Map of the ethnic groups of South Sudan
South Sudan is populated by about 64 ethnic groups. The Dinka are the largest ethnic group recorded, followed by the Nuer as the second largest tribe in South Sudan, the Shilluk follows as the third in number. it's disputed that Bari is 4th according to their territory which is Juba county. Zande, also known as Azande, are the fifth largest tribe in South Sudan with a total population of 100,000 followed by Balanda with a population of 80,000.
While composed of many ethnic groups, the Fertit in Lol State have formed a unique identity.
Ethnic Group
Size
Region
Language
Language Family
Acholi
30,000-50,000[ 1]
Equatoria (Imatong State )
Southern Luo (Acholi dialect )
Nilotic
Aja
300
Bahr el Ghazal (Western )
Aja
Central Sudanic
Anuak
100,000[ 2]
Greater Upper Nile (Boma State )
Anuak
Nilotic
Atuot
100,000[ 3]
Bahr el Ghazal (Eastern Lakes State )
Reel
Nilotic
Avukaya
50,000[ 4]
Equatoria (Maridi State )
Avokaya
Central Sudanic
Bai
6,300
Bahr el Ghazal
Bai
Ubangian
Baka
25,000-30,000[ 5]
Equatoria (Maridi State )
Baka
Central Sudanic
Balanda Boor
40,000-50,000[ 6]
Bahr el Ghazal (Wau State ), Equatoria (Tambura State )
Belanda Bor
Nilotic
Balanda Bviri
Bahr el Ghazal
Belanda Viri
Ubangian
Banda
22,500
Bahr el Ghazal
Ubangian
Bari
672,000
Equatoria (Jubek State )
Bari
Nilotic
Binga
Bahr el Ghazal (Lol State )
Central Sudanic
Bongo
19,000
Bahr el Ghazal
Bongo
Central Sudanic
Boya (Larim)
20,000-25,000[ 7]
Equatoria (Kapoeta State )
Laarim
Surmic
Burun (Maban)
100,000[ 8]
Greater Upper Nile (Maban County )
Burun
Nilotic
Didinga
150,000[ 9]
Equatoria (Kapoeta State )
Didinga
Surmic
Dinka
4,500,000[ 10]
Bahr el Ghazal , Greater Upper Nile
Dinka
Nilotic
Dongotono
120,000[ 11]
Equatoria (Eastern )
Dongotono
Nilotic
Gbaya/Kerish
Bahr el Ghazal (Western )
Gbaya/Kerish
Ubangian
Gollo
Bahr el Ghazal
Golomo
Ubangian
Ifoto
Equatoria
Lotuko [ 12]
Nilotic
Imatong
16,000
Equatoria
Lotuko [ 13]
Nilotic
Indri
600
Bahr el Ghazal (Lol )
Indri
Ubangian
Jiye
Greater Upper Nile (Boma )
Nilotic
Jur Beli
100,000[ 14]
Bahr el Ghazal
Beli
Central Sudanic
Jur Mananger
20,000-30,000[ 15]
Bahr el Ghazal
Nilotic
Kakwa
134,000
Equatoria (Yei River State ) 450,000 to 480,000
Kakwa
Nilotic
Kaligi (Feroghe)
23,000
Bahr el Ghazal
Kaligi
Ubangian
Kara
Bahr el Ghazal
Tar Gula
Central Sudanic
Keliko
27,000
Equatoria (Yei River State )
Keliko
Central Sudanic
Ketebo
45,000
Eastern Equatoria State
Oketeboi and Lokathan
Nilotic
Kuku
30,000-35,000[ 16]
Equatoria (Kajo-Keji County )
Kutuk na Kuku
Nilotic
Lango
25,000-30,000[ 17]
Equatoria (Imatong State )
Lango
Nilotic
Logir
15,000
Equatoria
Lotuko [ 18]
Nilotic
Lokoya
30,000[ 19]
Equatoria (Jubek State and Imatong State )
Lokoya
Nilotic
Lopit
25,000-30,000[ 20]
Equatoria (Imatong State )
Lopit
Nilotic
Lugbara
15,000-25,000[ 21]
Equatoria (Yei River State )
Lugbara
Central Sudanic
Lotuko (Otuho)
70,000[ 22]
Equatoria (Imatong State )
Otuho
Nilotic
Lulubo
30,000-40,000[ 23]
Equatoria (Jubek State and Imatong State )
Olu’bo
Central Sudanic
Luwo (also known as Jur Chol)
60,000-70,000[ 24]
Bahr el Ghazal
Jur or Luo
Nilotic
Madi
30,000
Equatoria (Imatong State )
Ma'di
Central Sudanic
Makaraka (Adio)
Equatoria
Mangayat
Bahr el Ghazal (Lol State )
Mangaya
Ubangian
Morokodo
40,000[ 25]
Equatoria
Morokodo
Central Sudanic
Moru
80,000-100,000[ 26]
Equatoria (Maridi State )
Moru
Central Sudanic
Mundari
70,000-100,000[ 27]
Equatoria (Terekeka State )
Mundari
Nilotic
Mundu
50,000-60,000[ 28]
Equatoria (Maridi State )
Mündü
Ubangian
Murle
300,000-400,000[ 29]
Greater Upper Nile (Boma State )
Murle
Surmic
Ndogo
40,000[ 30]
Bahr el Ghazal
Ndogo
Ubangian
Ngulgule
1,900
Bahr el Ghazal
Nyolge
Daju
Nuer
2,000,000
Greater Upper Nile
Nuer
Nilotic
Nyangatom
11,000
Equatoria (Ilemi Triangle )
Nyangatom
Nilotic
Nyangwara
25,000-30,000[ 31]
Equatoria (Jubek State and Terekeka State )
Bari
Nilotic
Pari
11,000[ 32]
Equatoria (Imatong State )
Päri
Nilotic
Pojulu
75,000[ 33]
Equatoria (Jubek State and Yei River State )
Bari
Nilotic
Sere
10,000[ 34]
Bahr el Ghazal
Sere
Ubangian
Shilluk
500,000[ 35]
Greater Upper Nile (Fashoda State )
Shilluk
Nilotic
Suri (Kichepo)
30,000[ 36]
Greater Upper Nile (Boma State )
Baale
Surmic
Tennet
25,000-30,000
Equatoria (Imatong State )
Tennet
Surmic
Thuri (Shatt)
70,000[ 37]
Bahr el Ghazal
Thuri
Nilotic
Toposa
274,000
Equatoria (Kapoeta State )
Toposa
Nilotic
Uduk
9,700
Greater Upper Nile (Northern Upper Nile State )
Uduk
Koman
Yulu
2,500
Bahr el Ghazal
Yulu
Central Sudanic
Zande (Azande)
878,000
Equatoria
Zande
Zande