THE PEOPLE

The population of South Sudan primarily consists of Africans, with the majority adhering to Christianity, Islamic, and Traditional African religions. Among the various ethnic groups, the Dinka constitute approximately two-fifths of the population, followed by the Nuer, who make up about one-fifth. Other significant groups include the Zande, the Bari, the Shilluk, and the Anyuak (Anuak).

Ethnic Groups in South Sudan: Broadly speaking, the people of South Sudan are categorized into three main ethnic groupings:

• Nilo-Sudanic Tribes: These include the Dinka, the largest ethnic group, followed by the Nuer as the second-largest tribe. The Shilluk also form a significant part of this category.
• Nilo-Hamitic Tribes: This group encompasses various ethnic communities such as the Zande (also known as Azande) and the Balanda.
• Bantu: The Bantu people constitute the second major language family in South Sudan. Among them, the Ubangian language is most closely associated.

Languages in South Sudan:

• The most significant linguistic grouping in South Sudan comprises the Nilotes, who speak various languages from the Eastern Sudanic sub-branch of the Nilo-Saharan language family. Key Nilotic peoples include the Dinka, Nuer, Shilluk, Bari, and Anuak.

• Other smaller ethnic groups, such as the Zande, use languages belonging to the Adamawa-Ubangi branch of the Niger-Congo family of languages.

• Additionally, Arabic, a Semitic language from the Afro-Asiatic family, is spoken by the country’s small Arab population and others.

  Official Languages:

  • Under the 2005 interim constitution, both Arabic and English were official working languages. However, since 1972, English had been recognized as the principal language in what is now South Sudan and was the most common medium for government affairs.

  • South Sudan’s 2011 transitional constitution explicitly designated English as the official working language of the country and the language of instruction at all education levels

  • Additionally, there are some Arabic-speaking Juba people, primarily clustered in Northern Bahr el Ghazal and Western Bahr El Ghazal States.

    South Sudan’s ethnic diversity is rich, with approximately 64 tribes or ethnic groups native to the young nation. These groups often share common cultural traits and intelligible languages, forming distinct larger family units. Let’s briefly explore some of these ethnic groups: