Juba, Sudan

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Coordinates: 4°51′N 31°36′E / 4.85, 31.6
Juba
Aerial view
Juba Location in Sudan
Country	Sudan
State	Central Equatoria
Population (2005)
- Total	163,442 (est)

Juba is a city in Sudan, the regional capital of Southern Sudan and the capital of the Sudanese state of Central Equatoria.

1 Population
2 History
3 Infrastructure
4 External links
5 References

[edit] Population

In 2005 its population was 163,442. Based on analysis of aerial photos, the best estimate of several donors working in Juba estimate the 2006 population at approximately 250,000. A census in South Sudan is being planned for 2007.

Development of Population:

Year	Population
1973 (census)	56,737
1983 (census)	83,787
1993 (census)	114,980
2005 (estimate)	163,442

[edit] History

In 19th century, a trading post and a mission named Gondokoro was located in the vicinity of Juba.

British hopes to join the southern part of Sudan with Uganda were dashed in 1947 by an agreement in Juba, also known as the Juba Conference, to unify northern and southern Sudan. In 1955, a mutiny of southern soldiers in the city sparked the First Sudanese Civil War, which did not end until 1972. During the Second Sudanese Civil War, Juba was a strategic location that was the focus of much fighting.

In 2005, Juba was handed over to the Sudanese People's Liberation Army. The city serves as the permanent regional capital of Southern Sudan, although the interim capital was Rumbek.

With the advent of peace, the United Nations increased its presence in Juba, whereas many Southern Sudan operations had until that time been managed from Kenya. Under the leadership of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the United Nations established a camp known as "OCHA Camp", which served as a base for many United Nations agencies and non-governmental organizations.

[edit] Infrastructure

Juba bridge

The city is a river port and the southern terminus of traffic along the Nile, properly called the Bahr al Jabal section of the White Nile. Before the civil war Juba was also a transportation hub, with highways connecting it to Kenya, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Because of the war Juba can hardly be called a "Transportation Hub" anymore. Roads and the harbour are currently not in use due to disrepair. The UN and Southern Sudanese government are repairing the roads, but full repair is expected to take many years. The Swiss Foundation for Mine Action (FSD) started in 2003 to clear the roads leading from Juba to Uganda and Kenya, it is expected that these roads will be completely demined and rebuilt in the course of 2006-2008. The rebuilding of the roads, most un-paved, takes a tremendous amount of effort and time because of the limited work season due to the rainy season, which lastes from March until October. The first road that has started to be rebuilt is the road to Uganda. This road is particuarly important as many of the original habitants of Juba fled to Uganda during the war. The roads are considerably important for the peace process in Sudan as people need them to return to their homes and to regain what they feel is a normal life again.

As of 2006, there is only one paved road in Juba. This is a concrete road, built by the English in the fifties. The rebuilding of Juba is in full process now; evidence of this is reflected by Walta Information Centers report that Ethiopian Airlines would begin flights to Juba three times a week in September 2006.

The city is the location of the Juba National University.