- Under Australian law, the customs of scarification and tattooing are legal provided that the person is over 18 and has given his or her consent for it.
- Many traffic laws common throughout industrialised nations do not apply in South Sudan. South Sudanese migrants often have to adapt to an entirely new system of licensing and road rules.
- Many families have at least one family member in the military and it is normal to hear people address one another as “comrade” in South Sudan (reflecting the communist roots of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army).
- Some South Sudanese community members are former soldiers.
- Drinking alcohol is frowned upon in South Sudan. Few people drink socially, and those who do are often considered ‘drunkards’ even if they do not drink excessively. Alcohol may be more popular among some of the younger generation. However, it is often thought to bring shame on a family. For the Dinka and Nuer, drinking is especially stigmatised for females.
Other Considerations
Cultural Competence Program
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South Sudan
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Population13,026,129[July 2017 est.]
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LanguageEnglish (official)Arabic (includes Juba and Sudanese variants)Many regional languages include Dinka, Nuer, Bari, Zande and Shilluk
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ReligionChristian (majority)AnimistNote: Demographics unavailable.
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EthnicityDinka (35.8%)Nuer (15.6%)Others including Shilluk, Azande, Bari, Kakwa, Kuku, Murle, Mandari, Didinga, Ndogo, Bviri, Lndi, Anuak, Bongo, Lango, Dungotona, Acholi, Baka, Fertit[2011 est]Note: Demographics and statistics on the ethnic make-up of South Sudan are rough estimates.
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Australians with South Sudanese Ancestry13,059 [Census, 2016]
South Sudanese in Australia
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Population7,699[Census, 2016]This figure refers to the number of Australian residents that were born in South Sudan. However, this census data does not accurately reflect true community affiliations. As the majority of people who identify as South Sudanese were technically born in the Republic of Sudan before the division of the two countries, many list “Sudan” as their birthplace and consequently get categorised as North Sudanese. However, community leaders estimate that there are more than 20,000 South Sudanese people in Australia.
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Median Age27[Census, 2016]
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GenderMale (53.1%)Female (46.8%)[Census, 2016]
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ReligionCatholic Christianity (38.9%)Anglican Christianity (32.1%)Christianity [not defined] (5.9%)Presbyterian and Reformed Christianity (5.9%)Other Religion (11.5%)No Religion (2.3%)Not Stated (3.0%)[Census, 2016]
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AncestrySouth Sudanese (49.8%)Sudanese (16.7%)African [so described] (12.8%)Dinka (6.4%)Other Ancestry (14.3%)[Census, 2016]
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Language Spoken at HomeDinka (50.7%)Arabic (20.3%)Nuer (7.3%)Bari (4.4%)Other Languages (16.3%)Of those who speak a language other than English at home, 84.4% speak English fluently.[Census, 2016]
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DiasporaVictoria (35.7%)Queensland (18.6%)Western Australia (15.6%)New South Wales (12.7%)Other (7.4%)[Census, 2016]
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Arrival to AustraliaPrior to 2007 (70.6%)2007 - 2011 (18.0%)2012 - 2016 (9.1%)[Census, 2016]
