Bor is a historic city in the
Bor region of
Jonglei State
Jonglei State is a States of South Sudan, state of South Sudan with Bor, South Sudan, Bor as its centre of government and the biggest city. Jonglei state comprises nine counties: Bor District (South Sudan), Bor, Akobo County, Akobo, Ayod County, ...
, located in the central region of
South Sudan
South Sudan (), officially the Republic of South Sudan, is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered on the north by Sudan; on the east by Ethiopia; on the south by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and Kenya; and on the ...
. It has also served as the headquarters of
Jonglei state
Jonglei State is a States of South Sudan, state of South Sudan with Bor, South Sudan, Bor as its centre of government and the biggest city. Jonglei state comprises nine counties: Bor District (South Sudan), Bor, Akobo County, Akobo, Ayod County, ...
.
The city is situated on the east side of the
White Nile
The White Nile ( ') is a river in Africa, the minor of the two main tributaries of the Nile, the larger being the Blue Nile. The name "White" comes from the clay sediment carried in the water that changes the water to a pale color.
In the stri ...
(
Bahr al Jabal River) at the southern extent of the
sudd, South Sudan's vast central wetlands.
History
Bor is located on the eastern bank of White Nile River, a site where an ivory trading depot was established in the 1860s.
It grew into a regional hub of the ivory trade during the late nineteenth century. In 1874,
Charles George Gordon
Major-general (United Kingdom), Major-General Charles George Gordon Companion of the Order of the Bath, CB (28 January 1833 – 26 January 1885), also known as Chinese Gordon, Gordon Pasha, Gordon of Khartoum and General Gordon , was a British ...
established a government station there under the
Turkiyah Government.
In the early years of the
Anglo-Egyptian Sudan
Anglo-Egyptian Sudan ( ') was a condominium (international law), condominium of the United Kingdom and Kingdom of Egypt, Egypt between 1899 and 1956, corresponding mostly to the territory of present-day South Sudan and Sudan. Legally, sovereig ...
, Bor was a "wooding station" for steamers travelling along the White Nile (Bahr al Jabal River). In 1905, Bor was established as the headquarters of the
Bor District
The Bor District (, ) is one of administrative districts of Serbia
, image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg
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.
Bor became an administrative centre under the
Anglo-Egyptian Sudan
Anglo-Egyptian Sudan ( ') was a condominium (international law), condominium of the United Kingdom and Kingdom of Egypt, Egypt between 1899 and 1956, corresponding mostly to the territory of present-day South Sudan and Sudan. Legally, sovereig ...
(1899–1956) for the
Dinka Bor people. Bor is the epicenter of the Second Sudanese Civil War. 105 Battalion led by Alier Nhialmangardit staged a revolt against the oppressive Khartoum government in Malual-Chaat a garrison in Town of Bor, in May 1983, leading to the birth of the
Sudan People's Liberation Movement and
Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLM/SPLA). Bor was also the scene of the 1991 Bor massacre, where thousands of civilians were killed by Riek Machar's army of loyal tribesmen. Eventually South Sudan became independent on 9 July 2011 following 22 years of liberation struggle.
Bor is of historical importance to the people of South Sudan. It was in
Malek, a small settlement about south of Bor, that one of the first modern
Christian
A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...
missions in present-day South Sudan was established by
Archibald Shaw in 1906. Bor became the first area to host a
Church Missionary Society station in 1906.
Malek was turned into a missionary stronghold in the
Upper Nile Region. Shaw opened the first primary school in Malek. This school produced the first indigenous
Anglican bishop
The Anglican ministry is both the leadership and agency of Christian service in the Anglican Communion. ''Ministry'' commonly refers to the office of ordained clergy: the ''threefold order'' of bishops, priests and deacons. Anglican ministry incl ...
to be consecrated in Dinkaland, Rt. Rev.
Daniel Deng Atong, followed the Nikonora Achiek Deng Ariir. Daniel Deng Atong became the first to be baptized in Bor.
