Aweil Mading Aweil | |
---|---|
Coordinates: 08°46′02″N27°23′59″E / 8.76722°N 27.39972°E | |
Country | South Sudan |
State | Northern Bahr el Ghazal |
County | Aweil Center County |
Government | |
• State Governor | Simon Uber Mawut |
Elevation | 425 m (1,394 ft) |
Population (2010) | |
• Total | 33,537 |
Time zone | UTC+2 (CAT) |
Climate | Aw |
Aweil is a city located in South Sudan. It is the capital of Northern Bahr el Ghazal state and the administrative centre of Aweil Center County. [1] It is also a service centre for the surrounding villages. Refugees, war displaced returnees, nomadic cattle keepers and local families moving seasonally with their animals to source water give Aweil a mobile population. [2]
Aweil is an area which was affected by the slave trade in the 19th century and by civil war in the 20th century. It was the capital of Aweil State, a government area which existed between 2000 and 2020.
The town lies in the northwest of South Sudan on the A43. It is approximately 100 km south of the international border with the Republic of Sudan. The disputed region of Abyei is to the East.
Juba, the capital of South Sudan, is approximately 637 km to the South. [3] The nearest larger town is Wau. There are several villages near to Aweil, some on the A43 and others in the countryside. Ashana Game Reserve is approximately 30 km to the west.
The topography is flat and prone to flooding. However, at an elevation of 425 m (1,394 ft) Aweil is on higher ground than the surrounding plains. [4] The city lies close to the confluence of the Lol River with the Pongo River. The average elevation of the city of Aweil is about 425 metres (1,394 ft) above sea level. [5]
Aweil is located in a Tropical savanna climate (classification Aw) with, usually, a dry winter. Summer can also be dry despite Aweil being in the tropics. The dry weather can develop to drought. [6] [7]
The district's mean annual high temperature is 30.39 °C (86.7 °F) . The mean annual low temperature is 23.2 °C (74.52 °F). Aweil's average annual precipitation is 95.08 mm (3.74 in). The average number of rain days per year is 125.39. [6] Aweil had flooding rain in 2019. In 2020, drought weather in July was followed by high rainfall in August which interrupted crop production. [8]
In November 2008, Médecins Sans Frontières estimated the town's population at about 100,000, but there is no verified population figure. [9] In 2024, the population was estimated to be 38,745. [10]
The two main ethnic groups are Dinka and Luwo. A majority of voters support the Sudan People's Liberation Movement. [11] Arabic language is used in Aweil in some households and public places but not widely. [12]
Aweil is a service town to farming villages. Products from agriculture include cattle, Sorghum, ground nuts and sesame. There are nearby rivers for fishing. Farming in a difficult environment has led to food insecurity. [11]
Economic development projects near Aweil include a teak plantation, a rice plantation and a women's market. [13]
The Khartoum - Aweil - Wau, South Sudan railway line was constructed in 1961. [14] After a period of disuse due to civil war damage, the line from Aweil to Wau and the station were restored to use in 2010. [15]
Aweil airstrip is located 4.4 km (2.4 nm) northwest of Aweil's city center. There is a packed dirt runway of about 2000 m (6600 ft) in length. Its ICAO name is HSAW. Confirmation of the airport's condition is needed prior to any approach. [16] Four accidents at the airstrip have occurred since 1973. Three of the four involved military aircraft. Two of these were attributed to attacks by surface to air missiles. [17] In 2024, the airstrip is used by Badr Airlines transporting non-government organisation passengers and cargo to and from Aweil and Juba each Monday. [18]
In the town, transport options include taxis, boda bodas (motocycle taxis). [19]
The St. Mary's Girls Secondary School is owned and administered by the Aweil Diocese of the Episcopal Church of the Sudan (ECS) [20]
Aweil Civil Hospital is a referral hospital, one of the three in South Sudan. [21]
In April 2023, Northern Bahr El Ghazal's State Ministry of Culture with support from the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) held a peace celebration in Aweil. The theme of the festival was "Unity in diversity" reflecting Aweil (and South Sudan's) ethnic diversity. [22] In August 2024, national culture day was celebrated at the Dr. John Garang Mausoleum with the theme, "Our Culture, Our Coexistence". The Aweil News Agency covered the event in depth with video footage at the agency's Facebook page.
The Catholic Church is present in Aweil at St. George's church.
Association football (soccer) is a popular sport in Aweil. The Aweil Stars FC and opponents play at the Aweil sportsground. Fans follow their favourite Spanish teams such as Real Madrid CF. [23]
Pan Aweil Development Agency (PADA) was founded in 2009 and recognised by the Southern Sudan Relief and Rehabilitation Commission in 2010. The founder is William Kolong Pioth, one of the Lost Boys of Sudan. The agency supports small scale local business ventures in key areas such as agriculture, water sanitation and community development. It also fosters peaceful conflict resolution in the nearby border regions. [24]
The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) maintains a presence in Aweil. [25]
Northern Bahr el Ghazal(Arabic: ولاية شمال بحر الغزال) is a state in South Sudan. It has an area of 30,543 km2 and is part of the Bahr el Ghazal region. It borders East Darfur in Sudan to the north, Western Bahr el Ghazal to the west and south, and Warrap and the disputed region of Abyei to the east. Aweil is the capital of the state.
