Western 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 ...

. It has an area of . The state capital is

Yambio Yambio is a city in South Sudan. Location The City is located in Yambio County, Western Equatoria State, in southwestern South Sudan, close to the Democratic Republic of the Congo–South Sudan border, border with the Democratic Republic of the ...

. The state was divided into counties, each headed by a County Commissioner. Western 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 1956. On October 2, 2011, the state was divided into

Amadi Amedi or Amadiye (; ; ) is a town in the Duhok Governorate of Kurdistan Region of Iraq. It is built on a mesa in the broader Great Zab river valley. Amedi is known for its celebrations of Newroz. Etymology According to ibn al-Athir, the Arab ...

Maridi Maridi is a town in South Sudan. Location Maridi is located in Maridi County, Western Equatoria, near the international border between South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This location lies approximately , by road, west of Jub ...

, and

Gbudwe Gbudwe Bazingbi (c.1835, also called Yambio) was the Azande King in South Sudan from 1870–1905. His real name was Mbio, which means "a kind of small antelope", but he renamed himself "Gbudwe", also written as Gbudue, meaning "to tear out ...

states, and

Tambura State Tambura 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 th ...

was split from Gbudwe State on 14 January 2015. Western Equatoria was re-established by a peace agreement signed on 22 February 2020.

History

Since the 16th century, Western Equatoria has been a home to the Avokaya, Azande,

Baka Baka, baká or BAKA may refer to: Ethnicities and languages * Baka people (Cameroon and Gabon), an African ethnic group * Baka people (Congo and South Sudan), an African ethnic group * Baka language, a dialect cluster of Cameroon and Gabon * Baka ...

, Moru,

Mundu The mundu (Malayalam: ; ) is a garment worn around the waist in the Indian states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, the Lakshadweep archipelago, and the Indian Ocean island nation of Maldives. It is closely related to sarongs like dhotis and lungis ...

, and

Balanda Balanda may refer to: Places *Kalininsk, Saratov Oblast, Russia, named Balanda until 1962 * Balanda River, Russia, a tributary of the Medveditsa *BALANDA, code for Lieutenant Vicente Landaeta Gil Air Base, an air base in Venezuela People * Balan ...

. The

Mahdist Revolt The Mahdist War (; 1881–1899) was fought between the Mahdist Sudanese, led by Muhammad Ahmad bin Abdullah, who had proclaimed himself the "Mahdi" of Islam (the "Guided One"), and the forces of the Khedivate of Egypt, initially, and later th ...

of the 1880s destabilized the nascent province, and

Equatoria Equatoria is the southernmost region of South Sudan, along the upper reaches of the White Nile and the border between South Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Juba, the national capital is the largest city in South S ...

ceased to exist as an Egyptian outpost in 1889. Important settlements in Equatoria included Lado, Gondokoro, Dufile, and Wadelai. European colonial maneuverings in the region came to a head in 1898, when the Fashoda Incident occurred at present-day Kodok; Britain and France almost went to war over the region. 1In 1947, British hopes to join South Sudan with Uganda, while leaving Western Equatoria as part of Belgian Congo, were dashed by the Juba Conference to unify North and South Sudan. In the middle of the twentieth century, after Sudan's independence in 1956, Western Equatorians sacrificed their lives for over 5 decades in movements for the independence of South Sudan. This includes the

Anya Nya The Anyanya (also spelled Anya-Nya) were a southern Sudanese separatist rebel army formed during the First Sudanese Civil War (1955–1972). A separate movement that rose during the Second Sudanese Civil War were, in turn, called Anyanya II. ''Any ...

led by Joseph Lagu and the

Sudan People's Liberation Army/Movement The South Sudan People's Defence Forces (SSPDF), formerly the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), is the military force of South Sudan. The SPLA was founded as a guerrilla movement against the government of Sudan in 1983 and was a key parti ...

(SPLA/M), led by

John Garang John Garang De Mabior (June 23, 1945 – July 30, 2005) was a Sudanese politician and revolutionary leader. From 1983 to 2005, he led the Sudan People's Liberation Army/Movement (SPLA/M, Now known as South Sudan People's Defense Forces) as a co ...

de Mabior, as they envisioned New Sudan. Western Equatoria was also known as the breadbasket state for liberators during both civil wars. Western Equatoria was separated from its sister state of Eastern Equatoria, becoming a province in 1976, and the two Equatoria provinces were once again inaugurated into 3 statehoods of Western Equatoria, Central Equatoria, and Eastern Equatoria in the midst of the 1990s. Hence, there was a plan to reunify the 3 sister states back into regions after the implementation of South Sudan's federal system. But many suggested the three states should remain in place with each governor, while having a governor general to oversee the Greater Equatoria region.

Counties

There are 10 counties in Western Equatoria: *

Yambio County Yambio County is an administrative Counties of South Sudan, county of Western Equatoria State, South Sudan. Climate of Yambio References

Counties of Western Equatoria Yambio County, {{SouthSudan-stub ...

Capital:

Nzara County Nzara County is a county in Western Equatoria State, South Sudan. It was part of Yambio county before South Sudan's independence. History Nzara County was part of Western Equatoria State when South Sudan became independent. Nzara County became ...

Capital: Nzara *

Ibba County Ibba County is one of 10 county administrative area in Western Equatoria State, 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 ...

Capital: Ibba *

Ezo County Ezo County is an administrative area in Western Equatoria State, 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 th ...

Capital:

Ezo is the Japanese term historically used to refer to the people and the lands to the northeast of the Japanese island of Honshu. This included the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, which changed its name from "Ezo" to "Hokkaidō" in 1869, Nu ...

