(CNN)Here's a look at South Sudan, a landlocked country in east-central Africa. In 2011, South Sudan gained its independence from Sudan.
About South Sudan
(from the CIA World Factbook)
Area: 644,329 sq km, slightly smaller than Texas
Area: 644,329 sq km, slightly smaller than Texas
Population: 11,544,905 (2022 est.)
Median age: 18.6 years
Capital: Juba
Ethnic Groups: Dinka (Jieng) approximately 35-40%, Nuer (Naath) approximately 15%, Shilluk (Chollo), Azande, Bari, Kakwa, Kuku, Murle, Mandari, Didinga, Ndogo, Bviri, Lndi, Anuak, Bongo, Lango, Dungotona, Acholi, Baka, Fertit (2011 est.)
Religion: Christian 60.5%, folk religion 32.9%, Muslim 6.2%, other <1%, unaffiliated <1% (2020 est.)
Other Facts
The country is poverty-stricken despite containing vast oil reserves.
A demilitarized, jointly monitored Common Border Zone was established between Sudan and South Sudan to ease tensions in the oil-rich Abyei region.
Timeline
January 1, 1956 - Sudan gains its independence after an agreement between the United Kingdom and Egypt.
March 27, 1972 - The signing of the Addis Ababa Agreement ends 17 years of civil war between the northern Khartoum forces and southern Anya-Nya rebels. Part of the agreement includes the creation of the autonomous region of South Sudan, with Juba as its capital.
1977 - Oil discovered in southwestern Sudan. Civil war during the 1980s and 1990s prevents exploration or development of the oil deposits.
1980s - Prolonged droughts put pressure on water and farming resources.
May 1983 - John Garang forms the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA). Garang helps organize a rebellion against the government's proposal to re-divide the region and impose Islamic law.
1989 - The United Nations airlifts famine relief to both sides during a civil war.
March 27, 1995 - Sudan's government calls for a two-month ceasefire at the behest of former US President Jimmy Carter.
July 15, 1998-May 1999 - The SPLA calls a ceasefire due to regional famine, allowing UN supplies to reach famine victims.
January 9, 2005 - The Comprehensive Peace Agreement is signed by representatives from the north and the south. The agreement includes independence for southern Sudan within six years. Islamic law will not apply in South Sudan, according to the agreement.
April 11-15, 2010 - Sudan holds multiparty elections for the first time in 24 years. Kiir is elected president of South Sudan with 93% of the vote.
January 9-15, 2011 - Voters participate in a referendum, casting ballots that will determine whether South Sudan secedes or remains part of a unified Sudan.
February 7, 2011 - The Southern Sudan Referendum Commission announces that 98.83% have voted for separation. US President Barack Obama declares Washington's intention to recognize South Sudan as an independent state in July, when the Comprehensive Peace Agreement is scheduled to end.
March 2011 - Violence breaks out between soldiers and rebel groups.
April 27, 2011 - During a speech on state television, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir claims the disputed oil-rich region of Abyei is part of the north.
May 31, 2011 - The African Union announces that Sudan and South Sudan have reached an agreement on Abyei, in which a demilitarized, jointly monitored Common Border Zone is established.
June 5, 2011 - Fighting breaks out along the border.
June 20, 2011 - Representatives from Sudan and South Sudan sign an agreement calling for the withdrawal of Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) from Abyei and for joint supervision of the disputed region.
July 9, 2011 - South Sudan becomes an independent nation.
July 14, 2011 - Becomes the 193rd member nation of the UN.
July 29, 2011 - South Sudan is admitted to the African Union.
October 9, 2011 - In his first visit to Khartoum since South Sudan's independence, Kiir meets with Bashir to "reach final solutions" to address continuing differences between their countries.
January 23, 2012 - South Sudan shuts down oil production after accusing Sudan of stealing $815 million of its oil. Sudan claims it confiscated the crude to make up for unpaid fees to use the pipeline and processing facilities in its territory.
February 10, 2012 - During talks mediated by the African Union, Sudan and South Sudan sign a nonaggression pact aimed at bringing peace to the border region.
