South Sudan is slightly bigger by total area compared to Somalia: 248,777 sq mi vs 246,201 sq mi. Without inland water, the land area of South Sudan is 243,990 sq mi vs 242,217 sq mi for Somalia.
- Somalia ranks 43/197 by total surface area vs 41/197 for South Sudan.
- Somalia occupies 0.42% of the land mass of all countries, compared with 0.42% for South Sudan.
- 70.3% of Somalia's area is agricultural land vs 44.9% in South Sudan.
- Somalia has 0.92% of the world's agricultural land area — S. Sudan has 0.59%.
- 9.17% of Somalia is covered by forests, compared to 11.3% in S. Sudan.
- 0.14% of the world's forests are in Somalia, and 0.18% are in South Sudan.
Total size and land area comparison
Somalia
|
South Sudan
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Total area |
246,201 sq mi |
248,777 sq mi |
| Size difference ratio | 1 | 1.01 |
| Total area rank | 43/197 | 41/197 |
| Share of all countries' surface area | 0.13% | 0.13% |
| Land area |
242,217 sq mi |
243,990 sq mi |
| Land area difference ratio | 1 | 1.01 |
| Land area rank | 42/197 | 41/197 |
| Share of all countries' land area | 0.42% | 0.42% |
| Population | 19,009,151 | 11,943,408 |
| Population density | 83.9 ppl/mi² | 51 ppl/mi² |
Surface area by type
|
Somalia
|
South Sudan
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Forest area |
22,200 sq mi |
27,633 sq mi |
| Forest area as share of land | 9.17% | 11.3% |
| Forest area rank | 73/196 | 63/196 |
| World's forests share | 0.14% | 0.18% |
Agricultural land area
|
170,384 sq mi |
109,449 sq mi |
| Agricultural land share | 70.3% | 44.9% |
| Agricultural land area rank | 21/194 | 40/194 |
| Share of global agricultural land | 0.92% | 0.59% |
|
Arable land
|
4,247 sq mi |
9,611 sq mi |
| Arable land share | 1.75% | 3.94% |
| Arable land area rank | 104/191 | 76/191 |
|
Permanent cropland
|
112.7 sq mi |
328 sq mi |
| Permanent cropland share | 0.05% | 0.13% |
| Permanent cropland area rank | 141/192 | 106/192 |
|
Water area
|
3,983 sq mi |
4,787 sq mi |
| Water as share of total area | 1.62% | 1.92% |
| Water area rank | 45/197 | 41/197 |
| Roads length |
9,321 mi |
n/a |
| Land borders length |
1,482 mi |
3,739 mi |
| Coastline length |
1,880 mi |
0 mi |
| Share of marine protected waters | 0% | n/a |
Somalia vs South Sudan size on the map
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (2026, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/size/somalia/south-sudan | CC BY
The map above outlines the borders of Somalia and South Sudan but is not accurate for size comparison because it's a 2d map with Mercator projection that distorts territories near the poles. The farther a country is from the equator, the more magnified it appears. More about country size projections.
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Data sources:
- World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (2023–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
- Wikidata (2026, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2025, retrieved 2026-02-20)
- United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
Total agricultural land encompasses all areas used for agriculture: territories under permanent and temporary crops and pastures. It includes land under flowering shrubs, fruit and nut trees, and vineyards, but excludes sites utilized for timber production.
Arable land encompasses fields utilized for temporary crop production, pastures, market or kitchen gardens, and temporarily fallowed land. Land abandoned due to shifting cultivation practices is not included.
Permanent cropland refers to farmland for the long-term cultivation of crops, such as coffee, cocoa, and rubber, which do not require replanting after each harvest. This category encompasses land with permanent crops like flowering shrubs, fruit and nut trees, and vines, but does not include land under trees for timber production.
Inland areas under water, such as large rivers, lakes, and some coastal waterways.
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.