Page last updated on February 20, 2013
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of South Sudan
conventional short form:
South Sudan
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Juba
geographic coordinates:
04 51 N 31 37 E
time difference:
UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
10 states; Central Equatoria, Eastern Equatoria, Jonglei, Lakes, Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Unity, Upper Nile, Warrap, Western Bahr el Ghazal, Western Equatoria
Independence:
9 July 2011 (from Sudan)
National holiday:
Independence Day, (9 July 2011)
Constitution:
Transitional Constitution of the Republic of South Sudan 2011, effective 9 July 2011
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Salva KIIR Mayardit (since 9 July 2011); Vice President Riek MACHAR (since 10 July 2011); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
head of government:
President Salva KIIR Mayardit (since 9 July 2011); Vice President Riek MACHAR (since 10 July 2011)
cabinet:
National Council of Ministers; appointed by the president and approved by a resolution from the Legislative Assembly
elections:
president elected by popular vote for a four year term; election last held on 11-15 April 2010 (next to be held in 2015)
election results:
Salva KIIR Mayardit elected president; percent of vote - Salva KIIR Mayardit 93%, Lam AKOL 7%
Legislative branch:
bicameral National Legislature consists of the National Legislative Assembly (332 seats) and the Council of States (50 seats); members serve four-year terms
elections:
National Legislative Assembly - last held 11-15 April 2010 (next to be held in 2015); Council of States - established and members appointed 1 August 2011
election results:
National Legislative Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - SPLM 251, SPLM-DC 6, NCP 3, independent 6, unknown 66; Council of States - seats by party - SPLM 20, unknown 30
note:
a presidential decree of 1 August 2011 reconstituted the National Legislative Assembly, as permitted under Article 94 of the Transitional Constitution, to include the 170 members elected 11-15 April 2010, 96 former members of the National Assembly of the Republic of Sudan, and 66 newly appointed members for a total of 332; a presidential decree also established a Council of States, initially with 50 members - the 20 former members of the Council of States of the Republic of Sudan plus an additional 30 appointed representatives
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court, Courts of Appeal, High Courts, County Courts
Political parties and leaders:
Sudan People's Liberation Movement or SPLM [Salva KIIR Mayardit]; National Congress Party or NCP; Sudan People's Liberation Movement for Democratic Change or SPLM-DC [Sisto OLUR Erista]
International organization participation:
AU, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOM, ITU, MIGA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Akec KHOC Aciew Khoc
chancery:
1233 20th St. NW, Suite 602, Washington, DC 20036
telephone:
[1] (202) 293-7943
FAX:
[1] (202) 293-7941
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Susan D. PAGE
embassy:
Juba
Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green; the red band is edged in white; a blue isosceles triangle based on the hoist side contains a gold, five-pointed star; black represents the people of South Sudan, red the blood shed in the struggle for freedom, green the verdant land, and blue the waters of the Nile; the gold star represents the unity of the states making up South Sudan
note:
resembles the flag of Kenya; one of only two national flags to display six colors as part of its primary design, the other is South Africa's
National symbol(s):
African fish eagle
National anthem:
name: South Sudan Oyee! (Hooray!)
lyrics/music:
collective of 49 poets/Juba University students and teachers
note:
adopted 2011; the anthem was selected in a national contest
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