May 30, 2012 - A spokeswoman for the UN peacekeeping mission confirms the full withdrawal of the SAF from the Abyei. Sudanese police forces remain in the area.
September 27, 2012 - Bashir and Kiir sign a deal to resume oil exports and establish a demilitarized zone. The presidents do not reach an agreement on the status of Abyei.
January 6, 2013 - Bashir and Kiir agree to temporary arrangements for the Abyei region.
March 8, 2013 - Defense ministers from Sudan and South Sudan sign an agreement to withdraw their respective military forces from the 14-mile-wide demilitarized zone between the countries.
July 23, 2013 - Kiir dismisses his entire Cabinet, including Vice President Riek Machar.
December 2013 - Soldiers from President Salva Kiir's Dinka ethnic group clash with Nuer soldiers perceived to be loyal to Machar. Kiir is a member of the country's majority Dinka population, while Machar is Nuer, the country's second-largest ethnic group. Fighting spreads and In the ensuing civil war, at least 50,000 are killed, more than 2 million are displaced and many people face severe food shortages.
January 6, 2014 - Kiir and Bashir hold talks in Juba.
August 26, 2015 - Under threat of UN sanctions, Kiir signs a peace deal with Machar.
October 27, 2015 - The African Union releases a report indicating militants have committed such atrocities as forced cannibalism and gang rape.
January 28, 2016 - Bashir orders the opening of the border with South Sudan for the first time since the South seceded five years ago, the Sudan News Agency reports.
February 11, 2016 - Kiir reinstates Machar as vice president, part of a peace deal to end the two-year civil war, according to a presidential decree read on state television. Machar is sworn in on April 26, 2016.
July 7-11, 2016 - Fighting breaks out on the fifth anniversary of South Sudan's independence. Skirmishes between soldiers loyal to Kiir, and militants backing Machar leave more than 150 people dead, according to Machar's spokesman. After days of fighting, Kiir orders an immediate ceasefire. Machar later calls on his followers to respect the ceasefire.
July 25, 2016 - Kiir removes Machar as vice president for the second time and replaces him with Taban Deng Gai, who had previously served as Machar's chief negotiator, as well as mining minister.
September 4, 2016 - South Sudan's government agrees to the deployment of an additional 4,000 peacekeepers on behalf of the UN Security Council. There are already 12,000 UN peacekeepers in the country.
November 1, 2016 - The UN announces the dismissal of the commander of the peacekeeping force in South Sudan, shortly after the release of a report on deadly violence in July and the actions of the UN mission in the country.
February 20, 2017 - The UN announces famine has been declared in parts of South Sudan. An estimated 4.9 million people - more than 40% of South Sudan's population - are in urgent need of food, agricultural and nutrition assistance.
May 9, 2017 - Militants attack Gai's convoy, shooting and injuring three of his bodyguards.
May 31, 2017 - The UN issues a report projecting that 6.01 million people, about 50% of South Sudan's population, will be severely food insecure in June and July. It is the greatest number of people to experience severe food insecurity in South Sudan.
March 21, 2018 - The health minister announces that South Sudan has gone 15 consecutive months without a single reported case of Guinea worm, a parasitic disease that cannot be treated with vaccines. South Sudan once had the most cases of Guinea worm in the world.
April 17, 2018 - More than 200 child soldiers are freed during a ceremony organized by UNICEF. That brings the total up to 500 child soldiers freed in 2018.
September 12, 2018 - Kiir signs a peace agreement with Machar in an effort to end the civil war.
February 20, 2020 - Kiir and Machar announce they have agreed to form a unity government. Machar is sworn in as vice president two days later.
Photos: Escaping violence in South Sudan
Escaping violence in South Sudan – Students take notes during an English language class at the Juba Nabari Primary School in Juba, South Sudan, on Wednesday, April 9. Recent conflict in the country has made resources scarce; many civil servants, including teachers, have not received their pay for several months. South Sudan erupted in violence on December 15 when rebels loyal to ousted Vice President Riek Machar tried to stage a coup. Violence quickly spread, with reports of mass killings emerging nationwide.
