Lavanya
South Sudan became the world’s newest nation, officially breaking away from Sudan after two civil wars over five decades that cost the lives of millions. South Sudan gained independence from Sudan on 9 July 2011 as the outcome of a 2005 peace deal that ended Africa’s longest-running civil war.
An overwhelming majority of South Sudanese voted in a January 2011 referendum to secede and become Africa’s first new country since Eritrea split from Ethiopia in 1993.
The new nation stands to benefit from inheriting the bulk of Sudan’s oil wealth, but continuing disputes with Khartoum and a lack of economic development cloud its immediate future.
South Sudan, officially the Republic of South Sudan, is a country in East Africa. Its capital and largest city is Juba, located in the southern state of Central Equatoria. The landlocked country is bordered by Ethiopia to the east; Kenya to the southeast; Uganda to the south; the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the southwest; and the Central African Republic to the west; and the Republic of Sudan to the north. South Sudan includes the vast swamp region of the Sudd formed by the White Nile, locally called the Bahr al Jabal.
What is now South Sudan was part of the British and Egyptian condominium of Anglo-Egyptian Sudan and became part of the Republic of Sudan when independence was achieved in 1956. Following the First Sudanese Civil War, the Southern Sudan Autonomous Region was formed in 1972 and lasted until 1983. A second Sudanese civil war soon developed and ended with the Comprehensive Peace Agreement of 2005. Later that year, southern autonomy was restored when an Autonomous Government of Southern Sudan was formed. South Sudan became an independent state on 9 July 2011 at midnight (00:00) local time following a referendum held in January 2011 in which nearly 99% of voters opted for separation from the rest of Sudan.
South Sudan has applied to join the Commonwealth of Nations, the East African Community, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank. The country was declared eligible to apply for membership in the Arab League as well. The United Nations Security Council plans to meet on 13 July 2011 to formally discuss membership for the Republic of South Sudan; and shortly thereafter, it is widely expected that the General Assembly will vote on a resolution to accept the new nation as the 193rd member state of the United Nations
States and counties
The ten states of South Sudan grouped in the three historical provinces of the Sudan.
Bahr el Ghazal
Equatoria
Greater Upper Nile
South Sudan is divided into ten states which correspond to three historical regions of the Sudan: Bahr el Ghazal, Equatoria, and Greater Upper Nile.
Bahr el Ghazal
- Northern Bahr el Ghazal
- Western Bahr el Ghazal
- Lakes
- Warrap
Equatoria
- Western Equatoria
- Central Equatoria (containing the national capital city of Juba)
- Eastern Equatoria
Greater Upper Nile
The ten states are further subdivided into 86 counties.
Geography
Formed from the 10 southern-most states of Sudan, South Sudan is a land of expansive grassland, swamps and tropical rain forest straddling both banks of the White Nile.
It is highly diverse ethnically and linguistically. Among the largest ethnic groups are the Dinka, Nuer and Shilluk.
Unlike the predominantly Muslim population of Sudan, the South Sudanese follow traditional religions, while a minority are Christians.
History
As Sudan prepared to gain independence from joint British and Egyptian rule in 1956, southern leaders accused the new authorities in Khartoum of backing out of promises to create a federal system, and of trying to impose an Islamic and Arabic identity.
In 1955, southern army officers mutinied, sparking off a civil war between the south, led by the Anya Nya guerrilla movement, and the Sudanese government.
The conflict only ended when the Addis Ababa peace agreement of 1972 accorded the south a measure of autonomy.
But, in 1983, the south, led by the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM) and its armed wing, the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA), again rose in rebellion when the Sudanese government cancelled the autonomy arrangements.
At least 1.5 million people are thought to have lost their lives and more than four million were displaced in the ensuing 22 years of guerrilla warfare. Large numbers of South Sudanese fled the fighting, either to the north or to neighbouring countries, where many remain.
The conflict finally ended with the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement, under which the south was granted regional autonomy along with guaranteed representation in a national power-sharing government.
The agreement also provided for a referendum in the south on independence in 2011, in which 99% of southern Sudanese voted to split from Sudan.
