South Sudan is a large country covering 597,000 square kilometers. It is very rich in natural resources. This wealth is one of the root causes of the several decades of war in the country. The northern al-Jallabas and Egyptians backed by the Khartoum government elites sought to plunder the wealth in the south. This is the main reason why they resisted the calls for separation because they new that would deny them a chance to access the great wealth.

River Nile is the major geographic feature in Southern Sudan

The river Nile traverses the entire country and facilitates trade, administration and urbanization in the country. The river and its many tributaries also provide access to almost unlimited sources of water which services the land, making it fertile to support diverse vegetation and crops.

Treasured natural resources such as various agricultural products like mangoes; minerals like gold and rough diamonds; and forestry resources like teak.
 

Rich forest cover in South Sudan