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Photos: Escaping violence in South Sudan
Escaping violence in South Sudan – Bags of food are dropped from a plane during a World Food Program operation Tuesday, April 1, in Nyal, South Sudan.
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Escaping violence in South Sudan – Worn-out shoes are seen in an internally displaced persons camp Thursday, March 27, in Juba.
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Escaping violence in South Sudan – Students play Tuesday, March 25, at the Dr. John Garang International School in Juba.
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Escaping violence in South Sudan – A man carries a bag on his shoulder at a camp in Malakal, South Sudan, on Wednesday, March 19.
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Escaping violence in South Sudan – A man recovers from serious injuries, which he sustained in clashes between government forces and rebels, at a Doctors Without Borders hospital in Malakal on Tuesday, March 18.
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Escaping violence in South Sudan – A South Sudanese man walks in a puddle Saturday, March 15, at a camp for internally displaced people.
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Escaping violence in South Sudan – Displaced children from South Sudan gather to play soccer at a camp in Khartoum, Sudan, on Wednesday, March 12.
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Escaping violence in South Sudan – A woman carrying empty cans for water passes an armored vehicle affiliated with the United Nations mission in Malakal on Monday, March 3.
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Photos: Escaping violence in South Sudan
Escaping violence in South Sudan – An 8-year-old boy waits in a car during Petroleum Minister Stephen Dhieu Dau's visit to an oil production facility in Paloch, South Sudan, on Sunday, March 2. The boy's father, a member of the Sudan People's Liberation Army, said his son was dressed like a pilot because that's what he wants to be when he grows up.
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Photos: Escaping violence in South Sudan
Escaping violence in South Sudan – Catholics pray for peace during a religious ceremony in Juba on Sunday, February 23.
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Escaping violence in South Sudan – People are silhouetted at dawn on Thursday, February 20, as they walk on the main road to Cueibet, South Sudan.
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Escaping violence in South Sudan – An inmate sits shackled to a tree Wednesday, February 19, in the courtyard of the central prison in Rumbek, South Sudan.
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Escaping violence in South Sudan – South Sudanese people from the Dinka ethnic group stand among cattle at a cattle camp in Yirol, South Sudan, on Wednesday, February 12.
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Escaping violence in South Sudan – A South Sudanese People's Liberation Army soldier patrols in Malakal on Tuesday, January 21.
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Escaping violence in South Sudan – A woman runs through the street in Malakal as gunshots ring out a few streets over on January 21.
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Escaping violence in South Sudan – A Sudan People's Liberation Army soldier sits in a helicopter flying over Western Equatoria State on Tuesday, January 14.
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Escaping violence in South Sudan – A United Nations peacekeeper gestures as South Sudanese students wait to walk back to a camp for internally displaced people after taking an English exam at a United Nations base in Juba on Monday, January 13.
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Escaping violence in South Sudan – Government soldiers prepare to deploy from Juba on January 13 as fighting continues to rage in South Sudan.
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Escaping violence in South Sudan – A young man balances a bed on his head as he walks through empty streets and destroyed buildings after government forces retook from rebel forces the provincial capital of Bentiu, in Unity State, South Sudan, on Sunday, January 12.
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Escaping violence in South Sudan – South Sudanese government forces riding on a vehicle through a still-smoldering town pass a boy after government forces retook the provincial capital of Bentiu on January 12.
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Escaping violence in South Sudan – A boy carries chickens off a boat arriving in the village of Minkammen in Awerial county, South Sudan, on Saturday, January 11.
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Escaping violence in South Sudan – A picture shows an aerial view of a camp of internally displaced people in Minkammen, on Friday, January 10.
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Escaping violence in South Sudan – Internally displaced children carry water in Minkammen on January 10.
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Escaping violence in South Sudan – A woman covers her face as a U.N. helicopter takes off from Minkammen, where people receive food aid and other items from a recent International Committee of the Red Cross on Wednesday, January 8.
