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Population in Iran compared to South Sudan: Trends, Charts, Rankings

Updated on by Georank

The latest officially reported population of Iran was 92,417,681 in 2025 vs 12,188,788 people in South Sudan in 2025. In 2026, based on the adjusted UN estimation, the current Iran's population is 93,580,141 people compared to 12,565,048 in South Sudan.

Population statistics:

  • Iran's population is 7.45 times bigger than South Sudan's.
  • Iran is ranked the 17th most populous country in the world, while South Sudan is the 80th.
  • The countries together account for 1.28% of the world: 1.13% for Iran vs 0.15% for South Sudan.
  • For the last 10 years, Iran has had an average growth rate of +1.15% per year vs +0.78% in South Sudan.
  • Since 2006, the population of Iran has increased from 73.4M people to 93.6M (27.5% growth), while South Sudan has grown from 7.98M to 12.6M (57.5% growth).

Iran vs South Sudan: population by year and forecast

Iran
Factual

Projection
South Sudan
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Population
Iran South Sudan
2100 80,660,972 24,078,379
2099 81,193,582 24,072,957
2098 81,717,474 24,054,947
2097 82,241,892 24,056,753
2096 82,764,411 24,045,972
2095 83,283,942 24,037,837
2094 83,799,806 24,039,267
2093 84,316,389 24,030,512
2092 84,833,108 24,010,555
2091 85,354,240 23,991,816
2090 85,878,473 23,970,012
2089 86,409,859 23,929,017
2088 86,947,263 23,883,712
2087 87,492,427 23,848,809
2086 88,047,949 23,794,890
2085 88,610,339 23,750,772
2084 89,181,346 23,678,728
2083 89,758,453 23,609,290
2082 90,343,413 23,532,790
2081 90,936,310 23,458,146
2080 91,535,218 23,383,482
2079 92,136,544 23,286,011
2078 92,740,467 23,188,860
2077 93,344,865 23,078,416
2076 93,946,187 22,979,198
2075 94,544,733 22,860,496
2074 95,135,317 22,718,148
2073 95,721,351 22,575,682
2072 96,292,835 22,431,004
2071 96,851,951 22,280,140
2070 97,397,073 22,143,813
2069 97,924,812 21,995,874
2068 98,432,509 21,822,076
2067 98,913,776 21,654,546
2066 99,374,357 21,489,275
2065 99,812,137 21,309,913
2064 100,223,387 21,134,522
2063 100,602,361 20,957,705
2062 100,951,282 20,777,701
2061 101,266,537 20,601,672
2060 101,545,806 20,423,629
2059 101,792,315 20,227,862
2058 101,994,395 20,041,880
2057 102,161,227 19,846,671
2056 102,291,323 19,652,407
2055 102,382,089 19,457,411
2054 102,431,558 19,250,667
2053 102,441,204 19,053,773
2052 102,413,350 18,833,795
2051 102,350,865 18,626,605
2050 102,251,999 18,427,690
2049 102,122,983 18,224,430
2048 101,957,508 18,014,650
2047 101,765,614 17,799,982
2046 101,547,098 17,572,953
2045 101,305,486 17,348,901
2044 101,038,874 17,115,914
2043 100,752,109 16,882,303
2042 100,446,296 16,639,465
2041 100,122,690 16,390,966
2040 99,784,572 16,137,104
2039 99,436,793 15,884,330
2038 99,072,548 15,622,514
2037 98,694,577 15,358,539
2036 98,302,279 15,085,936
2035 97,899,013 14,810,066
2034 97,482,352 14,538,365
2033 97,054,589 14,273,128
2032 96,608,216 14,002,178
2031 96,141,200 13,725,779
2030 95,656,003 13,460,850
2029 95,133,736 13,201,804
2028 94,561,150 12,942,501
2027 93,925,792 12,688,278
2026 93,215,072 12,434,895
2025 92,417,681 12,188,788
2024 91,567,738 11,943,408
2023 90,608,707 11,483,374
2022 89,524,246 11,021,177
2021 88,455,488 10,865,780
2020 87,723,443 10,698,467
2019 87,051,648 10,423,384
2018 86,117,998 10,122,977
2017 85,026,754 10,259,154
2016 83,812,228 10,830,102
2015 82,619,362 11,107,561
2014 81,502,045 11,235,073
2013 80,414,686 11,166,275
2012 79,370,580 10,756,240
2011 78,383,598 10,288,109
2010 77,420,842 9,745,953
2009 76,457,825 9,243,556
2008 75,514,204 8,817,647
2007 74,602,648 8,388,788
2006 73,392,747 7,976,526
2005 71,828,455 7,590,143
2004 70,256,316 7,233,041
2003 68,769,340 6,903,127
2002 68,011,317 6,596,806
2001 67,452,005 6,308,391
2000 66,418,659 6,032,267
1999 65,445,391 5,771,628
1998 64,519,859 5,620,068
1997 63,639,638 5,509,136
1996 62,881,300 5,356,925
1995 62,205,567 5,225,836
1994 61,520,598 5,071,184
1993 61,403,543 4,956,002
1992 61,184,983 4,909,749
1991 59,986,931 4,836,677
1990 58,380,092 4,737,633
1989 56,704,914 4,713,229
1988 55,072,694 4,848,029
1987 53,323,493 4,962,395
1986 51,446,045 4,921,240
1985 49,582,289 4,834,296
1984 47,793,998 4,750,627
1983 46,029,535 4,661,574
1982 44,272,141 4,557,686
1981 41,989,312 4,447,272
1980 39,842,324 4,339,030
1979 38,424,952 4,232,605
1978 37,126,535 4,127,657
1977 35,933,181 4,024,032
1976 34,837,271 3,921,910
1975 33,802,973 3,821,494
1974 32,796,463 3,723,259
1973 31,839,838 3,627,383
1972 30,921,179 3,542,497
1971 30,029,071 3,468,646
1970 29,145,100 3,409,614
1969 28,273,482 3,365,533
1968 27,437,391 3,321,528
1967 26,628,432 3,277,648
1966 25,829,270 3,236,423
1965 25,036,978 3,189,835
1964 24,262,859 3,129,918
1963 23,519,005 3,072,669
1962 22,807,907 3,024,308
1961 22,125,726 2,976,724
1960 21,470,434 2,931,559

Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026–2100, retrieved 2026-07-08); World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/iran/south-sudan | CC BY

From 2006 to 2016, the population of Iran increased by 10,419,481 people (a 14.2% growth), while South Sudan gained 2,853,576 people (a 35.8% growth).

For the next 10 years, from 2016 to 2026, Iran gained 9,767,913 people (a 11.7% growth), while South Sudan's population increased by 1,734,946 people (a 16% growth).

Iran was ranked 17th most populous country in 2006 and is still 17th in 2026. South Sudan was ranked 92nd in 2006 and ranked 80th now.

The UN's World Population Prospects forecasts that in 24 years (in 2050) Iran's population will grow by 9.27% to 102,251,999 people with a rank change from 17th to 18th. The population of South Sudan will increase by 46.7% to 18,427,690 people and rank change from 80th to 78th.

Iran is projected to reach its peak in 2053 at 102M people compared to the peak of 24.1M people in 2100 for South Sudan.

Population growth rate by year

Iran
Factual

Projection
South Sudan
Factual

Projection
1x
Year Growth rate
Iran South Sudan
2100 -0.66% 0.02%
2099 -0.64% 0.07%
2098 -0.64% -0.008%
2097 -0.63% 0.04%
2096 -0.62% 0.03%
2095 -0.62% -0.006%
2094 -0.61% 0.04%
2093 -0.61% 0.08%
2092 -0.61% 0.08%
2091 -0.61% 0.09%
2090 -0.61% 0.17%
2089 -0.62% 0.19%
2088 -0.62% 0.15%
2087 -0.63% 0.23%
2086 -0.63% 0.19%
2085 -0.64% 0.3%
2084 -0.64% 0.29%
2083 -0.65% 0.33%
2082 -0.65% 0.32%
2081 -0.65% 0.32%
2080 -0.65% 0.42%
2079 -0.65% 0.42%
2078 -0.65% 0.48%
2077 -0.64% 0.43%
2076 -0.63% 0.52%
2075 -0.62% 0.63%
2074 -0.61% 0.63%
2073 -0.59% 0.64%
2072 -0.58% 0.68%
2071 -0.56% 0.62%
2070 -0.54% 0.67%
2069 -0.52% 0.8%
2068 -0.49% 0.77%
2067 -0.46% 0.77%
2066 -0.44% 0.84%
2065 -0.41% 0.83%
2064 -0.38% 0.84%
2063 -0.35% 0.87%
2062 -0.31% 0.85%
2061 -0.28% 0.87%
2060 -0.24% 0.97%
2059 -0.2% 0.93%
2058 -0.16% 0.98%
2057 -0.13% 0.99%
2056 -0.09% 1%
2055 -0.05% 1.07%
2054 -0.009% 1.03%
2053 0.03% 1.17%
2052 0.06% 1.11%
2051 0.1% 1.08%
2050 0.13% 1.12%
2049 0.16% 1.16%
2048 0.19% 1.21%
2047 0.22% 1.29%
2046 0.24% 1.29%
2045 0.26% 1.36%
2044 0.28% 1.38%
2043 0.3% 1.46%
2042 0.32% 1.52%
2041 0.34% 1.57%
2040 0.35% 1.59%
2039 0.37% 1.68%
2038 0.38% 1.72%
2037 0.4% 1.81%
2036 0.41% 1.86%
