Bentiu

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Bentiu
بانتيو
Bentiu
Location in South Sudan
Coordinates: 9°15′36″N 29°48′00″E / 9.26000°N 29.80000°E / 9.26000; 29.80000Coordinates: 9°15′36″N 29°48′00″E / 9.26000°N 29.80000°E / 9.26000; 29.80000
Country  South Sudan
State Unity State
County Rubkona County
Elevation 347 m (1,138 ft)
Population (2010 est.)
 • Total 6,508

Bentiu, also spelled Bantiu, is a town in South Sudan.

Location

Bentiu is located in Rubkona County, Unity State, in northern South Sudan, near the International border with the Republic of Sudan. This location lies approximately 654 kilometres (406 mi), by road, northwest of Juba, the capital and largest city in the country.[1] Bentiu sits on the southern bank of the Bahr al-Ghazal River, that separates it from the town of Rubkona, which sits on the river's northern bank. The two towns are joined by the El Salaam Bridge that spans the river.[2] This bridge was bombed and partially damaged by Sudanese MiG 29 bomber airplanes on April 23, 2012, along with a market in Bentiu.[3]

Population

As of 2006, the population of Bentiu was estimated at about 7,700.[4]

Overview

The town is the administrative, political and commercial center of Unity State in South Sudan. The State Governor maintains the headquarters of the state in the town. However the County Headquarters for Rubkona County, in which Bentiu is located are situated in the town of Rubkona, across the river.

During the South Sudanese conflict that began in December 2013, the national government lost control of the town to a commander loyal to Riek Machar, although Machar denied this.[5][6] Violence in the area continued, and on the 17th of January 2014 a UN official was quoted as saying that the town “simply did not exist anymore”, and that “it was completely burnt down”.[7]

Economy

  • Unity State is the location of some of the largest oil deposits in South Sudan. The Heglig Oilfield to the north of Bentiu, straddles the border between Sudan and South Sudan.[8] The Greater Nile Oil Pipeline, begins in Unity Oil Field in Unity State and extends north into the Republic of Sudan, to the refinery at Port Sudan, on the Red Sea.[9] Another oilfield sits near the township of Tarjath, about 60 km (35 miles) to the south of the town. A lot of petroleum related activity goes on in and around Bentiu.
  • Kenya Commercial Bank (South Sudan) maintains a branch in Bentiu

Infrastructure

After the destruction during the Second Sudanese Civil War, infrastructure in and around Bentiu is now being rebuilt. The projects that have been rehabilitated, constructed or restored include the following:

  1. Bentiu Airport
  2. Bentiu Civil Hospital - Donated and constructed by the China National Petroleum Corporation
  3. Bahr al-Ghazal River - Redredged to allow barges free passage
  4. Rubkona New Market - Largest source of fresh produce for both towns

Education

Bentiu is also the location of the planned Western Upper Nile University, a promise by the state's education officials to speed up the higher education system in Unity State. Bentiu has three primary schools and two secondary schools. These schools were teaching in Arabic before 2005 and as of 2011 English is being taught.[10]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Road Distance Between Juba And Bentiu With Map
  2. ↑ Bentiu And Rubkona Sit On Opposite Sides of The Bahr al-Ghazal River
  3. ↑ http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-501710_162-57418868/sudan-migs-bomb-market-in-south-sudan/
  4. ↑ Estimated Population In 2006
  5. ↑ http://news.yahoo.com/south-sudan-sends-more-troops-retake-town-says-140843975.html.  Missing or empty |title= (help)
  6. ↑ "Defected Unity state army commander forms new interim administration –". Sudan Tribune. Retrieved 17 January 2014. 
  7. ↑ Associated Press (17 January 2014). "S Sudan: ‘Horrifying human rights disaster’". Washington Post. Retrieved 17 January 2014. 
  8. ↑ There Are Large Petroleum Deposits In Unity State
  9. ↑ The Oil Infrastructure of Sudan And South Sudan
  10. ↑ Schools In Unity State Change Language of Instruction

External links

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Bentiu.
State capitals in South Sudan
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