Western Bar el Gazal State

Bar el Ghazal Occidental (in English: Western Bahr el Ghazal, in Arabic: غرب بحر الغزال‎, Garb Bahr al-Gazal) is one of the ten states that make up South Sudan. Located in the ancient region of Bar el Gazal, it occupies an area of 93,900 km² and has an estimated population of 220,000 inhabitants (2007). Wau is the state capital. It is bordered by the Republic of Sudan and the state of Northern Bar el Gazal to the north, Western Equatoria to the south, Warab to the east and the Central African Republic to the west.

The main ethnic groups are Dinka Balanda, Luo (Jur), Ndogo, Kresh and Bai.

It has an important network of roads, but none of them are paved, the A43 is the main one, as it connects it with the country's capital, Juba. Other roads include the A44 that crosses the Southern National Park, the B38 that connects with Warab and the B41 that goes right to the border with South Darfur. In Wau there is an airport with a dirt runway.

It has a higher education center, the Bahr al-Gazal University, located in Wau.

Geography

The state is located on a plain between 500 and 700 m s. n. m. There are four important rivers in the area, the Jur, Pongo, Lol and al-Arab, all tributaries of the White Nile.

Counties

• Rio Jur
• Raga
• Wau

Localities

• Acongeong