| Aweil | |
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| Aerial photo of Aweil (2007). Note the disused railway and long airport runway | |
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Aweil
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| Coordinates: | |
| Country | South Sudan |
| State | Northern Bahr el Ghazal State |
| Country | Aweil Central County |
| Government | |
| • State Governor | Major General Paul Malong Awan |
| • County Commissioner | |
| • Mayor | |
| Elevation | 1,394 ft (425 m) |
| Population (2008 Estimate) | |
| • Total | 100,000 |
Aweil (Arabic: أويل) is a city in South Sudan.
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Aweil is located in Aweil Central County, Northern Bahr el Ghazal State, in northwestern South Sudan, near the International border with the Republic of Sudan and the Abyei Region. This location lies approximately 800 kilometres (500 mi), by road, northwest of Juba, the capital and largest city in the country.[1] The coordinates of Aweil are: 8° 46' 48.00"N, 27° 24' 0.00"E (Latitude: 8.7800; Longitude: 27.4000).
Aweil is the capital city of the state of Northern Bahr el Ghazal. It is also the county seat of Aweil Central County. The city's infrastructure is relatively developed and includes a functioning railway station, a functioning hotel, a functioning airport, a soccer stadium and a functioning public hospital. The city functions as a team site for the United Nations Mission in Sudan. Several NGOs providing aid in South Sudan are based here.
The topography is flat and is prone to flooding, although the city itself lies on higher ground that the surrounding plains.[2] The city lies close to the confluence of the Lol River with the Pongo River. The average elevation of the city of Aweil is about 425 metres (1,394 ft) above sea level.[3] During the rainy season, the plain-dwellers seek refuge on higher ground in the city of Aweil.
The population of the city of Aweil fluctuates. During the dry season, the population is lower as the plain-dwellers return to the plains to tend to their gardens and harvest their crops. When the rains come and the plains flood, they return to the city, to escape the raging waters. In November 2008, Médecins Sans Frontières estimated the town's population at about 100,000.[4]
Aweil has a railway station on the line to Wau built in the 1960s. After a period of disuse due to civil war damage, the line and the station were restored to use in 2010. There is also a new unpaved road that goes through Aweil, which links Khartoum in the Republic of Sudan, with Juba, the capital of South Sudan. Aweil is also served by Aweil Airport.
The Governor of the state of Northern Bahr el Ghazal State is Major General Paul Malong Awan. The Commissioner of Aweil Central County is Deng Dhieu Nyiwel. The Mayor of the city of Aweil in not known at this time.
The following points of interest are found in or near Aweil:
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