Information about South Sudan Statistic: The MDG Challenges, Demographic and Poverty Situation, The population is currently estimated to be around 7.5 million with around 4.5 million either internally displaced (4.0 million) or taking refuge in the neighbouring countries (0.5 million), with almost the entire population (98 percent) living in the rural areas. The population density is approximately 16 persons per square kilometre. More than 70 percent of total area (0.75 million square ilometres) of South Sudan is considered to be of high potential.