Central Equatoria is a

state State most commonly refers to: * State (polity), a centralized political organization that regulates law and society within a territory **Sovereign state, a sovereign polity in international law, commonly referred to as a country **Nation state, a ...

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 ...

. With an area of , it is the smallest of the original South Sudanese states. Its previous name was Bahr al-Jabal (also Bahr-el-Jebel), named after a tributary of the

White Nile The White Nile ( ') is a river in Africa, the minor of the two main tributaries of the Nile, the larger being the Blue Nile. The name "White" comes from the clay sediment carried in the water that changes the water to a pale color. In the stri ...

that flows through the state. It was renamed Central Equatoria in the first Interim Legislative Assembly on 1 April 2005 under the government of Southern Sudan. Central Equatoria seceded from

Sudan Sudan, officially the Republic of the Sudan, is a country in Northeast Africa. It borders the Central African Republic to the southwest, Chad to the west, Libya to the northwest, Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the east, Eritrea and Ethiopi ...

as part of the Republic of South Sudan on 9 July 2011. The state's capital,

Juba Juba is the capital and largest city of South Sudan. The city is situated on the White Nile and also serves as the capital of the Central Equatoria, Central Equatoria State. It is the most recently declared national capital and had a populatio ...

, is also the national capital of

. On October 2, 2015, the state was split into three states: Jubek, Terekeka, and Yei River. The state of Central Equatoria was re-established by a peace agreement signed on 22 February 2020.

Administrative divisions

Central Equatoria, like other states in South Sudan, is subdivided into counties, which are further divided into Payams, then Bomas. Each county is led by a County Commissioner, appointed by the State

Governor A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...

in consultation with the President. They are: *

Juba County Juba County is an administrative area in Central Equatoria state, South Sudan. It is the largest county in Central Equatoria and one of the largest in the region of Equatoria. Its county seat is Juba, the national capital of the South Sudan. It ...

* Lainya County *

Morobo County Morobo is one of the six Counties of South Sudan, counties in Central Equatoria state, South Sudan. Morobo County borders Uganda and Congo. The county is mainly occupied by Kakwa language (Africa), Kakwa speaking people, Keliko people, Keliko and ...

Terekeka County Terekeka County is an administrative division of Central Equatoria in South Sudan. It is the capital of surrounding Mundari and Boma counties. It lies on both the east and west bank of the White Nile north of Juba The word "Terekeka" is a combinati ...

* Yei River County * Kajo Keji County * * * *major cities and towns of central equatoria * * * *

, Kajo Keji, Liria, Mongalla, Wonduruba, Rokon, Tali, Terekeka, Yei, Ji-Menze, Tombek, Tindilo, Kaya, Muni, Morobo, and Rijong. The major border crossing to the neighboring

Democratic Republic of the Congo The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), also known as the DR Congo, Congo-Kinshasa, or simply the Congo (the last ambiguously also referring to the neighbouring Republic of the Congo), is a country in Central Africa. By land area, it is t ...

is at Dimo, a village in the state.

Demographics

Major tribes of Central Equatoria have included the

Bari Bari ( ; ; ; ) is the capital city of the Metropolitan City of Bari and of the Apulia Regions of Italy, region, on the Adriatic Sea in southern Italy. It is the first most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy. It is a port and ...

, Mandari, Pojulu, Kakwa, Keliko,

Kuku Kuku may refer to: People * Emir-Usein Kuku (born 1976), Crimean Tatar human rights defender * John Dean Kuku (born 1963), Solomon Islands politician * Kuku people, an ethnic group in South Sudan * Kuku Yulanji, an Aboriginal people of the Dai ...

, Lugbara, Avukaya, Baka, Nyangwara, Adio, and Lulubo. Minor tribes have included the Nyepo in Northern Kajo Keji County and the Lokoya along the

Nimule Nimule is a city in the southern part of South Sudan in Magwi County, Eastern Equatoria. It lies approximately , by road, southeast of Juba, the capital of South Sudan and largest city in the country. The town also lies approximately , by road, n ...

Road. Erasto Gonda, Senior Folklore Officer for Central Equatoria's information ministry, further detailed the State's demographics:

Culture and languages

Due to the

South Sudanese Civil War The South Sudanese Civil War was a multi-sided civil war in South Sudan fought from 2013 to 2020, between forces of the government and opposition forces. The civil war caused rampant human rights abuses, including forced displacement, ethnic mas ...

, the state's culture was heavily influenced by the countries neighboring South Sudan. Many South Sudanese fled to

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 ...