Wau is a town, locally referred to as a city, in northwestern South Sudan on the western bank of Jur River It is the capital of Western Bahr el Ghazal region in South Sudan. It lies approximately 650 kilometres (400 mi) northwest of the capital, Juba. It is a diverse small urban center (town) and a trading hub. The city has been a municipality since 2012 and is governed by a mayor who the state governor usually appoints. The city comprises several neighborhoods including Nazareth, Hai Fahal, Sika Hadid, and Daraja.
Aweil Airport is an airport serving the town of Aweil, in South Sudan.
University of Northern Bahr el Ghazal (UNBEG) is a university in South Sudan.
University of Bahr El-Ghazal (UBG) is a university in South Sudan located in Wau, the capital of Western Bahr El Ghazal State.
The South Sudan National Cup is an annual knockout association football competition in men's domestic South Sudanese football. Organized by the South Sudan Football Association, the cup began in 2012, not long after South Sudan gained independence.
The Luo are a Nilotic ethnic group that live in Western Bhar Gazal, South Sudan. They are part of a larger group of ethno-linguistically related Luo people of East Africa. They speak the Luo language
Aweil State was a state in South Sudan that existed between 2 October 2015 and 22 February 2020. It was located in the Bahr el Ghazal region and it borders Gogrial to the east, Lol to the west, Aweil East to the north, and Wau to the south. Its capital and largest city was Aweil.
Aweil East also known as Abiem, was a state in South Sudan that existed between 2 October 2015 and 22 February 2020. It had an estimated population of 571,728 people and an area of 6,172.23 KM square. It was located in northern-western South Sudan. Its capital and largest city was Wanyjok. The state is located in the Bahr el Ghazal region and it bordered Twic State and Gogrial State to the east, Aweil State to the south, Lol State to the west, the disputed Abyei State region to the northeast, and Sudan to the north.
The Lol State was a state of South Sudan with the capital in Raga, that existed between 2 October 2015 and 22 February 2020. It was located in the Bahr el Ghazal region, which is in the northwest section of the country. Lol state bordered Haut-Mbomou and Haute-Kotto in the Central African Republic to the west, South Darfur and East Darfur in Sudan to the north, the disputed region of Kafia Kingi to the northwest, Aweil East State to the northeast, Aweil State to the east, Gbudwe State to the south, and Wau State to the southeast. The state was created alongside 27 other states after a decree issuing the creation of 28 states took place. It was dissolved at the conclusion of the South Sudanese Civil War.
Wau State was a state in South Sudan that existed between 2 October 2015 and 22 February 2020. It was located in the Bahr el Ghazal region, and was part of the former state of Western Bahr el Ghazal. Wau State bordered Aweil State, Gbudwe State, Gogrial State, Lol State, and Tonj State.
Tonj State was a state in South Sudan that existed between 2 October 2015 and 22 February 2020. It was located in the Bahr el Ghazal region and it bordered Wau to the west, Gbudwe to the southwest, Gogrial to the northwest, Northern Liech to the northeast, Gok and Southern Liech to the east, and Western Lakes to the south and east.
Gogrial State was a state in South Sudan that existed between 2 October 2015 and 22 February 2020. It was located in the Bahr el Ghazal region and it bordered Twic to the north, Aweil East to the northwest, Aweil to the west, Wau to the southwest, Tonj to the southeast, and Northern Liech to the northeast.
Wau County is a county in Western Bahr el Ghazal state, in the Bahr el Ghazal region of South Sudan. Wau County was home to the state's capital, Wau. It is the most populous county in the state with over 232,910 people.
Wanjok is a town in the Aweil East County, Republic of South Sudan.
The 2014 retreat from Western Bahr el Ghazal, also called the long march north, was an unorganized withdrawal by hundreds of Nuer Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) deserters who sought to flee from Bahr el Ghazal to Sudan during the South Sudanese Civil War. After longstanding tensions between SPLA soldiers belonging to the Dinka and Nuer ethnic groups escalated on 25 April 2014, leading to a massacre of Nuer soldiers at Mapel in Western Bahr el Ghazal, a large number of Nuer SPLA soldiers deserted to escape ethnic prosecution and loyalist SPLA forces. Though some deserters joined SPLM-IO rebels or surrendered to the government, a large number of them marched northward, joined by other SPLA defectors from Northern Bahr el Ghazal. After covering over 400 kilometres (250 mi), this trek eventually arrived in Sudan on 4 August 2014, where they were disarmed.
Aweil South County, sometimes called Paliet, is an administrative area in Northern Bahr el Ghazal state, in the Bahr el Ghazal region of South Sudan, bordering Warrap State to the south. It is located in the southeastern part of NBGs. It is also known by the name Paliet, and one of the counties consisting of three major Dinka tribal groups: Ajak, Boncuai and Kongdeer. It was founded in 2000 and headquartered in Boncuai in a place called Mangar-Gier. In 2004, the headquarters were shifted to Malek Alel in Ajak. It is bordered to the north by Aweil East and to the west by Aweil Centre, to the south east by Gogrial State, and to the southwest by Western Barh el Ghazal state respectively.
Areya is a town in Northern Bahr el Ghazal, South Sudan.
Awoda is a town in Northern Bahr el Ghazal, South Sudan.
Emmanuel Kembe is a South Sudanese reggae musician.