History of South Sudan

The history of the region and people of South Sudan, shaped by colonial rule, conflict with northern Sudan, and independence in 2011.

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Anglo-Egyptian Sudan: A condominium that governed Sudan from 1899 to 1956 under British and Egyptian authority. Its separate administration of north and south helped entrench regional differences before Sudanese independence.
First Sudanese Civil War: The 1955–1972 conflict between Sudan's government and southern rebel forces, ending with the Addis Ababa Agreement. Its settlement granted southern autonomy but left disputes over power and resources unresolved.
John Garang: A Sudanese rebel leader who founded the Sudan People's Liberation Movement and Army and later became Sudan's first vice president. His vision of a reformed, united Sudan influenced the liberation movement before independence became its stated outcome.
South Sudanese Civil War: The 2013–2020 conflict among South Sudanese government forces, opposition groups, and other armed actors. It exposed how unresolved political rivalries and weak institutions persisted after independence.
Southern Policy: British colonial policies that restricted northern Sudanese influence in southern Sudan during much of the colonial period. It shaped southern institutions and deepened the divide inherited by independent Sudan.
Addis Ababa Agreement: The 1972 agreement that ended Sudan's First Civil War and granted southern Sudan regional autonomy. Its later erosion helped restart war between the Sudanese government and southern forces.
Salva Kiir Mayardit: A South Sudanese politician and former liberation fighter who became the country's first president in 2011. His presidency spans independence and the political crises that led to civil war.
South Sudan oil industry: The petroleum sector centered on South Sudan's oil fields and export routes through Sudan. Oil revenue became essential to the new state's finances while dependence on northern pipelines created vulnerability.
Sudanization: The transfer of administrative and military positions from British officials to Sudanese personnel before independence. Southerners were underrepresented in the transfer, intensifying fears of northern domination.
Second Sudanese Civil War: The 1983–2005 war between Sudan's government and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement and Army. Its devastation and political settlement made southern independence possible.