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Escaping violence in South Sudan – A displaced south Sudanese sleeps in a makeshift shelter at a crowded encampment within the United Nations Mission in South Sudan on Saturday, January 4.
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Escaping violence in South Sudan – One of the few to have a mosquito net, a displaced family who fled the recent fighting between government and rebel forces in Bor by boat across the White Nile, sit under it in Awerial, South Sudan, on Thursday, January. 2.
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Escaping violence in South Sudan – A boy rests on the fender of a water truck Tuesday, December 31, at a United Nations compound on the outskirts of Juba, South Sudan. The compound has become home to thousands fleeing the recent fighting in South Sudan.
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Escaping violence in South Sudan – South Sudanese government soldiers man a tank near the airport in Malakal, South Sudan, on Monday, December 30.
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Escaping violence in South Sudan – Displaced women wait in line inside a U.N. camp in Malakal on December 30.
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Escaping violence in South Sudan – South Sudanese refugees carry relief supplies an a U.N. camp in Juba on Sunday, December 29.
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Escaping violence in South Sudan – Moveable stairs used for passengers to board aircraft are repurposed into makeshift shelters at a U.N. compound in Juba on December 29.
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Escaping violence in South Sudan – A child plays with a tire next to a large puddle of muddy water inside the U.N. compound in Juba on December 29.
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Escaping violence in South Sudan – A girl carries a bowl of water after filling it from a truck at the U.N. compound in Juba on December 29.
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Escaping violence in South Sudan – A man walks in a ward where most patients are soldiers with gunshot wounds inside the Juba Military Hospital in Juba on Saturday, December 28.
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Escaping violence in South Sudan – South Sudan Vice President James Wani Igga, center left, arrives to visit patients at the Juba Military Hospital on December 28.
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Escaping violence in South Sudan – A displaced boy carries a cardboard box inside a U.N. compound in Juba on Friday, December 27.
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Escaping violence in South Sudan – Displaced people bathe and wash clothes in a stream in a U.N. compound in Juba on December 27.
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Escaping violence in South Sudan – A woman carries items on her head through the U.N. compound in Juba on December 27.
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Escaping violence in South Sudan – One-month-old Nhial Hoan Malual receives treatment for dehydration and chest pains in a medical tent run by Doctors Without Borders at the U.N. compound in Juba on December 27.
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Escaping violence in South Sudan – South Korean soldiers provide water at a refugee camp in South Sudan on Thursday, December 26. Hundreds of South Korean soldiers are stationed in the town of Bor as part of United Nations peacekeeping forces.
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Escaping violence in South Sudan – A mother displaced by recent fighting in South Sudan rests on top of her belongings in a makeshift U.N. shelter on Monday, December 23.
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Escaping violence in South Sudan – Families seek refuge in U.N. camp warehouse on December 23.
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Escaping violence in South Sudan – People gather to receive emergency food rations from the World Food Programme at a makeshift camp on December 23.
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Escaping violence in South Sudan – The United Nations relocates noncritical staff from Juba to Entebbe, Uganda, on Sunday, December 22.
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Escaping violence in South Sudan – A South Sudanese girl puts her family's laundry out to dry on a barbed-wire fence at a makeshift U.N. camp in Juba on December 22.
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Escaping violence in South Sudan – The World Food Programme distributes food for displaced people at a U.N. compound in Bentiu, the capital of the oil-producing Unity state, on December 22.
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Escaping violence in South Sudan – South Sudanese women carry water at a U.N. camp in Juba on December 22.
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Escaping violence in South Sudan – People take refuge December 22 near a camp of Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force, which is part of the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Juba.
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Escaping violence in South Sudan – South Sudanese civilians take shelter at a U.N. mission on Tuesday, December 17.
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Escaping violence in South Sudan – South Sudanese civilians seek shade at the mission's base on December 17.
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Escaping violence in South Sudan – Tens of thousands of civilians have taken refuge in U.N. bases in South Sudan. These civilians were photographed at one of the bases December 17.
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Escaping violence in South Sudan – A young child takes shelter at a U.N. base on December 17.
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