According to petwithsupplies, the largest city in South Sudan is Juba, which is located in the Central Equatoria region near the border with Uganda. With an estimated population of nearly 500,000 people, Juba is the country’s economic and political hub. It is home to major government offices, banks, universities and hospitals. The city also has a bustling market area where goods from all over the world can be found. The second largest city in South Sudan is Wau, located in the Western Bahr el Ghazal region near the border with Sudan. This city has an estimated population of around 200,000 people and serves as an important agricultural center for the country. Wau has a number of markets that offer various goods including food items, clothing and electronics. Malakal is another major city in South Sudan located in Upper Nile state near the border with Ethiopia. This city has an estimated population of approximately 150,000 people and serves as a major commercial hub for trade between South Sudan and its neighboring countries. Malakal also has some tourist attractions such as historical sites and wildlife reserves that attract visitors from all over Africa. Rumbek is yet another important urban center in South Sudan located in Lakes state near Lake Rudolf (also known as Lake Turkana). This town has an estimated population of around 100,000 people and serves as a key trading post for goods coming from both East Africa and West Africa. Rumbek also boasts some tourist attractions such as sacred sites related to traditional Dinka culture. Finally, Yei River State’s capital city of Yei is another significant urban center in South Sudan with an estimated population of around 75,000 people. Yei serves as a commercial hub for trade between South Sudan and its neighboring countries like Uganda and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The city also offers some interesting cultural activities such as traditional dances performed by local tribespeople at various celebrations throughout the year. South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011, but its history of conflict dates back to the mid-20th century when it was a part of Anglo-Egyptian Sudan. In 1955, the South Sudanese people began a civil war against the north in order to gain autonomy and recognition for their distinct culture. This conflict continued until 1972 when a peace treaty was signed between the two sides. Although this peace treaty allowed for some autonomy within Sudan, it did not recognize South Sudan as an independent state. This changed in 2005 when the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) was signed between North and South Sudan, officially recognizing South Sudan as an autonomous region within Sudan. The CPA also outlined plans for a referendum on independence that would take place in 2011. In 2008, South Sudan was still part of the Republic of Sudan and had limited autonomy. It had its own government and parliament but could not make decisions without approval from Khartoum, the capital of Sudan. This limited autonomy caused tensions between North and South which often flared up into violence along their shared border. The leaders of both sides were also engaged in a power struggle over control over oil resources located in the south which led to further tensions and violence. The international community attempted to mediate these conflicts but with little success due to disagreements over who should have control over oil production revenues and other issues related to power sharing. In spite of these ongoing conflicts, South Sudan still held elections in 2008 which saw Salva Kiir Mayardit elected as president with 70% of the votes casted from across the country’s ten states. This election marked a major step forward for South Sudanese democracy as it showed that even under difficult circumstances people could come together to choose their own leader through peaceful means. The election results were also seen as an endorsement for Kiir’s policies which focused on increasing stability in South Sudan by combating corruption, improving infrastructure and promoting economic development through foreign investment opportunities such as oil production projects with foreign companies like China National Petroleum Corporation or Total S.A.. Overall, 2008 proved to be a pivotal year for South Sudans politics as it set up many important events that would eventually lead to its independence three years later in 2011.