Natural resources of South Sudan
Oil, gas, minerals, forests and water in South Sudan: what it produces, how it ranks in the world, who mines it and what it earns. Every figure is from an official source and is updated when the source is.
Resource rents, share of GDP (2015)
13.1 %
Resources, share of goods exports (2025)
99.5 %
Crude oil, barrels a day (2025)
112,658
Forest, share of land (2024)
11.3 %
Source: World Bank; UN Comtrade; U.S. Energy Information Administration. Last checked 24 October 2026.
Oil, gas and coal
South Sudan produced about 112,658 barrels of crude oil a day in 2025.
View the data as a table
| Period | Crude oil |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 23 |
| 2013 | 116 |
| 2014 | 148 |
| 2015 | 153 |
| 2016 | 152 |
| 2017 | 150 |
| 2018 | 156 |
| 2019 | 157 |
| 2020 | 163 |
| 2021 | 157 |
| 2022 | 155 |
| 2023 | 146 |
| 2024 | 79 |
| 2025 | 113 |
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, International Energy Data. Last checked 24 October 2026.
Mining and minerals
The U.S. Geological Survey records 1 mineral commodities with published production in South Sudan between 2018 and 2022, from metals and gemstones to industrial minerals and fuels. The table includes processed products such as cement and steel, which USGS reports alongside raw minerals.
Showing 1 of 1
| Petroleum, crude | Mineral Fuels And Related Materials | Not published | 52,560 | 62,780 | 60,225 | 55,845 | 55,900 | 2022: e |
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Minerals Yearbook, country tables. Last checked 24 October 2026.
Showing 4 of 4
| Gold | Artisanal miners | Mines at Nanakanak | Not published | kilograms |
| Petroleum, crude | Adar Petroleum Operating Co. [China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC), 41%; Petronas Carigali Overseas Shd. Bhd., 40%; Nile Petroleum Corp. (Nilepet), 8%; China Petroleum and Chemical Corp. (Sinopec), 6%; Tri-Ocean Energy, 5%] | Adar oilfield, Melut Basin in Upper Nile State | 33,800 | Not published |
| Petroleum, crude | Greater Pioneer Petroleum Operating Co. [China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC), 40%; Petronas Carigali Overseas Shd. Bhd., 30%; ONGC Videsh Ltd., 25%; Nile Petroleum Corp. (Nilepet), 5%] | Fula and Palogue oilfields, Melut Basin in Upper Nile State | 28,000 | Not published |
| Petroleum, crude | Sud Petroleum Operating Co. [Petronas Carigali Overseas Shd. Bhd., 67.8%; ONGC Videsh Ltd., 24.2%; Nile Petroleum Corp. (Nilepet), 8%] | Block 5A, Muglad Basin in Unity State | 1,640 | Not published |
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Minerals Yearbook 2019, South Sudan. Last checked 24 October 2026.
What natural resources earn
Natural resource rents were 13.1% of GDP in 2015, with oil the largest part. That ranks South Sudan 18th of 54 African countries. See all 54.
View the data as a table
| Period | Oil | Minerals | Forests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 43.7 % | 0.0 % | 0.0 % |
| 2011 | 50.4 % | 0.0 % | 1.4 % |
| 2012 | 3.6 % | 0.0 % | 2.1 % |
| 2013 | 13.3 % | 0.0 % | 1.4 % |
| 2014 | 26.4 % | 0.0 % | 2.1 % |
| 2015 | 10.4 % | 0.0 % | 2.6 % |
| 2016 | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| 2017 | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| 2018 | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| 2019 | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| 2020 | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| 2021 | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| 2022 | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| 2023 | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| 2024 | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| 2025 | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| 2026 | Not published | Not published | Not published |
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators. Last checked 24 October 2026.
Forest, share of land (2024)
11.3 %
Arable land, share of land (2024)
3.8 %
Renewable fresh water per person (2022)
2,359 m³
Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators. Last checked 24 October 2026.
Method and sources
Oil, gas and coal output and coal reserves are from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Oil and gas proved reserves are the EIA figures republished by Our World in Data; oil is converted from cubic metres to barrels at the standard factor. World production, reserves and ranks are from the U.S. Geological Survey Mineral Commodity Summaries, ranked among the countries USGS names. The full list of commodities and the companies that mine them are from the USGS Minerals Yearbook country tables, which run a few years behind. Rents, land and water are from the World Bank, and export shares from UN Comtrade. Nothing is estimated by us. Figures last checked on 24 October 2026.
USGS country page for South Sudan. EIA international energy data. World Bank resource rents.
Frequently asked questions
What natural resources does South Sudan have?
South Sudan's main natural resources are crude oil. Oil, gas and coal made up 99.3% of its goods exports in 2025. The World Bank puts natural resource rents at 13.1% of GDP in 2015, mostly from oil.
Does South Sudan produce oil?
Yes. South Sudan produced about 112,658 barrels of crude oil a day in 2025, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
What is South Sudan's most valuable natural resource?
By export earnings, oil, gas and coal: 99.3% of goods exports in 2025, according to UN Comtrade.
How much do natural resources contribute to South Sudan's economy?
Natural resource rents, the value of resources extracted minus the cost of extracting them, were 13.1% of GDP in 2015. That ranks South Sudan 18th of 54 African countries.
Which companies mine in South Sudan?
The U.S. Geological Survey's 2019 list of South Sudan's mineral industry names 3 operating companies, including Adar Petroleum Operating Co. [China National Petroleum Corp., Greater Pioneer Petroleum Operating Co. [China National Petroleum Corp. and Sud Petroleum Operating Co. [Petronas Carigali Overseas Shd. Bhd., 67.8%; ONGC Videsh Ltd., 24.2%; Nile Petroleum Corp.. The full list is on this page.