Central African Republic vs South Sudan
Central African Republic vs South Sudan: GDP growth
GDP growth: 1.9% a year in Central African Republic in 2022 and 41.4% a year in South Sudan in 2025, by IMF estimates. In 2022 the value was higher in Central African Republic, by 7.1 percentage points.
% a year · IMF
What the numbers say
- Central African Republic has been higher since 2022, when it overtook South Sudan.
- The IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026) puts Central African Republic at 3.5% a year and South Sudan at 2.9% a year in 2031.
Every year
% a year · IMF
| Year | Central African Republic | South Sudan |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5.8 | 41.4 |
| 2024 | 3.9 | -28.1 |
| 2023 | -0 | 5.3 |
| 2022 | 1.9 | -5.2 |
| 2021 | 1.6 | 5.3 |
| 2020 | 3.4 | -6.5 |
| 2019 | 4 | 0.9 |
| 2018 | 3.2 | -2.1 |
| 2017 | 4.5 | -5.8 |
| 2016 | 4.8 | -13.3 |
| 2015 | 4.3 | -0.2 |
| 2014 | 0.1 | 1.6 |
| 2013 | -36.4 | 27.3 |
| 2012 | 5.1 | -50.3 |
| 2011 | 4.2 | – |
| 2010 | 4.6 | – |
| 2009 | 2.8 | – |
| 2008 | 2.6 | – |
| 2007 | 4 | – |
| 2006 | 4.8 | – |
| 2005 | 2.9 | – |
| 2004 | -0.1 | – |
| 2003 | -2.2 | – |
| 2002 | 2.1 | – |
| 2001 | 2.6 | – |
| 2000 | -3.6 | – |
| 1999 | 2.9 | – |
| 1998 | 3.3 | – |
| 1997 | 4.1 | – |
| 1996 | -6.2 | – |
| 1995 | 3.2 | – |
| 1994 | 12.6 | – |
| 1993 | -1.2 | – |
| 1992 | -4.9 | – |
| 1991 | -0.8 | – |
| 1990 | 1.4 | – |
| 1989 | 3.8 | – |
| 1988 | 1.7 | – |
| 1986 | 7.2 | – |
| 1985 | 3.7 | – |
| 1984 | 9.9 | – |
| 1983 | -6 | – |
| 1982 | -3.6 | – |
| 1981 | 13 | – |
| 1980 | -3 | – |
- 12.3Projected
IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026) · 2026–2031
| Year | Central African Republic | South Sudan |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2.7 | 10.5 |
| 2027 | 3.3 | 3.9 |
| 2028 | 3.5 | 3.5 |
| 2029 | 3.5 | 3.3 |
| 2030 | 3.5 | 3.6 |
| 2031 | 3.5 | 2.9 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- How much the economy grew or shrank in a year, after inflation.
- Source: IMF, World Economic Outlook, October 2026.
- The dashed line is the IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026), a scenario rather than a forecast.
- Ranks count the 143 countries with a value in 2025, highest first.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Central African Republic vs South Sudan
Health
- Life expectancyCentral African Republic: 57.4 years in 2023South Sudan: 57.6 years in 2023
- Child mortalityCentral African Republic: 9 per 100 live births in 2024South Sudan: 9.7 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityCentral African Republic: 68.5 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Sudan: 63.8 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionCentral African Republic: 4.21% in 2017South Sudan: 3.7% in 2017
- Suicide rateCentral African Republic: 16.9 per 100,000 people in 2017South Sudan: 12 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationCentral African Republic: 5.15 million people in 2023South Sudan: 11.5 million people in 2023
- Population growthCentral African Republic: 3.41% a year in 2023South Sudan: 5.86% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateCentral African Republic: 6.01 births per woman in 2023South Sudan: 3.86 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationCentral African Republic: 44.6% in 2025South Sudan: 21.7% in 2025
- Median ageCentral African Republic: 14.3 years in 2023South Sudan: 18 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overCentral African Republic: 2.1% in 2023South Sudan: 2.9% in 2023
- Net migration rateCentral African Republic: -2.8 per 1,000 people in 2023South Sudan: 39.6 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingCentral African Republic: 2.33% of GDP in 2025South Sudan: 3.43% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsCentral African Republic: $68M in 2025South Sudan: $103M in 2025
- Military spending per personCentral African Republic: $14 in 2025South Sudan: $15 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingCentral African Republic: 12.5% of government spending in 2025South Sudan: 18.4% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelCentral African Republic: 10,000 people in 2020South Sudan: 53,000 people in 2020
- National powerCentral African Republic: 0.03% of world capability in 2022South Sudan: 0.08% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersCentral African Republic: 0.54% of the labour force in 2020South Sudan: 1.18% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsCentral African Republic: 43 million TIV in 2023South Sudan: 10 million TIV in 2022