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Western Bahr el Ghazal is a state in South Sudan. It has an area of Template:Convert and as of 2020 has estimated 600,000 in population.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It is part of the Bahr el Ghazal region. Its capital is Wau. The state shared international borders with Sudan to the north and the Central African Republic to the west. The portion now occupied by Raga County (pronounced 'Raja') is the southern part of the historical region known as "Dar Fertit".

HistoryEdit

This state, and Raga County in particular, was the part of South Sudan that was most affected by the slave trade conducted by nearby Muslim sultanates from the 18th century on and by Mameluk Egypt in the second half of the 19th century, and Raga County is the only part of South Sudan with a significant number of Muslims and Arabs. In addition to the Baggara Arabs, another local Muslim ethnic group is the Feroghe (Feroge, etc.). Traditionally, the northern part of Raga County falls within the "Baggara belt", the 1400 kilometer wide section of the central Sahel in which cattle herding Arabic speaking tribes conduct seasonal nomadic migrations. When the slave trade soared in the 1860s and 1870s, the region's population shrank dramatically, plunging by 75 percent to about 400,000.Template:Sfn Depopulation was due to several factors all related to wars that were provoked by the upsurge in slaving promoted by Egypt, factors including: actual capture of inhabitants, emigration of refugees, and epidemics. The population according to the 2008 census was lower still. This may have been partly due to the second Sudanese civil war, 1983-1999, which devastated most of South Sudan, exacting a toll of two million dead civilians and hundreds of thousands of refugees.<ref>One of them, Naomi Baki, has released an autobiography in French in 2013, in which she describes her 10 years journey as a refugee from Raga to France. Naomi Baki, Je suis encore vivante, Le Cerf, 2013</ref>

During the Sudanese era power was controlled mainly by the Feroghe, including the NIF stalwart Ali Tamim Fartak, who ruled Western Bahr al-Ghazal from 1992 or 1993 until 1997.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He later served as governor of South Darfur,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> as Minister of Electricity and as Minister of Education.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Fartak currently leads the Islamic Movement for the Liberation of Raja.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In October 2015, Western Bahr el Ghazal was split into two new states, Lol State and Wau State, following an act by President Salva Kiir to establish 32 new states of South Sudan.

Following a peace agreement at the conclusion of the South Sudanese Civil War in 2020, Western Bahr el Ghazal was reestablished along with the rest of the original ten states of South Sudan. Kiir appointed Sarah Cleto Hassan as governor, and the only woman to be appointed of eight governors.

GeographyEdit

Western Bahr el Ghazal is situated in South Sudan's Bahr el Ghazal region, bordering Northern Bahr el Ghazal and Warrap to the west and Western Equatoria to the south. To the north it shares a border with the states of South Darfur and East Darfur in Sudan. To the west it shares a border with Haute-Kotto and Haut-Mbomou in the Central African Republic. It claims Kafia Kingi, though this is disputed by the government of Sudan, which asserts the area is a part of South Darfur. The Lol River crosses through the state.

DemographicsEdit

Local ethnic groups included the Luo, and Balanda Boor, Balanda Viri, Balanda Uoyu Juku (Balanda Viri, Balanda Bagari)( Balanda are one people settling in different locations hence Dem Zubier, Bagari, Bazia and Tambura are geographical names not tribal. they were found in both western Equatoria and Western Bahar El Ghazal states), Luo, Ndogo, Kresh, Bai, Baggara Arabs, and many others. Despite the common element "Balanda" in their names, the first two ethnicities are not related. Despite frequent mentions of the existence of a "Fertit people" in Western Bahr el Ghazal, there is no such people.Template:Sfn

AdministrationEdit

The Governor of Western Bahr el Ghazal serves as the state's chief executive. As of 2024, Emmanuel Parimo Okello is the incumbent governor, replacing Sarah Cleto Hassan.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Template:As of, the ministers of various departments included the following:

CountiesEdit

Template:See also Western Bahr el Ghazal is divided into three counties.

File:Map of Western Bahr el Ghazal.png
County map of Western Bahr el Ghazal
File:Train Sudan towards Wau.jpg
Train in Western Bahr el Ghazal
County Area (km2) Population
Census 2008
Jur River 10,032.22 127,771
Raga 61,792.46 54,340
Wau 19,251.27 151,320

The counties are further divided into Payams, then Bomas. South Sudan claims Kafia Kingi as part of Western Bahr el Ghazal, though Sudan disputes it as a part of South Darfur.

Main cities and townsEdit

NotesEdit

  • Template:Cite book
  • Thomas, Edward. 2010. The Kafia Kingi enclave. London and Nairobi: Rift Valley Institute.

ReferencesEdit

Template:Reflist

Template:South Sudan political divisions