The New Republic of South Sudan (tbc)

It now looks like the world’s newest country will be created on 9 July 2011.

Official returns from the historic January referendum (when over 3 million Southern Sudanese people voted) resulted in nearly 99% in favour of independence. The remaining provisions of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) should now be implemented by 9 July 2011. This deal ended two decades of civil war between the North and the South that killed two million people and displaced an estimated 4.5 million others from their homes.

Map from Collins World Atlas Reference Edition

UK Prime Minister, David Cameron, said ‘This moment is testament to the leaders in both North and South Sudan who ensured a credible and peaceful process. I particularly welcome the positive reaction of the government in Khartoum and their clear statements that they will respect the wishes of the South to secede from the North and establish an independent nation’.

The leaders and politicians will continue their work over the next few months to create the new country. The mapmakers will be busy too, keeping up with developments and decisions in a number of areas:

Country Name: probably South Sudan, long form Republic of South Sudan.
Currency: possibly the Sudanese Pound.
Capital: perhaps NOT Juba due to complaints that it is remote.
Border: pending - final demarcation not yet settled, three areas have still to hold a referendum/consultation.
Flag: present version was adopted following the CPA in 2005.

Government of Southern Sudan (GOSS) www.goss.org

See my Nov 09 post The Next New Country?
New Collins World Atlas Reference Edition
Times and Collins World Atlas range