States of South Sudan

States of South Sudan
Category	Federated state
Location	South Sudan
Number	10 states 2 administrative areas 1 area with special administrative status
Government	State government
Subdivisions	County

Politics of South Sudan
Constitution
Executive President Salva Kiir Mayardit Vice Presidents Riek Machar Taban Deng Gai James Wani Igga Rebecca Nyandeng De Mabior Hussein Abdelbagi Government Cabinet of South Sudan
Legislature Council of States Speaker: Deng Deng Akon National Legislative Assembly Speaker: Jemma Nunu Kumba
Judiciary Supreme Court
Administrative divisions States and administrative areas Governors Counties Payam Cities Boma
Elections Recent elections General: 2010 2024 Referendums: 2011 Political parties
Foreign relations Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister: Mayiik Ayii Deng Diplomatic missions of / in South Sudan Nationality law Passport Visa requirements Visa policy
Related topics Human rights United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA)
Other countries
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The States of South Sudan were created out of the three historic former provinces (and contemporary regions) of Bahr el Ghazal (northwest), Equatoria (southern), and Greater Upper Nile (northeast). The states are further divided into 79 counties.

In October 2015, South Sudan's President Salva Kiir Mayardit issued a decree establishing 28 states in place of the 10 that was previously established.^[1] The decree established the new states largely along ethnic lines.^{[citation needed]} A number^[who?] of opposition parties challenged the constitutionality of this decree and the decree was referred to parliament for approval as a constitutional amendment.^[2] In November, the South Sudanese parliament approved the creation of the new states.^[3] In January 2017, President Salva Kiir stated a decreed of further subdivision of the country from 28 into 32 states.^[4]

In February 2020, as a result of a peace agreement that ended the South Sudanese Civil War, the country returned to the original 10 states plus two administrative areas, Greater Pibor and Ruweng, and the special administrative status area of Abyei.^[5][6][7]

As a result of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement signed in 2005, the Abyei Area is considered to be simultaneously part of the Republic of Sudan and the Republic of South Sudan, effectively a condominium. The Kafia Kingi area is disputed between South Sudan and Sudan and the Ilemi Triangle is disputed between South Sudan and Kenya.