|  The
Republic of the South-Sudan is
located in the southern part of the Republic of Sudan - as shown on
the satellite map (courtesy NASA) at the left side of this paragraph.
The government of Sudan formally recognizes the new republic according
to the borders white line at the middle-bottom
of the map at the left side of this paragraph, which is the borderline
existing on January 1, 1956 - the date of Sudan's independence
from UK and Egypt.
Total area: 835,270 sq. km / Approximately one third
of previous area territory of Sudan prior to the partition.
Bordering
countries: Central African Republic
over 780 km, The Republic of Sudan over
1,508 km, The Democratic Republic of the Congo over
628 km, Egypt over 1,273 km, Eritrea over
605 km,
Ethiopia over 820 km, Kenya
over 232 km, Libya over 383 km, Uganda
over 435 km
Coastline: The Republic of South-Sudan is a landlocked
country. This would be one of the many handicap to "hindering" the developing
of the country at least for the coming decade after the independence (July 9,
2011)
Population: 13,079,814 (2008- 2009 census).
Population growth rate: 2.64%
(2009).
Ethnic groups: Black 97%,
Arab 2% other 1%
Religions:
Indigenous traditional belief system: 55%, Christian 43% and about 2% Sunni Muslims.
Capital: Juba
Independence from Sudan: July 9,
2011
National holiday: Independence Day: July 9
Constitution: An overwhelming
majority of South Sudanese voted in a January 2011 referendum to secede and a
new interim constitution was ratified by the National Legislative Assembly on
July 7, 2011.
Natural resources: petroleum; small reserves
of iron ore, copper, chromium ore, zinc, tungsten, mica, silver, gold, hydropower
Agricultural productions: cotton, groundnuts,
sorghum, millet, wheat, Arabic gum, sesame; sheep
Industrial
productions: cotton ginning, textiles, cement, edible oils, sugar, soap
distilling, shoes, petroleum refining
For decades, dating from the independence from UK and Egypt on January 1, 1956,
the successive Sudan's governments, dominated by Sunni Muslims,
relentlessly ruled and acted to imposing the Muslim law of Sharia upon the Southern
region's inhabitants who are Christians or African traditional religion practitioners.
Consequently, southerners staged revolts to resist, that led to a lengthy civil
war (1983- 2001) between Northerners, and South's rebels groups - the most important
one being the one led by John Garang - that is the Sudan People's Liberation
Movement / Army.
The civil war claimed more than 2 million people and dislodged more than
4 million people from their home in the southern part of the country.
The war had also, in many ways, hampered the economic development of the country.
For instance, there are chronic shortages for almost all categories of skilled
employment because education and training have not been developed accordingly;
and bulk of industrial investment and infrastructure - except for the new oil
sector - dated back to the 1980's. The private sector's main areas of activity
are agriculture and trading.
 The
Sudanese government worked with foreign partners - Malaysia, China, and western
countries companies, to develop the oil sector. The production level is currently
at the date of writing this brief (July 2011) producing approximately 400,000
barrels per day as per the graph at the left side courtesy of USA's
Energy Information Administration
WEALTH AND POWER SHARING AGREEMENT
Beginning of year 2004, Government and Rebels reached a Wealth
Sharing Agreement, that stated that southern Sudan oil revenues will be shared
between the government and the southern rebels, during a transitional period
of 6 years following the signing of a comprehensive peace agreement. In fact,
the Agreement gave South-Sudan economic independence.
Finally, on July 9, 2005 the Sudanese (Northern) Government led by Umar al-Bashir
and John Garang' Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army (S.P.L.M./A.) signed
a Comprehensive
Peace Agreement (C.P.A.). A consecration for John Garang fight for the dignity
and economic sovereignty of Southerners. John Garang, was sworn in as First Vice
President, while Umar al-Bashir retained the presidency of Africa’s largest
country in a new Sudanese government of national unity.
John Garang died on July 30, 2005 in a copter accident. Click
here for John Garang's biography. And Sylva Kiir took over the destiny of
South Sudan, leading the new republic to independence on July 9, 2011.
NOW WHAT?
The government of Sudan, was the first to recognize, at midnight Friday 8, 2011,
the independence of South Sudan proclaimed in Juba, on July 9, 2011.
 So,
apparently the partition had been completed in good atmosphere between Sudan's
government and
the new state led by Sylva Kiir.
The near future would give more precision
about the relationship between the two entities as oil production, transportation
and export may become a big apple discord.
Indeed, 90% percent of the production come from wells located in the south, but
the export pipelines are north oriented - from the wells in South-Sudan to Port
Sudan - as shown on the image at the left side of this paragraph.
South Sudan's authorities are planning for a new south oriented export pipeline
to the port of Mombassa in Kenya. What would be the reaction of Sudan's authorities?
The near future would tell.
SOUTH-SUDAN AUTHORITIES FACE A HUGE NATION BUILDING TASK
In the new country of South-Sudan, everything from schools, roads, administration
and other infrastructure such as telephone network, hospitals and everything
else have to be built and structured from scratch.
This is doubtless, an interesting country
and nation building case study. A huge task that would lead to prosperity of
sheer poverty depending on the capacity of the new country's leaders to deliver
using new technology and innovation in energy production and resources management,
to bridging the developing gap
The Developing
Strategy here outlined that links together agriculture development, industrial
development (using crops as raw materials to producing food stuffs and other
industrial products), and services's expansion can be useful to boost the economic
development and create riches for all in South-Sudan - in a very short span of
time.
Click
here for dynamic news headlines on Sudan/ South-Sudan and here
for South Sudan's profile.
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Figures below outlined have been compounded before the partition between South
Sudan and Sudan on July 9, 2011.
| Years |
2000 |
2002 |
2005 |
2008 |
2010 |
| GDP - billion US$ |
9.95 |
11.40 |
12.70 |
14.06 |
15.54 |
| Percent Increase |
14.5 |
11.39 |
9.9 |
10.5 |
11.2 |
Click
here for the difference between GNP and Parity Purchasing Power
GNP-composition
by sector
-
agriculture:
37%
- industry:
18%
- services:
45%
Exports:
US$ 13.620 billion
(fob, 2008) US$
Commodities:
cotton, sesame,
livestock, groundnuts, crude oil, Arabic gum
Exports
- partners: China 82.1%, Japan 8.4%, UAE 2.5%, Saudi
Arabia 4.9% (2007)
Imports:
US$ 7.755 billion (fob, 2008)
Commodities:
foodstuffs, petroleum
products, manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, medicines and
chemicals, textiles.
Imports
- partners: China 27.9%, Saudi Arabia 7.5%, India 6.3%, Egypt 5.6%,
UAE 5.5%, Japan 4.2% (2007)
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Juba, the capital city, is connected to the international airport of Khartoum,
at Sudan, for regular flights to and from Middle East countries and Gulf
states. EgyptAir, Ethiopian Airways have regular schedule to and from
Khartoum.
South-Sudan is also connected to Sudan through the lengthier railways
track in Africa; 5,311 km of disparate gauging:
a- 4,595 km of of narrow gauge;
b- 1.067 km of 1m gauge
c- and 716 km of 1.6096-m gauge.
South-Sudan is also linked to the existing
and efficient
waterways system: 5,310 km navigable with the following ports: Juba, Khartoum,
Kusti, Malakal, Nimule.
The closest port to the capital city of Juba is the harbor of Monbassa, in
Kenya.
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THE REPUBLIC OF THE SOUTH-SUDAN - BRIEFS