Kenya Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. ...

and

Uganda Uganda, officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered to the east by Kenya, to the north by South Sudan, to the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the south-west by Rwanda, and to the ...

, where they interacted with the nationals and learned their languages and culture. Most of those who remained in the country or went north to

and

Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...

assimilated into Arab culture. It is also worth noting that most South Sudanese diaspore kept the core of their culture even while in exile. Traditional culture is highly held and great attention is given to knowing one's origin and dialect. Although the common languages spoken are

Juba Arabic Juba Arabic (, ; ), also known since 2011 as South Sudanese Arabic, is a lingua franca spoken mainly in Equatoria Province in South Sudan, and derives its name from the South Sudanese capital, Juba. It is also spoken among communities of people ...

and English, Swahili began to be introduced to the population to improve the country's relations with its

East Africa East Africa, also known as Eastern Africa or the East of Africa, is a region at the eastern edge of the Africa, African continent, distinguished by its unique geographical, historical, and cultural landscape. Defined in varying scopes, the regi ...

n neighbors. Many people from Central Equatoria use English, Kiswahili, Juba Arabic, their dialect, or a mixture of the languages mentioned. Map Sudan BaD Juba

Government

Directly before Central Equatoria split up into three separate states in 2015, the government was as shown: *Governor – Juma Ali Malou *Deputy Governor – Sarah Nene Redento

Advisors

# Angelo Daya Loku, peace and security (SSOA) # David Wani, Economic affairs (IO) # Jacob Gore Samuel, Legal Affairs (IG) # JeniferYobu, Human Rights (IG) # Mariam A. Zachariah, Fever and social welfare (IG)

Ministers

# Hon. Wayi Godwin Edward, Minister of Cabinet Affairs (IO) # Hon. Moro Isaac Geneios, Minister of Local Government and Law Enforcement (SSOA) # Hon. Gerald Francis Nyukuye, Minister of Peace Building (IG) # Hon. Taban Emmanuel Baya, Minister of parliamentary and Legal Affairs (IO) # Hon. Andruga Mabe Severio, Minister of Information and Communication (OPP) # Hon. Rita Dominic Lado, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports (IG) # Hon. Diana Susu Hassan, Minister of Finance, Planning, and Investment ( IG) # Hon. Wani Tom Sebit, Minister of Trade and Industry (IG) # Hon. Lily Kufuki Paul, Ministry of Agriculture, Environment, and Forestry (SSOA) # Hon. Alex Latio Elia, Minister of Animal Resources, Fisheries and Tourism (IG) # Hon Peter Lujo Yospeta, Minister of Cooperative and Rural Development (IO) # Hon. Flora Gabriel Modi, Minister of Housing, Land and Public Utilities (IG) # Hon. Mawa A. Moses, Minister of Roads and Bridges (IG) # Hon. Modi John Molla, Minister of Labor, public services and Human Resource (IG) # Hon. Nejua Marsha, Minister of Heath (IG) # Hon. Cirisio Zachariah, Minister of General Education and Instruction (IO) # Hon. Bullen Soro Amos, Minister of Gender, Child and Social Welfare (IG)

Independent Commissions

# George Wani Elia, Anti- corruption (IO) deputized by Kenyi Abiaso # Asio Moses John, employees justice chamber (IO) deputized by Huda Michael Laila # Marino Michael Sebit, HIV/AIDS (SSOA) # Felix Lado Johnson, PRC (IG) deputized by Amal Suleiman # Isaac Wuri Eluni, Human Rights (IG) deputized by Emmanuel kose Wani (IO) # Henry Kala Sabuni, Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation (IG) deputized by Amule Barnabas Lemi

County commissioners

# Hon. Charles Joseph Wani,

(SSOS) # Hon. Aggrey Cyrus, Yei River County (IG) # Hon. Joseph Mawa,

(IG) # Hon. James Lino Malou Anok,

(IO) # Hon. Emmauel Khamis Richard, Lainya County (IG) # Hon. Kenyi Erasto Michael, Kajo Keji County (IO)

Climate

References

* * Interview with Erasto Gonda 'Tribes Of Central Equatoria

* 'GLOBAL: Protect rights of minorities to avoid conflict, NGO urges.

* 'Violence, Sacrifice, and Chiefship in Central Equatoria Southern Sudan.

External links

Video of Equatorians Abroad

Equatorians Abroad

UNHCR Sudan Operations: Sudan/Chad situation update 42, 8 Dec 2005
describing name change
State Government Profile
{{South Sudan political divisions Central Equatoria, States of South Sudan