Sudan is 2.86 times bigger by total area compared to South Sudan: 710,693 sq mi vs 248,777 sq mi. Without inland water, the land area of Sudan is 721,239 sq mi vs 243,990 sq mi for South Sudan — a 2.96 times difference in territory size.
- South Sudan ranks 41/197 by total surface area vs 15/197 for Sudan.
- South Sudan occupies 0.42% of the land mass of all countries, compared with 1.25% for Sudan.
- 44.9% of South Sudan's area is agricultural land vs 60.3% in Sudan.
- S. Sudan has 0.59% of the world's agricultural land area — Sudan has 2.36%.
- 11.3% of S. Sudan is covered by forests, compared to 9.55% in Sudan.
- 0.18% of the world's forests are in South Sudan, and 0.44% are in Sudan.
Total size and land area comparison
South Sudan
|
Sudan
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Total area |
248,777 sq mi |
710,693 sq mi |
| Size difference ratio | 1 | 2.86 |
| Total area rank | 41/197 | 15/197 |
| Share of all countries' surface area | 0.13% | 0.36% |
| Land area |
243,990 sq mi |
721,239 sq mi |
| Land area difference ratio | 1 | 2.96 |
| Land area rank | 41/197 | 15/197 |
| Share of all countries' land area | 0.42% | 1.25% |
| Population | 11,943,408 | 50,448,963 |
| Population density | 51 ppl/mi² | 73.3 ppl/mi² |
Surface area by type
|
South Sudan
|
Sudan
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Forest area |
27,633 sq mi |
68,892 sq mi |
| Forest area as share of land | 11.3% | 9.55% |
| Forest area rank | 63/196 | 36/196 |
| World's forests share | 0.18% | 0.44% |
Agricultural land area
|
109,449 sq mi |
435,002 sq mi |
| Agricultural land share | 44.9% | 60.3% |
| Agricultural land area rank | 40/194 | 10/194 |
| Share of global agricultural land | 0.59% | 2.36% |
|
Arable land
|
9,611 sq mi |
81,062 sq mi |
| Arable land share | 3.94% | 11.2% |
| Arable land area rank | 76/191 | 13/191 |
|
Permanent cropland
|
328 sq mi |
834 sq mi |
| Permanent cropland share | 0.13% | 0.12% |
| Permanent cropland area rank | 106/192 | 80/192 |
|
Water area
|
4,787 sq mi |
0 sq mi |
| Water as share of total area | 1.92% | 0% |
| Water area rank | 41/197 | 192/197 |
| Roads length | n/a |
19,263 mi |
| Land borders length |
3,739 mi |
4,237 mi |
| Coastline length |
0 mi |
530 mi |
| Share of marine protected waters | n/a | 17% |
South Sudan vs Sudan size on the map
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (2026, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/size/south-sudan/sudan | CC BY
The map above outlines the borders of South Sudan and 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.