South Sudan History

South Sudan’s history is marked by colonization, conflict, and eventual independence. In 1805, the region was under Ottoman-Egyptian rule as part of the Turkiya era, during which it was exploited for resources and slaves. This was followed by the Mahdist Revolt (1881–1898), a period of resistance against foreign rule.

From 1899 to 1956, South Sudan was governed as part of Anglo-Egyptian Sudan. British colonial policies exacerbated divisions between the Arabized north and the predominantly African south by implementing separate systems of governance. After Sudan’s independence in 1956, tensions over cultural, political, and economic marginalization led to the First Sudanese Civil War (1955–1972).

The war ended with the 1972 Addis Ababa Agreement, granting limited autonomy to the south, but tensions persisted. The Second Sudanese Civil War (1983–2005) broke out after Sudan’s government sought to impose Islamic law nationwide. This brutal conflict ended with the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005, which granted South Sudan autonomy and set the stage for an independence referendum.

In 2011, South Sudan became an independent nation. However, internal political disputes, ethnic tensions, and struggles over resources plunged the country into a civil war from 2013 to 2018. A fragile peace agreement was signed in 2018, but South Sudan continues to face challenges, including poverty, instability, and humanitarian crises.