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Map of South Sudan |
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For the Sudanese supporting the cause of two long and bloody civil wars, the prayers were answered on July 9, 2011 at midnight. After a long-drawn-out struggle that saw over 1.5 million Sudanese dead, the state of South Sudan was finally formed and recognized.
| President | Salva Kiir |
| Capital | Juba |
| Population | 8.3 million (estimated) |
Salva Kiir became the first president of the country, and signed the constitution in the presence of UN secretary general Ban Ki-Moon.
Future Challenges
It must be noted that South Sudan has more natural resources and forests than its counterpart, which is more or less a desert. Of late, the southern region also saw rapid economic development.
At the time of the division, there was heavy infighting at the border areas, with thousands of people fleeing in terror. Sudan has withdrawn the citizenship from the southern Sudanese, and this remains a problem area to be resolved.
Many experts feel that the peace is transient and the countries might erupt with a new war, the undercurrents of which are already being felt.
