The geography of South Sudan describes the physical features of South Sudan, a country in East Africa. South Sudan is a landlocked country and borders – clockwise – Sudan from the north, Ethiopia from the east, Kenya, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo from the south and the Central African Republic from the west.
Continent | Africa |
---|---|
Coordinates | 05°N 31°E / 5°N 31°E |
Area | Ranked 45th |
• Total | 644,329 km2 (248,777 sq mi) |
Borders | Total land borders:
|
Highest point | Kinyeti 3,187 m (10,456.0 ft) |
Lowest point | White Nile 381 m (1,250.0 ft) |
Longest river | White Nile |
Until July 9, 2011, it was part of Sudan, then the largest country in Africa before a referendum took place in January 2011.[1]
The length of South Sudan's borders is 4,797 kilometers (2,981 mi). Bordering countries are (with boundary length):
The geomorphology of much of South Sudan and in particular towards the Nile-Congo watershed is made up a single large pediplain, extensive flat area made of coalesced pediments.[2] Heights that rise above this pediplain contain laterite soils, sometimes with pisolites or ferricrete, and are remnants of an older surface.[2] Some of the summits corresponding to the said old surface were formed by relief inversion of valleys.[2]
The Imatong Mountains are located in the southeast of South Sudan in the state of Eastern Equatoria, and extend into Uganda. Mount Kinyeti is the highest mountain of the range at 3,187 metres (10,456 ft), and the highest in the whole of South Sudan. The range has an equatorial climate and had dense montane forests supporting diverse wildlife. In recent years the rich ecology has been severely degraded by forest clearance and subsistence farming, leading to extensive erosion of the steep slopes.
As of February 2020, South Sudan is divided into 10 states, two administrative areas, and one area with special administrative status. All together, they correspond to three historical regions of the Sudan: Bahr el Ghazal, Equatoria, and Greater Upper Nile.
South Sudan is mostly covered in tropical forest, swamps, and grassland. The White Nile passes through the country, passing by the capital city of Juba.[4]
Half the water of the White Nile is lost in the swamps as vegetation absorbs it or animals drink it. The Sudd, the Bahr el Ghazal and the Sobat River swamps provide a significant resource for wild animals, as well as livestock.