Unreached peoples of South Sudan
An overview of the country's people groups, focusing on those who still have little or no access to the gospel in their own language and culture.
In South Sudan, Joshua Project identifies 80 ethnic groups, of which 6 are still considered unreached by the gospel, totaling about 681,000 people. Among them are Muslim Arab communities living in the country (such as the Mongalla Arabs and the Sudanese Arabs), the Daasanach people, the deaf community (treated as a separate group due to the communication barrier), the Njalgulgule and the Nyangatom. Even though most of the population identifies as Christian, many groups live out this faith mixed with traditional African beliefs, and entire peoples, especially those of Arab Muslim origin and isolated border communities, remain without real access to the gospel.
- 5.6% Unreached (681K)
- 2% Minimally reached (240K)
- 3% Superficially reached (369K)
- 37.5% Partially reached (4.5M)
- 51.9% Significantly reached (6.3M)
- 7.5% Unreached (6)
- 7.5% Minimally reached (6)
- 3.8% Superficially reached (3)
- 67.5% Partially reached (54)
- 13.8% Significantly reached (11)
Source of people group data: Joshua Project (joshuaproject.net). Estimates, may vary.
Source: Joshua Project. Estimates, may vary.
| People | Population | Language | Evang. | Chr. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jumjum Berin | 107K | Jumjum | 0.9% | 2.6% |
| Sudanese Arab Frontier | 21.8M | Sudanese Arabic | 0.1% | 0.4% |
| Mongallese Arabs | 238K | Juba Arabic | 0.2% | 2% |
| Daasanach | 117K | Daasanach | 1.3% | 2.3% |
| Toposa Frontier | 381K | Toposa | 1.9% | 84% |
| Ageer | 25K | Northeastern Dinka | 1.5% | 15% |
| Deaf Frontier | 27.5M | Pakistan Sign Language | 1.8% | 3.7% |
| Njalgulgule | 2K | Njalgulgule | 1% | 4% |
| Murle | 201K | Murle | 1.5% | 10% |
| Ethiopian Amhara | 29.3M | Amharic | 1.2% | 96.6% |
| Tennet | 12K | Tennet | 2% | 8% |
| Opo | 11K | Opo | 2% | 10% |
| Komo | 53K | Komo (Sudan) | 2.4% | 9.9% |
| Aja Ajagbe | 300 | Gbaya | 2% | 6% |
| Dongotono | 5K | Dongotono | 2% | 95% |
| Narim Lariminit | 7K | Laarim | 2.2% | 20% |
| Bai Bari | 7K | Bai | 3% | 14% |
| Logir | 16K | Logir | 3% | 78% |
| Okolie | 17K | Okolie | 3% | 75% |
| Morokodo | 47K | Morokodo | 3% | 15% |
| Uduk | 69K | Uduk | 3% | 20.8% |
| Suri | 9K | Kacipo-Bale Suri | 3.1% | 4.1% |
| Olubogo | 36K | Olu'bo | 3.4% | 20.6% |
| Homa | 5K | Sudanese Arabic | 4% | 5% |
| Imotong | 17K | Imotong | 4% | 80% |
| Lango | 30K | Lango (South Sudan) | 4% | 85% |
| Dhr Thuri | 7K | Thuri | 4% | 14% |
| Kaligi | 26K | Feroge | 4% | 20% |
| Pari | 78K | Pari | 4% | 12% |
| Kresh | 52K | Gbaya | 4.7% | 26.2% |
| Maaban | 97K | Mabaan | 5% | 15% |
| Gweri | 1K | Mo'da | 5% | 15% |
| Kuku | 303K | Kuku | 5% | 73.2% |
| Indri | 700 | Indri | 5% | 25% |
| Viri | 250K | Belanda Viri | 5% | 15% |
| Belanda Bor | 26K | Belanda Bor | 5% | 16% |
| Bug Mangayat | 700 | Gbaya | 5% | 20% |
| Yulu | 23K | Yulu | 5.6% | 43.8% |
| Nyamusa-Molo | 2K | Nyamusa-Molo | 6% | 18% |
| Lopid | 118K | Lopit | 6% | 20% |
| Kuku Bari | 32K | Bari | 6% | 70% |
| Jur Modo | 212K | Jur Modo | 6% | 15% |
| Biykol | 600 | Komo (Sudan) | 6% | 10% |
| Ndogo | 57K | Ndogo | 6.2% | 57.2% |
| Avukaya | 155K | Avokaya | 6.4% | 75.4% |
| Bongo | 21K | Bongo | 7% | 45% |
| Lokoya | 86K | Lokoya | 7% | 20% |
| Tara Baaka | 75K | Baka (South Sudan) | 7.4% | 66.5% |
| Lotuho | 307K | Otuho | 7.5% | 45% |
| Bari | 825K | Bari | 7.6% | 94.7% |
| Beli Jur Beli | 88K | Beli (South Sudan) | 8% | 40% |
| Moru | 235K | Moru | 8% | 70.1% |
| Buldit | 7K | Opo | 8% | 15% |
| South-Central Dinka | 787K | South Central Dinka | 8% | 80% |
| Reel Atwot | 114K | Reel | 8% | 14% |
| Kakwa Bari Kakwa | 625K | Kakwa | 8.6% | 69.3% |
| Mondari Chir | 66K | Mandari | 9% | 75% |
| Central Dinka | 55K | South Central Dinka | 9% | 14% |
| Luwo | 260K | Luwo | 10% | 35% |
| Mundu | 32K | Mundu | 10.1% | 37.6% |
| Kaliko | 69K | Keliko | 10.2% | 48.1% |
| Shilluk | 540K | Shilluk | 11% | 40.1% |
| Di’dinga | 101K | Didinga | 12% | 18% |
| Northwestern Dinka | 94K | Northwestern Dinka | 12% | 65% |
| West Central Banda | 14K | West Central Banda | 15% | 38.2% |
| Southwestern Dinka | 1.3M | Southwestern Dinka | 16% | 79% |
| Northeastern Dinka | 886K | Northeastern Dinka | 17% | 80% |
| Southeastern Dinka | 943K | Southeastern Dinka | 18% | 75% |
| Koguru | 3K | Boguru | 19.4% | 40% |
| South Central Banda | 162K | Mid-Southern Banda | 20% | 74.1% |
| Ma’adi | 444K | Ma'di | 20.2% | 91.5% |
| Nyangatom | 61K | Nyangatom | 23.4% | 28.8% |
| Azande | 3.6M | Zande | 29.1% | 91.4% |
| Banda Togbo-Vara | 67K | Banda Togbo-Vara | 33% | 89% |
| Anuak | 340K | Anuak | 36.4% | 51.5% |
| Banda-Mbres | 78K | Banda-Mbres | 36.5% | 66.4% |
| Banda-Ndele | 60K | Banda-Ndele | 39.1% | 78.4% |
| Acholi | 2.5M | Acholi | 40.1% | 96.7% |
| Banda-Banda Banda-Ndi | 164K | Banda-Banda | 43% | 85.5% |
| Nuer | 1.8M | Nuer | 84.8% | 89.9% |
Intercede for South Sudan and its peoples
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