South Sudan

=== National capital project ===
[[File:South Sudan 003.jpg|thumb|A young South Sudanese girl smiling in traditional attire]]
The capital of South Sudan is located at [[Juba]], which is also the state capital of [[Central Equatoria]] and the county seat of the eponymous [[Juba County]], and is the country's largest city. However, due to Juba's poor infrastructure and massive urban growth, as well as its lack of centrality within South Sudan, the South Sudanese Government adopted a resolution in February 2011 to study the creation of a new [[planned city]] to serve as the seat of government.<ref name="rnw">{{cite news|url=http://www.rnw.nl/africa/article/new-capital-city-south-sudan|agency=Radio Netherlands|date=6 February 2011|access-date=24 July 2011|title=New capital city for South Sudan?|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120629133501/http://www.rnw.nl/africa/article/new-capital-city-south-sudan|archive-date=29 June 2012}}</ref><ref name="sudtrib">{{cite news|url=http://www.sudantribune.com/South-Sudan-to-establish-a-new,37886|agency=Sudan Tribune|date=6 February 2011|title=South Sudan to establish a new capital city and relocate from Juba after independence|access-date=24 July 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629051336/https://www.sudantribune.com/South-Sudan-to-establish-a-new,37886|archive-date=29 June 2011}}</ref> It is planned that the capital city will be changed to the more centrally located [[Ramciel]].<ref name=BBCprofile>{{cite news|title=South Sudan profile|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14019208|publisher=BBC|date=5 July 2011|access-date=24 July 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720232057/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14019208|archive-date=20 July 2011|url-status=live}}</ref> This proposal is functionally similar to construction projects in [[Abuja]], Nigeria; [[Brasília]], Brazil; and [[Canberra]], Australia; among other modern-era planned national capitals. It is unclear how the government will fund the project.

In September 2011, a spokesman for the government said the country's political leaders had accepted a proposal to build a new capital at Ramciel,<ref name="relocate">{{cite news|url=http://www.sudantribune.com/South-Sudan-relocates-its-capital,40027|agency=Sudan Tribune|date=3 September 2011|access-date=3 September 2011|title=South Sudan relocates its capital from Juba to Ramciel|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929081441/http://www.sudantribune.com/South-Sudan-relocates-its-capital,40027|archive-date=29 September 2011}}</ref> a place in [[Lakes (state)|Lakes]] state near the borders with Central Equatoria and [[Jonglei]]. Ramciel is considered to be the geographical centre of the country,<ref name="search">{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.co.ug/News/regional-news/4130-the-search-for-new-nations-capital-in-south-sudan|agency=The Independent|date=29 April 2011|title=The search for new nation's capital in South Sudan|first=Mashel|last=Amos|access-date=24 July 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313041336/http://independent.co.ug/news/regional-news/4130-the-search-for-new-nations-capital-in-south-sudan|archive-date=13 March 2016}}</ref> and the late pro-independence leader [[John Garang]] allegedly had plans to relocate the capital there before his death in 2005. The proposal was supported by the Lakes state government and at least one Ramciel tribal chief.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.gurtong.net/ECM/Editorial/tabid/124/ctl/ArticleView/mid/519/articleId/4879/Lakes-Leaders-Visit-Prospective-South-Sudanese-Capital.aspx|agency=Gurtong|date=15 February 2011|access-date=24 July 2011|title=Lakes Leaders Visit Prospective South Sudanese Capital|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120328012119/http://www.gurtong.net/ECM/Editorial/tabid/124/ctl/ArticleView/mid/519/articleId/4879/Lakes-Leaders-Visit-Prospective-South-Sudanese-Capital.aspx|archive-date=28 March 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> The design, planning, and construction of the city will likely take as many as five years, government ministers said, and the move of national institutions to the new capital will be implemented in stages.<ref name="relocate" />