States of South Sudan
Category	Federated state
Location	South Sudan
Number	10 states 2 administrative areas 1 area with special administrative status
Government	State government
Subdivisions	County

Politics of South Sudan
Constitution
Executive President Salva Kiir Mayardit Vice Presidents Riek Machar Taban Deng Gai James Wani Igga Rebecca Nyandeng De Mabior Hussein Abdelbagi Government Cabinet of South Sudan
Legislature Council of States Speaker: Deng Deng Akon National Legislative Assembly Speaker: Jemma Nunu Kumba
Judiciary Supreme Court
Administrative divisions States and administrative areas Governors Counties Payam Cities Boma
Elections Recent elections General: 2010 2024 Referendums: 2011 Political parties
Foreign relations Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister: Mayiik Ayii Deng Diplomatic missions of / in South Sudan Nationality law Passport Visa requirements Visa policy
Related topics Human rights United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA)
Other countries
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The States of South Sudan were created out of the three historic former provinces (and contemporary regions) of Bahr el Ghazal (northwest), Equatoria (southern), and Greater Upper Nile (northeast). The states are further divided into 79 counties.

In October 2015, South Sudan's President Salva Kiir Mayardit issued a decree establishing 28 states in place of the 10 that was previously established.^[1] The decree established the new states largely along ethnic lines.^{[citation needed]} A number^[who?] of opposition parties challenged the constitutionality of this decree and the decree was referred to parliament for approval as a constitutional amendment.^[2] In November, the South Sudanese parliament approved the creation of the new states.^[3] In January 2017, President Salva Kiir stated a decreed of further subdivision of the country from 28 into 32 states.^[4]

In February 2020, as a result of a peace agreement that ended the South Sudanese Civil War, the country returned to the original 10 states plus two administrative areas, Greater Pibor and Ruweng, and the special administrative status area of Abyei.^[5][6][7]

As a result of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement signed in 2005, the Abyei Area is considered to be simultaneously part of the Republic of Sudan and the Republic of South Sudan, effectively a condominium. The Kafia Kingi area is disputed between South Sudan and Sudan and the Ilemi Triangle is disputed between South Sudan and Kenya.

Ten states and three areas (2020–present)

Under the terms of a peace agreement signed on 22 February 2020, South Sudan is divided into ten states, two administrative areas and one area with special administrative status.^[8] The states and administrative areas are grouped into the three former historical provinces of the Sudan: Bahr el Ghazal, Equatoria, Greater Upper Nile. Each state is headed by a Governor and administrative areas are led by Chief Administrators.

Flag	State or area	Capital	Governor or Chief Administrator	Population (2010)[9]	Area (km2)[9]	Density (/km2)	Region
	Northern Bahr el Ghazal	Aweil	Tong Aken Ngor	820,834	30,543.30	26.87	Bahr el Ghazal
	Western Bahr el Ghazal	Wau	Sarah Cleto Rial	358,692	91,075.95	3.94	Bahr el Ghazal
	Lakes	Rumbek	Rin Tueny Mabor[10]	782,504	43,595.08	17.95	Bahr el Ghazal
	Warrap	Kuajok	Gen. Kuol Muor Muor[11]	1,044,217	45,567.24	22.92	Bahr el Ghazal
	Western Equatoria	Yambio	Alfred Futiyu	658,863	79,342.66	8.30	Equatoria
	Central Equatoria	Juba	Emmanuel Adil Anthony	1,193,130	43,033.00	27.73	Equatoria
	Eastern Equatoria	Torit	Louis Lobong Lojore	962,719	73,472.01	13.10	Equatoria
	Jonglei	Bor	Denay Jock Chagor	1,228,824	80,926.00	TBD	Greater Upper Nile
	Unity	Bentiu	Joseph Monytuil	399,105	TBD	22.79	Greater Upper Nile
	Upper Nile	Malakal	Budhok Ayang Kur[12]	1,013,629	77,283.42	13.12	Greater Upper Nile
	Abyei Area	Abyei	Kuol Deim Kuol	124,390	10,546.00	TBD	Bahr el Ghazal
	Greater Pibor Area	Pibor	Lokali Amae Bullen[13]	214,676	41,962.00	TBD	Greater Upper Nile
	Ruweng Area	Pariang	Stefano Wieu Mialek[14]	246,360	TBD	TBD	Greater Upper Nile

32 states (2017–2020)

On 14 January 2017, President Kiir issued a presidential decree that increased the number of federal states from 28 to 32.

• The now defunct Eastern Nile State was split into 2 individual states, Central Upper Nile State with Malakal as its capital city and Northern Upper Nile State with Renk as its capital city.
• Akobo State was formed and split from Bieh State, with Akobo as its capital. It comprises Akobo county in the Greater Upper Nile Region.
• Maiwut State was formed and split from Latjoor State in the Greater Upper Nile Region retaining Koma, Longuchuk, and Maiwut counties.
• Tambura State was formed and split from Gbudwe State, with Tambura as its capital. It comprises Tambura and Nagero counties in the Equatoria Region.

List

The 32 states were as follows:^[15]

Note:

^* - includes Bari, Lokoya and Nyangwara communities

28 states (2015–2017)

1. – containing the national capital city of Juba
2. – earlier called Eastern Bieh
3. – earlier called Western Bieh
4. – earlier called Western Nile

10 states (2011–2015)

Flag	State	Capital	Population (2010)[9]	Area (km2)[9]	Density (/km2)	Region
	Northern Bahr el Ghazal	Aweil	820,834	30,543.30	26.87	Bahr el Ghazal
	Western Bahr el Ghazal	Wau	358,692	91,075.95	3.94	Bahr el Ghazal
	Lakes	Rumbek	782,504	43,595.08	17.95	Bahr el Ghazal
	Warrap	Kuajok	1,044,217	45,567.24	22.92	Bahr el Ghazal
	Western Equatoria	Yambio	658,863	79,342.66	8.30	Equatoria
	Central Equatoria	Juba	1,193,130	43,033.00	27.73	Equatoria
	Eastern Equatoria	Torit	962,719	73,472.01	13.10	Equatoria
	Jonglei	Bor	1,443,500	122,580.83	11.78	Greater Upper Nile
	Unity	Bentiu	645,465	37,836.39	17.06	Greater Upper Nile
	Upper Nile	Malakal	1,013,629	77,283.42	13.12	Greater Upper Nile
	South Sudan	Juba	8,923,553	644,329.37	13.85

SPLM-IO declaration

On 22 December 2014, leader of the SPLM-IO and former vice president Riek Machar declared the 10 states of South Sudan dissolved and the formation of 21 new states in a federal system. The declaration was not recognised by the South Sudanese government.^[16] The Sudan Tribune reported on 1 January 2015 that Machar appointed "military governors" for several of his declared states.^[17] These states became defunct when the SPLM-IO joined the unity government formed by the R-ARCSS in February 2020.