State of South Sudan from 2015 to 2020
State in Wau, South Sudan
Wau State
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Location of Wau State in South Sudan
|
Country
| South Sudan
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Capital
| Wau
|
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Number of Counties
| 11
|
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? Governor
| [1]
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? Total
| 431,230
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Wau State
was a state in
South Sudan
that existed between 2 October 2015 and 22 February 2020.
[2]
It was located in the
Bahr el Ghazal
region, and was part of the former state of
Western Bahr el Ghazal
. Wau State bordered
Aweil State
,
Gbudwe State
,
Gogrial State
,
Lol State
, and
Tonj State
.
[3]
History
[
edit
]
Before Wau state was formed, its territory was part of the former state of
Western Bahr el Ghazal
. On 2 October 2015, President
Salva Kiir
issued a decree establishing 28 states in place of the 10 constitutionally established states.
[4]
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.
[5]
In November the South Sudanese parliament empowered President Kiir to create new states.
[6]
Elias Waya Nyipuoc
was appointed as the governor for the state on 24 December 2015.
[7]
After the outbreak of
major clashes
betweening government forces and
Fertit
militias in 2016, however, Waya was replaced by Andrea Mayar Achor on the orders of President Kiir.
[8]
Mayar Acho was sacked in September 2017. He was succeeded by Angelo Taban Biajo as governor.
[1]
On 22 February 2020, a peace deal ending the
South Sudanese Civil War
reverted the 28 states back to the original ten states, with Wau being reincorporated back into Western Bahr el Ghazal.
Geography
[
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]
Wau State is located in the
Bahr el Ghazal
region and it borders
Aweil
to the north,
Gogrial
to the northeast,
Gbudwe
to the south,
Lol
to the west, and
Tonj
to the east.
[3]
Demographics
[
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]
Wau State is ethnically diverse,
as it lies on the tribal border between the
Dinka
and
Fertit peoples
, who constitute the region's majority.
[10]
Furthermore, numerous ethnic minorities live in the state, such as
Luo
,
[11]
[12]
Jur Modo
/
Jur Beli
,
Balanda Boor
/
Balanda Bviri
,
[11]
[12]
Ndogo
, Keresh,
and
Nuer
.
[13]
As of 2013, ethnic groups reported were Balanda, Azande, Bongo, Gollo, Ndogo, and Bai. Balanda made up the large ethnic group.
[14]
Law and government
[
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]
The capital of Wau State is the city of
Wau
. The city of Wau is located on the
Jur River
in the state, and it is the second largest city in the country with an estimated population of 151,320 people in 2008.
[15]
Wau, South Sudan has its
own airport
, and the city is located 650 kilometers (404 miles) from
Juba
, the capital.
[16]
Administrative divisions
[
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]
After South Sudan was divided into 28 federated states in 2015, the newly constituted Wau State was divided into 8 counties. Each county also received a county commissioner.
[17]
Later Wau State announced an additional three counties by the Council of States of South Sudan, adding the total number to 11.
[18]
- Former
Jur River County
:
- Kangi; headquarters: Kangi
- Kuarjina; headquarters: Kuarjima (Kuajena)
- Marial Baai; headquarters: Nyin Adok
- Odechy; headquarters: Odechi (Udici)
- Roc Roc Dong; headquarters: Roc Roc Dong
- Wan-Baai; headquarters: unknown
- Alel-Thony; headquarters: unknown
- Alur; headquarters: unknown
- Former
Wau County
:
- Bagari; headquarters: Bagari
- Bazia; headquarters: Bazia (Kpaile)
- Busalia; headquarters: Busalia
References
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Bibliography
[
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]