2035 0.43% 1.87%
2034 0.44% 1.86%
2033 0.46% 1.94%
2032 0.49% 2.01%
2031 0.51% 1.97%
2030 0.55% 1.96%
2029 0.61% 2%
2028 0.68% 2%
2027 0.76% 2.04%
2026 0.86% 2.02%
2025 0.93% 2.05%
2024 1.06% 4.01%
2023 1.21% 4.19%
2022 1.21% 1.43%
2021 0.83% 1.56%
2020 0.77% 2.64%
2019 1.08% 2.97%
2018 1.28% -1.33%
2017 1.45% -5.27%
2016 1.44% -2.5%
2015 1.37% -1.13%
2014 1.35% 0.62%
2013 1.32% 3.81%
2012 1.26% 4.55%
2011 1.24% 5.56%
2010 1.26% 5.44%
2009 1.25% 4.83%
2008 1.22% 5.11%
2007 1.65% 5.17%
2006 2.18% 5.09%
2005 2.24% 4.94%
2004 2.16% 4.78%
2003 1.11% 4.64%
2002 0.83% 4.57%
2001 1.56% 4.58%
2000 1.49% 4.52%
1999 1.43% 2.7%
1998 1.38% 2.01%
1997 1.21% 2.84%
1996 1.09% 2.51%
1995 1.11% 3.05%
1994 0.19% 2.32%
1993 0.36% 0.94%
1992 2% 1.51%
1991 2.75% 2.09%
1990 2.95% 0.52%
1989 2.96% -2.78%
1988 3.28% -2.3%
1987 3.65% 0.84%
1986 3.76% 1.8%
1985 3.74% 1.76%
1984 3.83% 1.91%
1983 3.97% 2.28%
1982 5.44% 2.48%
1981 5.39% 2.49%
1980 3.69% 2.51%
1979 3.5% 2.54%
1978 3.32% 2.58%
1977 3.15% 2.6%
1976 3.06% 2.63%
1975 3.07% 2.64%
1974 3% 2.64%
1973 2.97% 2.4%
1972 2.97% 2.13%
1971 3.03% 1.73%
1970 3.08% 1.31%
1969 3.05% 1.32%
1968 3.04% 1.34%
1967 3.09% 1.27%
1966 3.16% 1.46%
1965 3.19% 1.91%
1964 3.16% 1.86%
1963 3.12% 1.6%
1962 3.08% 1.6%
1961 3.05% 1.54%

Data sources: United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026–2100, retrieved 2026-07-08); World Bank | Health (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/iran/south-sudan | CC BY

In 2025, the population of Iran grew by 0.93%, while South Sudan's population grew by 2.05%.

Live population counters

Iran South Sudan
Current population
93580141
12565048
Population rank 17/197 80/197
Percent of world population 1.13% 0.15%
One net population change
37.2 seconds
2.15 minutes
One birth every
27.4 seconds
1.51 minutes
One death every
1.21 minutes
4.48 minutes
Daily growth/decline +2,329 +672
Annual growth/decline +849,943 +245,380
Annual growth/decline rate +0.93% +2.05%
Population growth rate rank 103/197 48/197
One migration net change every
4.51 minutes
1.43 hours
Annual migration change +116,786 +6,145
Net migration rank 14/196 50/196
Foreign-born residents 3,840,654 914,001
Foreign-born residents rank 17/195 62/195
Foreign-born share of population 4.2% 7.7%
Foreign-born share rank 103/195 77/195

