Boma State was a state in

South Sudan South Sudan (), officially the Republic of South Sudan, is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered on the north by Sudan; on the east by Ethiopia; on the south by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and Kenya; and on the ...

that existed between 2 October 2015 and 22 February 2020. It was located in the

Greater Upper Nile The Greater Upper Nile () is a region of northeastern South Sudan. It is named for the White Nile (it is its lowest portion in South Sudan), a tributary of the Nile River in North Africa, North and East Africa, East Africa. History The Greater ...

region and was formerly part of the state of

Jonglei Jonglei State is a state of South Sudan with Bor as its centre of government and the biggest city. Jonglei state comprises nine counties: Bor, Akobo, Ayod, Uror, Duk, Nyirol, Pigi, Twic East, and Fangak. Jonglei State is the largest s ...

. The state bordered

Akobo State Akobo was a state in South Sudan South Sudan (), officially the Republic of South Sudan, is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered on the north by Sudan; on the east by Ethiopia; on the south by the Democratic Republic of the ...

, Imatong State,

Jonglei State Jonglei State is a States of South Sudan, state of South Sudan with Bor, South Sudan, Bor as its centre of government and the biggest city. Jonglei state comprises nine counties: Bor District (South Sudan), Bor, Akobo County, Akobo, Ayod County, ...

, Kapoeta State, Bieh State, Terekeka State and the country of

Ethiopia Ethiopia, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country located in the Horn of Africa region of East Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the north, Djibouti to the northeast, Somalia to the east, Ken ...

to the east.

History

Before Boma State was created on 2 October 2015, the area existed as a special administrative unit under called Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA) which is headed by a Chief Administrator whose status is like that of state Governor. This came in an attempt to end the conflict that devastated Jonglei State for three years. The fighter demanded autonomy from Jonglei State government which marginalized the minorities such Murle, Anyuak, Jie and Kachipo. On 2 October 2015, President

Salva Kiir Salva Kiir Mayardit (born 13 September 1951), commonly known as Salva Kiir, is a South Sudanese politician who is the President of South Sudan since its independence on 9 July 2011. Prior to independence, he was the President of the Government ...

issued a decree establishing 28 states in place of the 10 constitutionally established states. The decree established the new states largely along ethnic lines. A number of opposition parties and civil society groups challenged the constitutionality of the decree. Kiir later resolved to take it to parliament for approval as a constitutional amendment. In November the South Sudanese parliament empowered President Kiir to create new states. Baba Medan Konya was appointed as the Governor for Boma State on 24 December 2015. In February 2018, David Yau Yau became the state's governor. The state was dissolved in 2020.

Geography

Boma State was located in the

region and it bordered the states of Akobo to the northwest, Imatong to the southwest, Kapoeta to the southeast,

to the west, and the country of

to the east. It hosted Boma National Park, one of the largest national parks in Africa.

Administrative divisions

After Boma State was created, the state's seven greater counties under Greater Pibor Administrative Area (GPAA) were further split up into fourteen local government administrative units. GPAA was a special administrative status given to the two former Jonglei counties of Pibor and Pochalla as a result of peace accord between the central government and Gen. David Yauyau led South Sudan Democratic Movement/Army, Cobra Faction in 2014. Under GPAA the number of counties were raised to seven; namely Pochalla North, Pochalla South, Pibor, Lekuangole, Gumuruk, Jebel Boma and Vertet. The fourteen counties of the former Boma State were Pibor North, Pibor South, Vertet, Liloth, Lilibok, Gumuruk, Lotila and Jebel Boma (all carved out of Pibor County), Pochalla, Adongo, Awetaballa, Burator, Otegu (carved out of Pochalla County) Counties. There are seven sub counties in the state. These sub counties were expected to either be upgraded into separate counties or demoted to return under the existing counties.

Towns and cities

The capital of the state was Pibor, South Sudan. The population of Pibor was estimated at less than 1,000 people in 2011. Another in the state of Boma include Pochalla, South Sudan, with lies directly on the border with Ethiopia. The town is about 470 kilometers (290 miles) from Juba via road.

References

{{coord missing, South Sudan Greater Upper Nile Former states of South Sudan