Nigeria vs South Sudan
Nigeria vs South Sudan: Armed forces personnel
Armed forces personnel in 2020: 223,000 people in Nigeria and 53,000 people in South Sudan, by IISS estimates. In 2020 the value was higher in Nigeria, by 170,000 people, or 4.21 times that in South Sudan.
people · IISS
What the numbers say
- Nigeria has been higher since 2015, when it overtook South Sudan.
- In 2020, Nigeria ranked 30 and South Sudan ranked 67 of 170 countries, counting from the highest.
- The world as a whole: 27.4 million people in 2020.
Every year
people · IISS
| Year | Nigeria | South Sudan | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 223,000 | 53,000 | 27.4 million |
| 2019 | 223,000 | 185,000 | 27.7 million |
| 2018 | 223,000 | 185,000 | 27.7 million |
| 2017 | 215,000 | 185,000 | 27.4 million |
| 2016 | 200,000 | 185,000 | 27.5 million |
| 2015 | 200,000 | 185,000 | 27.4 million |
| 2014 | 162,000 | 185,000 | 27.3 million |
| 2013 | 162,000 | 185,000 | 27.2 million |
| 2012 | 162,000 | 210,000 | 28.2 million |
| 2011 | 162,000 | 210,000 | 28 million |
| 2010 | 162,000 | 140,000 | 28.1 million |
| 2009 | 162,000 | – | 27.9 million |
| 2008 | 162,000 | – | 27.5 million |
| 2007 | 162,000 | – | 27.3 million |
| 2006 | 162,000 | – | 27 million |
| 2005 | 161,000 | – | 28.5 million |
| 2004 | 160,000 | – | 27.1 million |
| 2003 | 160,500 | – | 28.2 million |
| 2002 | 160,500 | – | 28.3 million |
| 2001 | 160,500 | – | 28.2 million |
| 2000 | 106,500 | – | 29.4 million |
| 1999 | 124,000 | – | 29.6 million |
| 1998 | 107,000 | – | 29.9 million |
| 1997 | 107,000 | – | 29.9 million |
| 1996 | 89,100 | – | 30.2 million |
| 1995 | 89,100 | – | 30.2 million |
| 1994 | 80,000 | – | 23.2 million |
| 1993 | 76,000 | – | 23.7 million |
| 1992 | 76,000 | – | 24.5 million |
| 1991 | 94,000 | – | 22.7 million |
| 1990 | 94,000 | – | 23.9 million |
| 1989 | 107,000 | – | 24.3 million |
| 1985 | 94,000 | – | 22.2 million |
| 1984 | 144,000 | – | – |
| 1983 | 144,000 | – | – |
| 1982 | 144,000 | – | – |
| 1981 | 144,000 | – | – |
| 1980 | 150,000 | – | – |
| 1979 | 164,000 | – | – |
| 1978 | 204,000 | – | – |
| 1977 | 300,000 | – | – |
| 1976 | 270,000 | – | – |
| 1975 | 270,000 | – | – |
| 1974 | 300,000 | – | – |
| 1973 | 305,000 | – | – |
| 1972 | 305,000 | – | – |
| 1971 | 320,000 | – | – |
| 1970 | 200,000 | – | – |
| 1969 | 110,000 | – | – |
| 1968 | 85,000 | – | – |
| 1967 | 35,000 | – | – |
| 1966 | 30,000 | – | – |
| 1965 | 25,000 | – | – |
| 1964 | 25,000 | – | – |
| 1963 | 25,000 | – | – |
| 1962 | 7,000 | – | – |
| 1961 | 6,000 | – | – |
| 1960 | 5,000 | – | – |
- 12.3Estimates, Correlates of War
Each country on its own
Good to know
- Active-duty military personnel, with paramilitary forces where they are trained and equipped like soldiers, by the IISS Military Balance.
- Source: IISS, The Military Balance, via the World Bank.
- Before 1985: Correlates of War Project, National Material Capabilities v7.0; Singer, Bremer and Stuckey (1972), “Capability Distribution, Uncertainty, and Major Power War, 1820–1965”, in Bruce Russett (ed.), Peace, War, and Numbers, Sage, 19–48.
- Ranks count the 170 countries with a value in 2020, highest first.
- The faint line is the world as a whole, as the same source counts it.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Nigeria vs South Sudan
Health
- Life expectancyNigeria: 54.5 years in 2023South Sudan: 57.6 years in 2023
- Child mortalityNigeria: 11.6 per 100 live births in 2024South Sudan: 9.7 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityNigeria: 69.5 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Sudan: 63.8 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionNigeria: 3.92% in 2017South Sudan: 3.7% in 2017
- Suicide rateNigeria: 7.5 per 100,000 people in 2017South Sudan: 12 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationNigeria: 228 million people in 2023South Sudan: 11.5 million people in 2023
- Population growthNigeria: 2.1% a year in 2023South Sudan: 5.86% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateNigeria: 4.48 births per woman in 2023South Sudan: 3.86 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationNigeria: 63.8% in 2025South Sudan: 21.7% in 2025
- Median ageNigeria: 17.8 years in 2023South Sudan: 18 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overNigeria: 3% in 2023South Sudan: 2.9% in 2023
- Net migration rateNigeria: -0.3 per 1,000 people in 2023South Sudan: 39.6 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingNigeria: 0.91% of GDP in 2025South Sudan: 3.43% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsNigeria: $1.76B in 2025South Sudan: $103M in 2025
- Military spending per personNigeria: $9 in 2025South Sudan: $15 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingNigeria: 5.9% of government spending in 2025South Sudan: 18.4% of government spending in 2025
- National powerNigeria: 1.16% of world capability in 2022South Sudan: 0.08% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersNigeria: 0.23% of the labour force in 2020South Sudan: 1.18% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsNigeria: 21 million TIV in 2025South Sudan: 10 million TIV in 2022