,597 - -
2016 $461 $1,469 - -
2015 $446 $1,341 $1,080 $1,155
2014 $429 $1,128 $1,243 $1,373
2013 $393 $944 $1,650 $1,917
2012 $350 $1,003 $1,109 $1,417
2011 $235.3 $881 $1,449 $2,718
2010 $219.2 $815 $1,498 $2,948
2009 $246.5 $774 $1,323 $2,911
2008 $507 $739 $1,654 $2,887
2007 $480 $700 - -
2006 $458 $659 - -
2005 $440 $619 - -
2004 $375 $580 - -
2003 $286.3 $547 - -
2002 $229.6 $517 - -
2001 $244.9 $492 - -
2000 $386 $467 - -
1999 $359 $444 - -
1998 $363 $425 - -
1997 $280.1 $411 - -
1996 $237.2 $413 - -
1995 $210.7 $389 - -
1994 $210.8 $380 - -
1993 $188.6 $477 - -
1992 $109.2 $461 - -
1991 $105.4 $469 - -
1990 $145.6 - - -
1989 $166 - - -
1988 $145.3 - - -
1987 $141 - - -
1986 $131.4 - - -
1985 $130.8 - - -
1984 $122.5 - - -
1983 $118.6 - - -
1982 $129 - - -
1981 $116.9 - - -
1980 $101.5 - - -
1979 $108.2 - - -
1978 $117.3 - - -
1977 $111.2 - - -
1976 $199.6 - - -
1975 $177.8 - - -
1974 $137.9 - - -
1973 $119.6 - - -
1972 $113.7 - - -
1971 $90.4 - - -
1970 $93.1 - - -
1969 $84.1 - - -
1968 $80.8 - - -
1967 $78.7 - - -
1966 $76.5 - - -
1965 $74.4 - - -
1964 $71.9 - - -
1963 $69.5 - - -
1962 $67.2 - - -
1961 $64.9 - - -
1960 $62.7 - - -

Data sources: World Bank | Economy & Growth (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/economy/somalia/south-sudan | CC BY

Somalia's GDP per capita is $630, ranking 192/197, compared to $1,080 in South Sudan, ranking 175/197. Adjusted for purchasing power (GDP per capita PPP), Somalia ranks 194th at $1,602, while South Sudan ranks 197th at $1,155.

Economic indicators

Somalia South Sudan
Gross domestic product
$12B
2024
$12B
2015
GDP rank
150/197
2024
149/197
2015
GDP growth
4.11%
2023-2024
-10.8%
2014-2015
GDP per capita
$630
2024
$1,080
2015
GDP per capita rank
192/197
2024
175/197
2015
GDP per capita, PPP
$1,602
2024
$1,155
2015
GDP per capita PPP rank
194/197
2024
197/197
2015
Government debt n/a
$7.04B
2015
Debt-to-GDP ratio n/a
50.7%
2024
Government debt per person n/a
$633
2015
Government debt per person rank n/a
158/185
2015
Average annual personal income after taxes
$1,885
2026
$1,305
2026
Income share by richest 10% n/a
33%
2016
Income share by poorest 10% n/a
1.8%
2016
Government expenditure, % of GDP
13%
2025
18.1%
2024
Consumer prices inflation
5.5%
2023-2024
91.4%
2023-2024
Central bank interest rate n/a
15%
2023
Unemployment rate
11.1%
2022
12.3%
2008
Population
20503678
12507858

Inflation comparison by year

Inflation
Somalia

South Sudan
1x
Year Consumer prices inflation
Somalia South Sudan
2024 5.5% 91.4%
2023 6.2% 2.38%
2022 6.8% -6.69%
2021 4.6% 10.5%
2020 4.1% 29.7%
2019 4.7% 87.2%
2018 4.3% 83.5%
2017 4% 187.9%
2016 0% 380%
2015 0.9% 52.8%
2014 1.3% 1.67%
2013 2.8% -0.06%
2012 - 45.5%
2011 - 46.9%
2010 - 1.17%
2009 - 5.01%

Data sources: World Bank | Economy & Growth (2009–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06); International Monetary Fund (IMF) | World Economic Outlook (2013–2024, retrieved 2026-02-20).

GeoRank.org/economy/somalia/south-sudan | CC BY

Over the past 12 years, Somalia has recorded an average annual inflation rate of 3.77%, compared with 76.7% in South Sudan. In 2024, inflation was 5.5% in Somalia and 91.4% in South Sudan.

