South Sudan · Africa
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Capital and largest city of South Sudan
Juba is the capital and largest city of South Sudan. The city is situated on the White Nile and also serves as the capital of the Central Equatoria State. It is the most recently declared national capital and had a population of 525,953 in 2017. It has an area of 52 km2 (20 sq mi), with the metropolitan area covering 336 km2 (130 sq mi).
Under the Khedivate of Egypt, Juba served as the southernmost garrison of the Egyptian Army, quartering only a handful of soldiers. Disease was common; soldiers often fell ill due to the malaria, meningitis and blackwater fever that was prevalent in the region. Explorers and campaigners Samuel Baker and Florence Baker used the nearby island of Gondokoro as a base during their expeditions to what is now South Sudan and northern Uganda from 1863 to 1865 and 1871 to 1873. The present city of Juba was established on the site of a small Bari village, also called Juba, where the Church Missionary Society (CMS) had established a mission and the Nugent Memorial Intermediate School in 1920–21. In the late 1920s, Anglo-Egyptian officials ordered Bari residents to relocate so that a new town could be constructed to serve as the capital of Mongalla Province. …
Juba has a tropical wet and dry climate (Köppen: Aw), and as it lies near the equator, temperatures are hot year-round. However, little rain falls from November to March, which is also the time of the year with the hottest maximum temperatures, reaching 38 °C (100 °F) in February. From April to October, more than 100 mm (3.9 in) of rain falls per month. The annual total precipitation is nearly 1,000 mm (39 in).
A variety of foods are eaten in Juba including: Kisra: A staple food in South Sudan, kisra is a type of flatbread made from sorghum flour or maize flour. It is typically served with soup or stew and is prepared by mixing sorghum flour with water to form a thick batter, which is then left to ferment for a few days before being cooked on a hot griddle. Bamia: A popular dish in Juba, bamia is a stew made with okra, tomatoes, onions, and meat (usually beef or goat). The okra is sliced and cooked with the other ingredients until tender, resulting in a thick and flavorful stew that is often served with rice or kisra. Ful Medames: A traditional breakfast dish in Juba, Ful medames is made from cooked fava beans that are smashed and seasoned with garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil. It is typically served with flatbread or pita. …
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Following South Sudan's independence in 2011, Juba experienced rapid economic growth and urban development. The prospect of an economic boom has brought thousands of merchants to Juba, from northern Sudan and East Africa. As of October 2010, several regional and international businesses have established a presence in Juba. The Commercial Bank of Ethiopia and the Kenyan banking conglomerate Kenya Commercial Bank has its South Sudanese headquarters in the city and a branch network of eleven branches throughout South Sudan. The three indigenous South Sudanese commercial banks namely; Buffalo Commercial Bank, Ivory Bank and Nile Commercial Bank, all maintain their headquarters in Juba. Equity Bank, another regional finance services provider also has a branch in Juba. National Insurance Corporation (NIC), the leading Ugandan insurance services provider, maintains an office in the city. …
The city is a river port and the southern terminus of traffic along the Nile (specifically along the Bahr-al-Ghazal portion of the White Nile). Before the civil war, Juba was also a transport hub, with highways connecting it to Kenya, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Since the end of the war, Juba has been unable to recover to its pre-war state and is no longer a significant trade city. Roads and the river harbour are no longer in use due to being in disrepair. The United Nations and the South Sudanese government are working on repairing the roads, but a full repair is expected to take many years. In 2003, the Swiss Foundation for Mine Action (FSD) started to clear the roads leading from Juba to Uganda and Kenya. It was expected that these roads would be completely de-mined and rebuilt from 2006 to 2008. …
In 2005, Juba's population was 163,442. Based on an analysis of aerial photos, the best estimate of several donors working in Juba calculated the 2006 population at approximately 250,000. The 5th Sudan Population and Housing Census took place in April/May 2008, stating the population of Juba County to be 372,413 (the majority residing in Juba City, which dominates the county), but the results were rejected by the Autonomous Government of Southern Sudan. In 2011, the population of the city of Juba was estimated at 372,410, but may potentially be higher. As of 2013, the city's population was growing at a rate of 4.23%. The Juba City Council's CEO, Martin Simon Wani, has claimed the population exceeds one million with up to a million more living in surrounding suburbs. …