Lakes State Jieng/Belle | |
|---|---|
 Flag  Seal | |
 Location in South Sudan. | |
| Coordinates:06°46′N28°53′E / 6.767°N 28.883°E /6.767; 28.883 | |
| Country |  South Sudan |
| Region | Bahr el Ghazal |
| State | Jul 9th 2011 |
| Capital | Rumbek |
| Government | |
| • Type | Revitalized Transitional government |
| • Governor | Rin Tueny Mabor |
| Area | |
• Total | 43,595.08 km2 (16,832.15 sq mi) |
| Population (2017 estimate[1]) | |
• Total | 1,053,177 |
| • Density | 24/km2 (63/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (CAT) |
| HDI (2019) | 0.348[2] low ·6th of 10 |
Lakes State is astate inSouth Sudan. It has an area of 43,595.08 km2.Rumbek is the capital of the state. Lakes is in theBahr el Ghazal region of South Sudan, in addition toNorthern Bahr el Ghazal,Western Bahr el Ghazal, andWarrap states. Bahr el Ghazal itself was a former province which was split from the Anglo-Egyptianmudiriyat, orprovince ofEquatoria in 1948. The eastern border was theWhite Nile withJonglei State on the opposite bank. To the northeast lied theUnity State. Other borders includedWarrap State towards the northwest,Western Equatoria to the south and west, andCentral Equatoria to the south.
In July 2011,Ramciel in Lakes state was under consideration by the federal government as a site for a new national capital, which would replaceJuba.[3]
Like all states in South Sudan, Lakes was divided into counties; there were eight counties, each headed by a County Commissioner.
| County | Area (km2) | Population Census 2008 | County Commissioner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Awerial | 4,659.10 | 47,041 | Simon Jok (SPLM) |
| Cueibet | 4,823.56 | 47,041 | Akol Isaiah (SPLM-IO) |
| Rumbek North | 4,531.13 | 43,410 | Arop Kumbai |
| Rumbek Central | 3,866.85 | 153,550 | Dut Manaak (SSOA) |
| Wulu | 11,700.60 | 40,550 | Stephen Thiang Mangar |
| Rumbek East | 3,588.10 | 122,832 | Mangar Machuol Malok (SPLM) |
| Yirol West | 5,024.84 | 103,190 | Achieng Anhiem Bahon (SPlM-IO) |
| Yirol East | 5,588 | 67,402 | Manyang Luk(SPLM ) |
The counties are further divided intoPayams, thenBomas.
Lakes State was disestablished in October 2015 due to South Sudan's PresidentSalva Kiir Mayardit issuing a decree establishing 28 states in place of the 10 previously established states.[4] As a result, the states ofEastern Lakes,Gok andWestern Lakes were created. Lakes state was re-established by a peace agreement signed on 22 February 2020.[5]
Cattle raids were persistent in the Lakes State, between the Republic of Sudan and the former rebel group SPLA/M, since the CPA was signed in 2005. Human rights journalist Manyang Mayom reported heavily on government oppression in the Lakes State; his work won him theHuman Rights Watch Award on August 4, 2010. Mayom was expelled from the Warrap State in November 2021 for his work in that region with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).[6]
| South Sudan political divisions | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bahr el Ghazal |
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| Equatoria |
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| Greater Upper Nile |
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