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South Sudan’s government is a representative democracy, and its president, Salva Kiir, has been in office since South Sudan’s independence in 2011. The president is head of the government and country, and also is in charge of the military. South Sudan’s congress is composed of 2 houses, the Upper House and the Lower House, similar to the United State’s Congress. The Upper House’s representatives are voted in by the people, and the Lower House’s representatives are chosen by the president. The country’s capital is located in Juba.

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This is the Preamble of South Sudan. It states what the main goals of South Sudan are and who and what they were established for. It states, “We, the People of South Sudan, Grateful to the Almighty God for giving the people of South Sudan the wisdom and courage to determine their destiny and future through a free, transparent and peaceful referendum in accordance with the provisions of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, 2005…Do hereby, through this Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly, amend the Interim Constitution of Southern Sudan, 2005, which shall be adopted and hereafter referred to as the ‘Transitional Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan, 2011,’ and shall be the supreme law by which the independent and sovereign South Sudan shall be governed during the Transitional Period, and undertake to abide by, respect and defend it.”

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South Sudan’s economy is very weak, and mostly relies on oil and agriculture for exports. Oil is the main export from South Sudan, but it sends it out through pipelines in it’s parent country Sudan. Agriculture is becoming a source of economic growth, and is slowly becoming more popular as a way of making a living. South Sudan relies on imports from surrounding countries like Uganda. Nepotism, unfair political favoring, and corruption cause economic deficiencies.

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The South Sudanese Pound is the official currency of South Sudan. It’s current exchange rate is 1SSP to 0.15USD. The Bank of South Sudan started as a branch of Bank of Sudan called the Bank of Southern Sudan, but is now completely governed by South Sudan.

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South Sudan originated as a region of Sudan. Sudan’s northern-based government was mistreating them and unfairly favoring the northern portion of the country, and it was almost as if the southern portion was forgotten. This part of Sudan finally became enraged enough to start fighting against their parent country, but the conflict, the First Sudanese Civil War, was stopped after then-Sudanese President Gaafar Nimeiry made peace with the separationists. The war lasted from 1955 – 1972. Sudan and southern Sudan has risen tensions yet again when Islamic extremists pressured President Nimeiry to force everyone to convert to Islam. Southern Sudan became enraged yet again, and fought the Second Sudanese Civil War from 1983 – 2005. Finally, in 2011, South Sudan officially seceded from Sudan.

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Tensions between Sudan and South Sudan began to lower once South Sudan had broken off. In March of 2013, oil trade between the countries reopened. And, as you are reading this, child soldiers being held captive in Sudan and South Sudan are being freed and assisted by UNICEF.

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The majority of people in South Sudan are Christian, especially because religion was one of the main causes of South Sudan wanting to separate. Even though Christianity is the majority, Muslims are not necessary uncommon. Many Christians attend weekly services as a tradition. A small amount of people in South Sudan practice animist traditions, and during harvest season, witch doctors make animal and crop sacrifices to have healthy foods.

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In South Sudan, most people eat simple, home cooked local meals. Diets can differ by region, but fish, meat and milk are very common foods throughout. In some regions, sorghum and millet are very common, too. Many people in South Sudan  eat traditional foods, too. For example, bamya is a stew made from okra, a plant that looks like a jalepeno but contains seed pods like edamame. Khudra is a stew made from a plant similar to spinach, and kisra is a thin flatbread made from a paste of flour. According to CultureGrams, “mangoes, papaya, guavas, bananas, tomatoes, okra, carrots, onions, eggplants, beets, cucumbers, pineapples, and oranges” are all types of produce that are grown and are eaten in South Sudan.  Water is the most common beverage, but marisa, a beer made from sorghum, is native to and popular in South Sudan.

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Most families in South Sudan are male-oriented, and majorly based on a patriarchy, with the exception of the Maban people. Usually, around 3 generations of a family live in the same household. Polygamy is a common practice in South Sudan, and many men have around 2 or 3 wives. Wealthier men can afford usually up to 30 wives. Divorce is very uncommon, and is not even officially recognized by South Sudan laws. Men can father many children in their lifetime, and the more wives they have, usually the more kids they have. Children start to look after their younger siblings around age 5 or 6, which would be considered extremely young in American standards. Between ages 7 - 10, children start to learn and help to start fires. This would also be the age where children start to do “chores”, like sweeping the floors. Parents raise their children to be very well behaved, and in South Sudan, children are representations of their parents: if they are well behaved, their parents are good and vice versa.

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Art in South Sudan is very diverse. Most tribes have their own artistic traditions, but they all have similarities. For example, some common types of art are pottery, beadworks and woven items. Usually, women make art whereas men go to work and are usually considered “breadwinners” of the family. Necklaces, bracelets and corsets are commonly made from beads. Pots are commonly made from clay and baskets from a fiber found in South Sudan called sisal.

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Younger Generations bring new traditions

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Younger Generations bring new traditions

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Younger generations in South Sudan are creating new traditions. For example, James Aguer is a face painter who brings awareness about important issue like poverty through his art. Also, younger people in South Sudan who have been exposed to western culture like to mix hip-hop with traditional folk songs.

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South Sudan has a very hot climate. Temperatures can range from 71 - 92 degrees. In the rainy season, from April to October, temperatures can hang around the lower end of the normal. Rainfall is more common in the south than it is in the north. Elephants, lions, and zebras are all animals that can be found in South Sudan because they can endure the harsh conditions.

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South Sudan is located north of Uganda and Kenya, west of Ethiopia, east of the Central African Republic, and south of Sudan hence it’s name. South Sudan boasts 644,329 sq km of total area, and is about the size of Texas. A swamp called The Sudd is an important geographical feature of South Sudan. It is formed by a river called the White Nile and covers over 15% of the country’s total land.

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Telecommunications are very limited in South Sudan. Only around 24 out of 100 people have cell phones. South Sudan has one of the least developed telephone system in the world, and only 1 in 100 people have landlines (home phones). Almost no one has internet in South Sudan, and there is no dedicated or government-run postal service available. TV is controlled by the government, although private radio is available through broadcasts in other countries.

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Many people in South Sudan ride motorbikes dubbed “boda bodas.” People who don’t own boda boda’s usually own bicycles. Wealthier people might drive cars or trucks. Taxis are available in urban areas.