Sudan Histomap خريطة تاريخ السودان

Chapters › Independence to today · South Sudan – Upper Nile

Republic of South Sudan

2011 CE – present Arabic under review

Approximate area of control ≈ approximate

  1. OpenHistoricalMap contributors (2026) Sudan / South Sudan admin_level=2 relations (2801037, 2926748, 2926753, 2801039, 2801038; earlier 2690845, 2831546, 2926749, 2961763, 2961762, 2803203) link [high]
  2. Natural Earth (2022) Admin 0 – Breakaway, Disputed Areas 1:10m v5.1.1 link [medium]
  3. Natural Earth (2022) Admin 0 – Breakaway, Disputed Areas 1:10m v5.1.1 link [medium]

Key events

Capitals / sites

Juba

Geopolitics

South Sudan became independent on 9 Jul 2011, 'Africa's 54th country' (WB_SSD_OVERVIEW2026, 2026; UNMISS was created the day before by UNSC1996, 2011-07-08). Relations with Sudan broke down over oil: in Apr 2012 South Sudanese forces seized the disputed Heglig/Panthou oilfield, which the BBC says housed about half of Sudan's oil output and is internationally recognised as Sudanese; the UN Security Council demanded an end to fighting (BBC_HEGLIG2012, 2012-04-13; ST_HEGLIG2012, 2012-04-12) [VERIFY]. Civil war broke out in Dec 2013 (ICG2014, 2014) and again in 2016 (WB_SSD_OVERVIEW2026); in Juba on 8–11 Jul 2016 government SPLA and SPLA-IO forces fought, and Riek Machar fled the city (OHCHR_JUBA2017, 2017-01-16) [VERIFY]. One statistical estimate puts crisis-attributable excess deaths Dec 2013–Apr 2018 at about 382,900, roughly half violent [SINGLE-SOURCE: LSHTM2018; VERIFY]. The R-ARCSS was signed on 12 Sep 2018 (RARCSS2018) and a Revitalised Transitional Government of National Unity formed on 22 Feb 2020 (ACCORD2020, 2020; WB_SSD_OVERVIEW2026). The World Bank says the transition was extended to Feb 2027 and implementation is 'uneven' (unified forces, permanent constitution), and that Sudan's war 'continues to place immense pressure' on the country [SINGLE-SOURCE: WB_SSD_OVERVIEW2026].

Culture

The 2011 Transitional Constitution defines South Sudan as 'multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, multi-lingual, multi-religious and multi-racial' (Art 1(4)); all indigenous languages are 'national languages' to be 'respected, developed and promoted', while English is the official working language and the language of instruction at all levels (Art 6); religion and state are separate (Art 8) (TCRSS2011, 2011-07-09) [VERIFY: text read in search excerpts of the official PDF]. This reverses the Arabic-medium schooling pushed in the south under Sudan (see abboud-military-regime; UNESCO_MGIEP_SSD). During the 2012 Heglig crisis, MPs in Juba answered President Kiir with ruling-party slogans and 'war songs used during the two-decade civil war' (BBC_HEGLIG2012, 2012-04-13) [VERIFY]. No source read gives language or ethnic population shares; none are stated.

Economy

South Sudan took most of the former Sudan's oil but exports it through Sudan's pipelines. Oil dependence is given as differing estimates: 98% of the budget (BBC_SHUTDOWN2012, Jan 2012) vs 95% of government revenue, 99% of exports and about half of GDP (IMF_CR14345 fn 1, 2014-12-02) [both VERIFY]. In Jan 2012, in a dispute over transit fees, it shut down all production, which had been about 330,000 b/d [SINGLE-SOURCE: IMF_CR14345 para 3; VERIFY]; the World Bank warned of currency depreciation and 'stagflation' (WB_SSEB2012, Apr 2012) [VERIFY]. Sudan's 2023 war hit the export route: Dar Blend crude congealed in the Petrodar line on 10 Feb 2024 when diesel could not reach a pumping station, followed by a major rupture and force majeure (REUTERS_PIPE2024, 2024-03-25; SAS_OIL2024) [VERIFY; force-majeure date reported variously]. The World Bank says FY25 output fell sharply after the DAR pipeline shutdown, recovering to 157,000 b/d in early FY26 under a security agreement to protect Sudan's export infrastructure; FY25 food-proxied inflation averaged 234%, salary arrears reached 8–13 months by Jan 2026, and extreme poverty rose from 84% (2024) to 87% (2025) [SINGLE-SOURCE: WB_SSD_OVERVIEW2026].

Regional power

Research in progress We have not yet read a source for this section. It will be added once one is checked; nothing is filled in by guesswork.

Open data flags

Sources

  1. UNESCO MGIEP Education Systems in Post-conflict contexts: Case Study of South Sudan link [en]
  2. World Bank South Sudan – Overview (country page) link [en]
  3. World Bank South Sudan Economic Brief, Issue No.1 link [en]
  4. IMF Republic of South Sudan: 2014 Article IV Consultation – Staff Report (Country Report 14/345), para 3 and fn 1 link [en]
  5. BBC News South Sudan shuts oil output amid export row with Sudan link [en]
  6. BBC News UN demands immediate end to Sudan oilfields fighting link [en]
  7. Sudan Tribune South Sudan shuts down oil production in the disputed border area of Heglig link [en]
  8. OHCHR / UNMISS Report on violations and abuses ... in the context of the fighting in Juba, South Sudan, in July 2016 link [en]
  9. Checchi et al., London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Estimates of crisis-attributable mortality in South Sudan, December 2013–April 2018 link [en]
  10. Republic of South Sudan Transitional Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan, 2011 – Arts 1(4), 6, 8 link [en]
  11. Reuters Sudan war causes stoppages on South Sudan oil pipeline, officials say link [en]
  12. Small Arms Survey (HSBA) Sudan's Oil Sector During the 2023–24 War (Situation Update) link [en]
  13. UN Security Council (2011) Resolution 1996 (2011) [UNMISS] United Nations link [en]
  14. International Crisis Group (2014) South Sudan: A Civil War by Any Other Name (Africa Report 217) ICG link [en]
  15. IGAD (text via Peace Accords Matrix, Univ. of Notre Dame) (2018) Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan IGAD link [en]
  16. ACCORD, Conflict Trends (2020) The Formation of the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity in South Sudan ACCORD link [en]
  17. Wikipedia contributors South Sudan Wikipedia link [en]
  18. Wikipedia contributors South Sudanese Civil War Wikipedia link [en]

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