Bor was an epicenter of the start of the
Second Sudanese Civil War
The Second Sudanese Civil War was a conflict from 1983 to 2005 between the central Sudanese government and the Sudan People's Liberation Army/Movement, Sudan People's Liberation Army. It was largely a continuation of the First Sudanese Civil Wa ...
. In Malual-Chaat barrack, statues of liberators and destroyed weapons are conserved and exhibited at historical heritage site.
Following the
2013 South Sudanese coup d'état attempt, Bor was contested in several weeks of combat between the national army and rebels led by
Riek Machar due to its influential status on national affairs.
A portion of the
Nuer White Army joined the fighting as well.
In 2016, Bor was designated as the seat of Bor Municipality.
The same order sub-divided the former
Bor County into five smaller counties, each containing a single
payam. These new counties were Bor South County (
Kolnyang payam), Bor East County (
Anyidi Payam), Bor Central county (
Makuach Payam), Bor West County (
Baidit Payam
Baidit is a Payam (administrative division), Payam in Bor West County, in Jonglei States of South Sudan, State, South Sudan. It is situated on the east side of the White Nile, Bahr al Jabal River a short distance north of Bor, South Sudan. Bai ...
), and Bor North County (
Jalle Payam).
Geography
Bor is the second most developed city, in central South Sudan, approximately , by road, north of
Juba
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, Central Equatoria State. It is the most recently declared national capital and had a populatio ...
, the capital and largest city in the country. The town is located on the east bank of the White Nile.
Climate
Köppen-Geiger climate classification system classifies its climate as
tropical wet and dry (''Aw'').
Climate Change In Bor
“The effects of climate change in South Sudan have led to unusually intense rains: flood waters have forced people from their homes, leaving them without sufficient food and water,” says Caroline Sekyewa, IRC country director in South Sudan. Apr 10, 2023
Population
The 2024 population of Bor is estimated by the United Nations agency's Statistics to be 727,583.
Economy
The economy depends on agricultural products, fishing, livestock and foreign investments in different sectors. Bor has the highest number of livestock (cattle, goats and sheep) in the country. Bor is the second largest economy in the country, with
Juba
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, Central Equatoria State. It is the most recently declared national capital and had a populatio ...
being the first as it is the centre of businesses and government. Prior to 2013 civil war, Bor was the fastest growing city in the country.
Kenyan Commercial Bank (KCB) still maintains its branch.
Branches of KCB South Sudan
Education
Bor city has one the best primary and secondary schools in the country. Both in primary and secondary national examinations, students and schools from Bor rank among the highest nationally. The John Garang Memorial University of Science and Technology, one of the leading public universities
A public university, state university, or public college is a university or college that is State ownership, owned by the state or receives significant funding from a government. Whether a national university is considered public varies from o ...
in the country, is located in Bor. The university is named after John Garang de Mabior a former leader of Sudan People Liberation Army/Movement (SPLA). Garang was a guerrilla leader fighting in Southern Sudan against Khartoum governments for what he termed as “New Sudan” under the SPLA/M umbrella. The Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005 was signed under his leadership, an event which paved way for the independence of South Sudan in July 2011 when Southern Sudan voted for separation from the North during the referendum.
Cathedral
Bor is also the seat
A seat is a place to sit. The term may encompass additional features, such as back, armrest, head restraint but may also refer to concentrations of power in a wider sense (i.e " seat (legal entity)"). See disambiguation.
Types of seat
The ...
of Bor Diocese
In Ecclesiastical polity, church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop.
History
In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided Roman province, prov ...
in the Episcopal Church of Sudan.
Transportation
Bor is also served by Bor Airport, in addition to river traffic on the White Nile and three major roads that lead out of town.
ARC collaborated with the government to build a multi-million dollar highway from Juba
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, Central Equatoria State. It is the most recently declared national capital and had a populatio ...
to Bor, Making Bor the only city connected to national capital with a paved road. It is believed to be the longest dual carriage highway in the central and Eastern Africa.
See also
South Sudan
South Sudan (), officially the Republic of South Sudan, is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered on the north by Sudan; on the east by Ethiopia; on the south by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and Kenya; and on the ...
References
{{Reflist
State capitals in South Sudan
Populated places in Jonglei State
Bor County