Blue Nile (state)

Blue Nile
النيل الأزرق
an-Nīl al-Azraq
—  State  —
Location in Sudan.
Coordinates:
Country  Sudan
Region Blue Nile
No. of counties:
Capital Ad-Damazin
Government
 • Governor Yahia Mohammed Kheir
Area
 • Total 45,844 km2 (17,700.5 sq mi)
Population (2006 Census - provisional))
 • Total 832,112
Time zone EAT (UTC+3)

Blue Nile (Arabic: النيل الأزرق‎ An Nīl al Āzraq) called Central (Arabic: ‏الوسطى‎ Al Wusta) from 1991 until 1994, is one of the 15 states of Sudan. It was established by Presidential Decree Nº3 in 1992 and is named after the Blue Nile River. It has an area of 45,844 km² and an estimated population of 1,193,293 . The Central Bureau of Statistics quoted the population at 832,112 in the 2006 Census. Ad-Damazin is the capital of the state. Blue Nile State is home to the Roseires Dam, the main source of hydroelectric power in Sudan until the completion of the Merowe Dam in 2010.

The region is host to around forty different ethnic groups. Its economic activity is based upon agriculture and livestock and increasing mineral exploitation.

In 2011, residents of Blue Nile were scheduled to hold ill-defined "popular consultations" to determine the constitutional future of the state, per the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. Instead a dispute over the rightful government of the state, and the determination of Omar al-Bashir to eradicate the Sudan People's Liberation Movement has led to a renewed insurgency, a refugee crisis.[1][2] It appears that the consultations have been postponed indefinitely. [3]

Administration

The State is sub-divided into six districts (with 2006 Census populations shown below):

References

  1. ^ Boswell, Alan. "Sudan's Conflict Spreads: Is This the Start of a New Civil War?". Time World. Time. http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2091688,00.html. Retrieved 21 October 2011. 
  2. ^ Maasho, Aaron. "Sudan's Blue Nile conflict forces painful return to Ethiopia". Reuters Africa. Reuters. http://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFJOE79D08620111014. Retrieved 21 October 2011. 
  3. ^ Kleto, Peter Oyoyo. "Popular consultations must go ahead". Comment and Analysis. Sudan Tribune. http://www.sudantribune.com/South-Kordofan-and-Blue-Nile,40310. Retrieved 21 October 2011. 

External links

States under administration of the Republic of Sudan
States to hold "popular consultations"

Blue Nile (status unclear)  · South Kordofan (process suspended)
Special administration area to hold referendum (postponed indefinitely)