Living in Cities in South Sudan: 1800 to Today (and Tomorrow)

Data is never just about coordinates on a map; it is the physical footprint of how human beings share space and build communities. Every percentage shift represents families moving, markets growing, and the daily rhythm of human existence adapting to new environments. When we track the share of the population living in urban areas, we are tracking millions of individual lives unfolding against a shifting backdrop of settlements. It is the story of how people navigate the passage of time by redefining the boundaries of home.

The historical arc is a steady, measured upward climb. In the 1800s estimate, living in cities in South Sudan stood at 4, rising slowly to a 1900s estimate of 6. The momentum accelerated mid-century, moving from the 1950s at 11 and the 1960s at 15 up to the 2000s at 31 and the 2010s at 36. This trajectory continues toward a 2100s projection of 57, marking a profound transformation in how the land is inhabited across generations.

For someone born today, the reality is vastly different than for ancestors in the 1900s estimate of 6 %. In the 2020s, living in cities in South Sudan stands at 41 % — ranking #142 of 157 countries. While the world urbanizes, this specific journey reflects a transition from agricultural landscapes to denser neighborhoods and shared civic spaces. It highlights how generations continuously reshape where they build their futures together.

Explore MYRIAD to compute your own parallel lives across the data of human history.