Maridi County Maridi County is an administrative area in Western Equatoria, South Sudan. It borders Mvolo County to the north-east, Mundri West County, Mundri West County to the east and Ibba County to the west. It also borders Lakes (state), Lakes State (Wulu C ...

Capital:

* Tombura County Capital: Tombura *

Mundri West County Mundri West County is a small administrative area in Western Equatoria, 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 Ethiopi ...

Capital: Mundri *

Mvolo County Mvolo County is an administrative area in Western Equatoria State, South Sudan. Climate of Mvolo County References

Counties of Western Equatoria {{SouthSudan-stub ...

Capital: Mvolo *

Nagero County Nagero County is one of the 10 counties of Western Equatoria, a state of 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 Ethio ...

Capital: Nagero *

Mundri East County Mundri East County is an administrative area in Western Equatoria, 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 ...

Capital: Kedi'ba Other important towns in Western Equatoria are: Nagero, Duma, Namutina, Jambo, Rasul,

Lui ''Lui'' (; ) is a French adult-entertainment magazine created in November 1963 by Daniel Filipacchi, a fashion photographer turned publisher, Jacques Lanzmann, a jack of all trades turned novelist, and Frank Ténot, a press agent, pataphys ...

, Tore, Muroko, Manguo, Mambe, Kotobi, Yarri, Farak Sika, Madebe, Bangasu, Rimenze, Bazungua, Makpandu, Nadiangere, Kua Diko, Ri-Rangu,

Nabiapai Nabiapai is a border town located near the Democratic Republic of the Congo–South Sudan border. History LRA raided and looted Nabiapai on 22 March 2008. LRA invaded the town on 26 December 2008 during the 2008 Christmas massacres, stealing go ...

, Gangura, Birisi, Ndoromo, Bangazagino, Sangua, Basukangbi Ringasi, Diabio, Yangiri, Ri-Kuangba, Bafuka, Naandi, Andari, Ri-Yubu, Mopai, and Sakure.

Governor of Western Equatoria

* 1976 – 1982:

Barnaba Kisanga Barnaba is an Italian masculine given name. It is a New Testament name which means "son of the prophet". It may refer to: *Barnaba Cagnoli, 14th-century Italian friar from Vercelli *Barnaba da Modena, Italian painter of the mid-14th century Lomba ...

* 1982 – 1984: Charles Ali Bilal * 1984 – 1984:

Samuel Abu-John Kabbashi Samuel is a figure who, in the narratives of the Hebrew Bible, plays a key role in the transition from the biblical judges to the United Kingdom of Israel under Saul, and again in the monarchy's transition from Saul to David. He is venerated a ...

**Lasted 7 days only on first term** * 1984 – 1985:

James Bazia James may refer to: People * James (given name) * James (surname) * James (musician), aka Faruq Mahfuz Anam James, (born 1964), Bollywood musician * James, brother of Jesus * King James (disambiguation), various kings named James * Prince James ...

* 1985 – 1987: Brig.

Dominic Kassiano Dombo Dominic, Dominik or Dominick is a male given name common among Roman Catholics and other Latin-Romans. Originally from the late Roman-Italic name "Dominicus", its translation means "Lordly", "Belonging to God" or "of the Master". The most promi ...

* 1987 – 1989: Raphael Zamoi * 1989 – 1991: Brig. Dominic Dabi Monango * 1994 – 2005: ''Due to war in the state, multiple Commissioners/Governors Governed based in Khartoum, Sudan'' * 2005: Maj. General

Patrick Zamoi Patrick Zamoi was the Governor of South Sudan’s Western Equatoria State when the State was divided into 6 different states then later appointed as the Governor of then Tombura State. Controversy Patrick Zamoi has been accused of using Presiden ...

''(Lasted 6–7 months only on first term)'' * 2005 – 2008:

(''Died in office)'' * 2008 – 2010:

Jemma Nunu Kumba Jemma Nunu Kumba (born 1966) is a South Sudanese politician. She is the former Minister of Gender, Child and Social Welfare of South Sudan. She founded the Sudan women Parliamentary Caucus in 2004 at the start of the comprehensive peace agreement ...

* 2010 – 2015: Col. Joseph B. Bakosoro * 2015: Maj. General

(''Served until the state was divided into multiple states, then served as Governor of Tombura State until Western Equatoria State was restored back to a single state)'' * 2015–2020: ''(State broken up; 6

successor state Succession of states is a concept in international relations regarding a successor state that has become a sovereign state over a territory (and populace) that was previously under the sovereignty of another state. The theory has its roots in 19th ...

governors)'' * Since 2020: Maj. General

Alfred Futiyo Karaba Alfred Futiyo Karaba is the current Governor of western Equatoria State of 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 Ethi ...

Economy and demographics

The economy of Western Equatoria is largely agricultural, with high-quality timber being one of its most important products. Western Equatoria region is the home of the

Moru people Moru is an ethnic group of South Sudan. Most of them live in Western Equatoria. They speak Moru language, Moru, a Central Sudanic languages, Central South Sudanic language. Many members of this ethnicity are Christians, most being members of the Pr ...

, the Zande,

Avukaya The Avukaya are an ethnic group of South Sudan. Some members of this ethnic have fled to the Democratic Republic of the Congo due to persecution. About 50,000 members of this ethnic group live in South Sudan. Many members of this ethnic group bel ...

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 ...

, Bongo, Jur Beli and Jur Mananger tribes.Gurton
Azande
Retrieved: 22 September 2010

References

External links

*
Equatorians Abroad Video of Equatorians Abroad
{{South Sudan political divisions Western Equatoria States of South Sudan

History

Counties

Governor of Western Equatoria

Economy and demographics

See also

References

External links