Balance of trade

Somalia South Sudan
Current account balance n/a
$578M
2023
Current account balance ranking n/a
60/190
2023
Current account balance, % of GDP n/a
-4.17%
2015
Goods imports n/a
$2.25B
2023
Goods exports n/a
$4.01B
2023
Service imports n/a
$2.19B
2023
Service exports n/a
$484M
2023
Imports of goods and services, % of GDP
99.1%
2024
28.9%
2015
Exports of goods and services, % of GDP
31.2%
2024
36.7%
2015

Economic freedom indices

The indices of economic freedom below are issued by the Heritage Foundation. Higher scores indicate stronger economic health.

Somalia South Sudan
Economic freedom 29 41
Economic freedom ranking 193/197 186/197
Property rights 0.8 n/a
Government integrity 9.6 n/a
Judicial effectiveness 1.7 n/a
Tax burden 99.9 n/a
Fiscal health 0 n/a
Business freedom 25.9 n/a
Labor freedom 26.8 n/a

Other economic metrics

Somalia South Sudan
Services, % of GDP n/a
56.6%
2015
Industry, % of GDP
9.66%
1986
33.1%
2015
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, % of GDP
55.8%
1990
10.4%
2015
GNI, Atlas method
$11.7B
2024
$11.7B
2015
GNI per capita, PPP
$1,630
2024
$1,010
2015
Total reserves including gold
$23.1M
1989
$72.9M
2023
Total reserves ranking
177/177
1989
175/177
2023
Net foreign direct investment n/a
$2.21M
2019
Net inflows of foreign direct investment
$765M
2024
$83.4M
2024
Net outflows of foreign direct investment
$0
2024
$0
2024
Servicing debt to the IMF, % of GNI
0.13%
2024
n/a
Poverty at national poverty lines
55.4%
2022
66%
2020
Gross capital formation, % of GDP
26.7%
2024
5.75%
2015

GDP per capita map

1x

Data sources: World Bank | Economy & Growth (1985–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06); U.S. Census Bureau (1985–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08).

GeoRank.org/economy/somalia/south-sudan | CC BY

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Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Economy & Growth (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-04-06)
  2. U.S. Census Bureau (1985–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  3. International Monetary Fund (IMF) | World Economic Outlook (2013–2024, retrieved 2026-02-20)
  4. The Heritage Foundation | Economic Freedom Index (2017–2026, retrieved 2026-03-09)
  5. United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
  6. LivingCost (2026, retrieved 2025-10-14)
  7. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2020, retrieved 2026-02-20)

Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) — you’re free to copy, share, remix, adapt, and use even commercially as long as you give appropriate credit and clearly indicate if you made changes. Other sources may be subject to different license terms.

The current account balance is the sum of net trade in goods and services, net earnings from cross-border investments, and net transfer payments. It reflects a country's economic transactions with the rest of the world and is a fundamental component of the balance of payments. A surplus indicates that a country exports more than it imports, while a deficit shows the opposite.

Gross National Income (GNI) measures a country's total income. It encompasses income earned by residents, businesses, and foreign sources, defined as employee compensation and investment profits. GNI adds product taxes not included elsewhere and subtracts subsidies. It accounts for income from residents working abroad but excludes earnings from foreigners within the country.

A negative value for Net Foreign Direct Investment indicates a country is a net receiver of investments, as foreign inflows exceed outflows after Balance of Payments adjustments. A positive value indicates a net provider, with outflows exceeding inflows. Inflows are credits (increasing foreign claims on domestic assets), while outflows are debits (increasing domestic assets abroad).

Foreign direct investment (FDI, net inflows) shows how much capital foreign investors bring into a country after accounting for any funds that flow back in the opposite direction. It represents the net value of overseas companies establishing, expanding, or financing businesses in the reporting country. A positive number means more capital entered the country than was withdrawn, while a negative number means foreign investors pulled out more than they invested.

Foreign direct investment (FDI, net outflows) shows how much capital residents of a country invest abroad after accounting for any funds that flow back in the opposite direction. It represents the net value of domestic companies establishing, expanding, or financing businesses in other countries. A positive number means more capital was invested abroad than withdrawn, while a negative number means residents pulled back more than they invested.

Principal and interest payments to the IMF in currency, goods, or services on long-term debt expressed as a share of GNI.

Formerly gross domestic investment, gross capital formation measures the share of a country’s economic output invested in fixed assets, including buildings, machinery, and infrastructure. It indicates how much of the economy is devoted to building productive capacity.