South Sudan: Flag and Facts
South Sudan's flag has black, red and green stripes with white edging around the red, and a blue triangle on the left holding a gold five-pointed star.
- Official name
- Republic of South Sudan
- Capital
- Juba
- Region
- Middle Africa
- Population
- 13 million (2024)
- Languages
- English
- Currency
- South Sudanese pound
- Area
- 619,745 km² (239,285 sq mi)
- People
- South Sudanese
- Calling code
- +211
- Highest point
- Kinyeti 3,187 m
- Independence
- 9 July 2011 (from Sudan)
- National symbols
- African fish eagle
- Borders
- Central African Republic, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, Uganda
About South Sudan
Independence came on 9 July 2011, which makes South Sudan the newest country in the world. Egypt conquered the area first, and later Egyptian and British officials ran it together. Missionaries spread English and Christianity, setting the south apart from the Arabic-speaking north. Two civil wars followed, and as many as 2.5 million people died. A peace deal in 2005 led to a 2011 vote in which 98% chose to break away.
The White Nile runs north through the middle of the country and feeds the Sudd, a giant swamp of over 100,000 square kilometers where floating plants make boating hard. Plains in the north rise to highlands near Uganda and Kenya. About 12.7 million people live here, and Juba is the capital.
Did you know?
- The African fish eagle is South Sudan's national symbol.
- Kinyeti, the highest peak, stands 3,187 meters tall.
- The anthem is called South Sudan Oyee, which means South Sudan, Hooray.
Want to test yourself? The random flag generator has a quiz mode, and the full flags of the world page shows every flag at once.
Questions about South Sudan
What do the colors on the South Sudan flag stand for?
Black is the people, red the blood shed for freedom, green the land and blue the Nile. The gold star represents unity.
Is South Sudan landlocked?
Yes. It borders six countries, including Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda.
Sources
- CIA World Factbook, checked October 8, 2026
- REST Countries data (mledoze/countries), checked October 8, 2026
- Flag artwork: flag-icons (MIT), checked October 8, 2026
Facts are compiled from these open sources and rewritten in our own words. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.