Economy
Long based on subsistence agriculture, South Sudan’s economy is now highly oil-dependent. While an estimated 75% of all the former Sudan’s oil reserves are in South Sudan, the refineries and the pipeline to the Red Sea are in Sudan.
Under the 2005 accord, South Sudan received 50% of Sudan’s oil proceeds, which provide the vast bulk of the country’s budget. But that arrangement was set to expire with independence.
Despite the oil wealth, South Sudan is one of Africa’s least developed countries. However, the years since the 2005 peace accord ushered in an economic revival and investment in utilities and other infrastructure.
Conflicts
Alongside the oil issue, several border disputes with Sudan continue to strain ties. The main row is over border region of Abyei, where a referendum for the residents to decide whether to join south or north has been delayed over voter eligibility.
The conflict is rooted in a dispute over land between farmers of the pro-South Sudan Dinka Ngok people and cattle-herding Misseriya Arab tribesmen.
Another source of conflict is the Nuba Mountains region of Sudan’s South Kordofan state, where violence continues between the largely Christian and pro-SPLA Nuba people and northern government forces.
Inside South Sudan, several rebel forces opposed to the SPLM-dominated government have appeared, including the South Sudan Liberation Army (SSLA) of Peter Gadet and a force led former SPLA general George Athor. Juba says these forces are funded by Sudan, which denies the accusation
Location and Size:
640,000 square km
Climate:
Equatorial climate with high humidity and lots of rainfall; rainy season varies from region to region but is generally between April and November.
Major Crops:
Cassava, Groundnuts, Sweet potato, Sorghum, Sesame, Maize, Rice, Finger Millet, Cowpea, Beans
Topography:
Southern Sudan is mainly plain interupted so often by hilly areas with thick equatorial vegetation. High areas generally reach altitudes of 2,000m above sea level.
Currency:
Sudanese Pound (SDG)
Language:
Official language is Arabic but English is the language of education and government business and is also widely spoken. There are also a number of indigeneous Southern Sudanese languages.
Capital:
Juba
Public Holidays:
January 1st – Independence day
January 9th – Peace Agreement Day
May 16th – SPLA Day
July 30th - Martyrs Day
December 25th – Christmas Day
December 26th – Boxing Day
Time:
GMT +3
Salva Kiir – the Southern Sudan President
The former rebel commander has guided his homeland of Southern Sudan through multiple challenges since a 2005 peace deal ended two decades of war with the north.
Since becoming the south’s leader later that year, much of his focus has been on ensuring the south’s referendum on full independence – the climax of that peace agreement – does take place.
As such, he has had to tread an often difficult line in negotiations with former enemies in the north.
Mr Kiir was also vice-president of all Sudan, but he has long supported full independence for the south.
In 2009, he made his feelings clear, saying: “The upcoming referendum is a choice between being a second-class in your own country, or a free person in your independent state.”
Garang’s shadow
His decision not to stand for national president in the April 2010 elections laid to rest any lingering doubts about whether he would back separation. Instead, he chose to seek a democratic mandate as leader of Southern Sudan – a position he had already held since the sudden death of his charismatic predecessor, John Garang.
He won an overwhelming majority, with many south Sudanese saying there are few others able to take his place.
Mr Kiir took over as southern leader and national deputy leader after Garang died in a helicopter crash in August 2005 – just three weeks after he had been sworn in as vice-president.
Mr Kiir was an important member of his inner circle and was military commander of the southern rebels, the Sudan Peoples’ Liberation Movement (SPLM).
He was involved in the early stages of negotiating the 2005 peace deal, which ended 21 years of civil war, and was already well-known to the government in Khartoum before becoming national vice-president.
An attempt to remove Mr Kiir as the movement’s army chief of staff almost caused a split in the SPLM in 2004. The trouble was averted only when Garang dropped the idea.
As a former rebel movement, Mr Kiir’s SPLM is still to show that it is ready to accept dissent.
The elections in the south were marred by widespread allegations of intimidation of those challenging official SPLM candidates.This raises fears that “New Sudan”, as it is sometimes called, under Mr Kiir may not be any more democratic than the old version.
Dream Dare Win
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