Natural population change vs migration

Iran
Natural

Migration
South Sudan
Natural

Migration
1x
Year Population change
Iran South Sudan
Natural Migration Natural Migration
2025 - 116,786 - 6,145
2024 715,785 190,156 231,714 15,374
2023 750,150 262,044 217,966 455,000
2022 753,525 403,190 211,166 40,259
2021 645,725 334,967 213,567 -154,359
2020 663,978 -180,680 212,332 62,935
2019 893,063 -32,794 209,708 65,198
2018 1,035,052 -27,946 168,497 157,408
2017 1,140,549 34,849 72,193 -670,477
2016 1,186,949 66,630 110,553 -654,225
2015 1,178,317 -46,239 148,542 -159,822
2014 1,158,552 -56,042 227,611 -471,523
2013 1,119,533 -47,322 315,983 65,337
2012 1,073,804 -57,823 312,974 125,771
2011 1,023,925 -65,924 303,181 194,325
2010 980,380 -12,849 287,409 299,402
2009 958,322 211 278,859 139,129
2008 940,983 -12,184 268,268 165,557
2007 919,254 -24,950 256,546 167,350
2006 884,529 640,932 246,706 153,926
2005 837,305 765,873 239,272 132,869
2004 801,203 739,996 231,877 110,182
2003 732,600 700,222 225,822 91,951
2002 752,205 -668,962 212,014 82,847
2001 743,658 291,692 204,108 77,856
2000 731,203 300,133 196,055 74,227
1999 723,237 191,988 180,721 70,271
1998 717,655 218,171 -12,157 64,285
1997 726,574 98,009 121,454 48,280
1996 784,508 -92,435 116,728 17,953
1995 879,648 -220,258 110,417 17,077
1994 1,008,076 -297,487 165,407 16,407
1993 1,219,658 -1,696,091 32,779 15,772
1992 1,365,466 -451,945 28,874 15,077
1991 1,495,594 -13,059 87,873 14,327
1990 1,530,434 200,711 82,900 12,988
1989 1,609,739 9,460 83,735 -130,821
1988 1,614,512 30,688 -125,447 -97,065
1987 1,639,644 213,524 5,756 -11,976
1986 1,659,289 242,411 99,502 -10,973
1985 1,661,750 163,999 95,342 -9,986
1984 1,653,051 97,748 90,970 -8,984
1983 1,573,612 204,544 104,107 -7,986
1982 1,514,240 222,390 118,641 -6,983
1981 1,376,830 1,452,169 115,163 -5,994
1980 1,361,293 103,674 112,307 -4,997
1979 1,294,306 75,451 109,540 -3,997
1978 1,156,974 70,088 107,352 -2,998
1977 1,091,542 68,093 104,886 -1,997
1976 1,013,347 18,825 102,346 -995
1975 929,481 106,921 99,882 -395
1974 873,369 103,252 97,181 -192
1973 831,880 104,779 94,765 0
1972 804,043 96,614 74,803 193
1971 805,830 77,717 72,308 394
1970 794,612 89,757 44,776 587
1969 780,660 78,196 42,015 786
1968 743,992 69,342 44,213 995
1967 727,276 77,313 41,357 1,194
1966 695,040 98,709 38,523 1,386
1965 663,029 127,808 51,682 1,591
1964 635,589 121,817 64,786 1,785
1963 620,126 110,190 46,333 1,591
1962 595,538 96,332 47,406 1,386
1961 594,674 77,811 45,186 1,194
1960 584,060 54,041 42,945 995

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/iran/south-sudan | CC BY

Over the last 10 years, 89.9% of the population change in Iran is from natural causes (a gain of 8,963,093 people) and 10.1% is from migration (a gain of 1,004,177 people). In South Sudan 68.1% is from natural causes (a gain of 1,796,238 people) and 31.9% is from migration (a loss of 842,709 people).

As of 2024, 3,840,654 residents or 4.2% of the population were not native-born in Iran, compared to 914,001 people or 7.7% in South Sudan.

Biggest cities by population

Iran
City Population
Tehran 8.69M
Mashhad 3M
Isfahan 1.96M
Karaj 1.59M
Shiraz 1.57M
Tabriz 1.56M
Qom 1.2M
Ahvaz 1.18M
Kermanshah 947K
Urmia 736K
South Sudan
City Population
Juba 500K
Wau 321K
Bor 315K
Malakal 147K
Yambio 130K

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Population map with other countries

1x

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2026, retrieved 2026-07-08); U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-07-08).

GeoRank.org/population/iran/south-sudan | CC BY

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Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1960–2100, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  4. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  5. Wikidata (2026, retrieved 2026-07-08)

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