Bahr al-Arab
Encyclopedia
Bahr al-Arab is a river
which flows approximately 800 kilometres (497.1 mi) through the southwest of Sudan
and marks part of its international border with South Sudan
. It is part of the Nile
river system, being a tributary
of Bahr el Ghazal, which is a tributary of the White Nile
.
The river flows through Sudan's Kurdufan
and Darfur
regions and forms part of the border between Darfur and the region of Bahr el Ghazal
in northwestern South Sudan. For centuries the Bahr al-Arab has marked the boundary between the Dinka and Baggara
ethnic groups.
The name "Bahr al-Arab" is Arabic
for "River of the Arabs". The Dinka people call it the "Kiir River". The river has served as a frontier and zone of conflict between the Baggara and Dinka peoples as long as their oral traditions remember.
and Marrah Mountains
in Darfur, close to Sudan's border with Chad
and the Central African Republic
. The Adda and Umbelasha flow east from the Bongo Massif to join the Ibrah (Wadi Ibra), which flows south from the Marrah Mountains. Formed from these tributaries, the Bahr al-Arab flows east along the border of the Darfur
and Bahr el Ghazal
regions, then through a southern part of the Kurdufan
region.
According to some sources, the Bahr al-Arab's confluence
with the Jur River
marks the source of the Bahr el Ghazal River
. Other sources say the Jur joins the Bahr el Ghazal before the Bahr al-Arab does. The Bahr el Ghazal flows a short distance east to join the White Nile in the Sudd
wetlands. The Lol River
joins the Bahr al-Arab from the south, just above the Jur River confluence.
region. But compared to the rivers to the south, the Bahr al-Arab has very little water and it flows sluggishly.
Bahr al-Arab's location on the border of Northern and Southern Sudan
made it a military front and an area of conflict. In the early 1980s western Sudan suffered several droughts and crop failures. As various peoples shifted southward the Baggara
moved south of the Bahr al-Arab and came into conflict with the Dinka
. The Baggara were supported by the Sudanese military in an attempt to make headway against the Sudan People's Liberation Army
(SPLA). The Baggara militias, known as murahileen, battled the SPLA throughout the 1980s. By the end of the decade the land along the Bahr al-Arab was devastated and the population decimated.
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
which flows approximately 800 kilometres (497.1 mi) through the southwest of Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
and marks part of its international border with South Sudan
South Sudan
South Sudan , officially the Republic of South Sudan, is a landlocked country located in the Sahel region of northeastern Africa. It is also part of the North Africa UN sub-region. Its current capital is Juba, which is also its largest city; the capital city is planned to be moved to the more...
. It is part of the Nile
Nile
The Nile is a major north-flowing river in North Africa, generally regarded as the longest river in the world. It is long. It runs through the ten countries of Sudan, South Sudan, Burundi, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda and Egypt.The Nile has two major...
river system, being a tributary
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of Bahr el Ghazal, which is a tributary of the White Nile
White Nile
The White Nile is a river of Africa, one of the two main tributaries of the Nile from Egypt, the other being the Blue Nile. In the strict meaning, "White Nile" refers to the river formed at Lake No at the confluence of the Bahr al Jabal and Bahr el Ghazal rivers...
.
The river flows through Sudan's Kurdufan
Kurdufan
Kurdufan , also spelled Kordofan, is a former province of central Sudan. In 1994 it was divided into three new federal states: North Kurdufan, South Kurdufan, and West Kurdufan...
and Darfur
Darfur
Darfur is a region in western Sudan. An independent sultanate for several hundred years, it was incorporated into Sudan by Anglo-Egyptian forces in 1916. The region is divided into three federal states: West Darfur, South Darfur, and North Darfur...
regions and forms part of the border between Darfur and the region of Bahr el Ghazal
Bahr el Ghazal
The Bahr el Ghazal is a region of western South Sudan. Its name comes from the river Bahr el Ghazal.- Geography :The region consists of the states of Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Western Bahr el Ghazal, Lakes, and Warrap. It borders Central African Republic to the west...
in northwestern South Sudan. For centuries the Bahr al-Arab has marked the boundary between the Dinka and Baggara
Baggara
The Baggāra Arabs are a set of communities inhabiting the portion of Africa's Sahel between Lake Chad and southern Kordofan, numbering over one million. They have a common language which is one of the regional colloquial Arabic languages...
ethnic groups.
The name "Bahr al-Arab" is Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
for "River of the Arabs". The Dinka people call it the "Kiir River". The river has served as a frontier and zone of conflict between the Baggara and Dinka peoples as long as their oral traditions remember.
Course
The Bahr al-Arab arises from several tributaries that drain the Bongo MassifBongo Massif
The Bongo Massif , also known as the Tondou Massif, is a mountain range in north-eastern Central African Republic, near the Sudan border. The source of Bahr al-Arab is found within the massif. South of the massif is the Plateau of Ouadda ....
and Marrah Mountains
Marrah Mountains
The Marrah Mountains or Marra Mountains is a range of volcanic peaks created by a massif that rises up to 3,000 m. It is located in the center of the Darfur region of Sudan, specifically within Dar Zagahawa and neighboring areas. The highest point is Deriba Caldera...
in Darfur, close to Sudan's border with Chad
Chad
Chad , officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west...
and the Central African Republic
Central African Republic
The Central African Republic , is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It borders Chad in the north, Sudan in the north east, South Sudan in the east, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of the Congo in the south, and Cameroon in the west. The CAR covers a land area of about ,...
. The Adda and Umbelasha flow east from the Bongo Massif to join the Ibrah (Wadi Ibra), which flows south from the Marrah Mountains. Formed from these tributaries, the Bahr al-Arab flows east along the border of the Darfur
Darfur
Darfur is a region in western Sudan. An independent sultanate for several hundred years, it was incorporated into Sudan by Anglo-Egyptian forces in 1916. The region is divided into three federal states: West Darfur, South Darfur, and North Darfur...
and Bahr el Ghazal
Bahr el Ghazal
The Bahr el Ghazal is a region of western South Sudan. Its name comes from the river Bahr el Ghazal.- Geography :The region consists of the states of Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Western Bahr el Ghazal, Lakes, and Warrap. It borders Central African Republic to the west...
regions, then through a southern part of the Kurdufan
Kurdufan
Kurdufan , also spelled Kordofan, is a former province of central Sudan. In 1994 it was divided into three new federal states: North Kurdufan, South Kurdufan, and West Kurdufan...
region.
According to some sources, the Bahr al-Arab's confluence
Confluence
Confluence, in geography, describes the meeting of two or more bodies of water.Confluence may also refer to:* Confluence , a property of term rewriting systems...
with the Jur River
Jur River
The Jur River is a river in western South Sudan, flowing through the Bahr el Ghazal and Equatoria regions. About long, it flows north and northeast, joining the Bahr el Ghazal River on the western side of the Sudd wetlands. The Jur River is part of the Nile basin, as the Bahr al-Ghazal flows into...
marks the source of the Bahr el Ghazal River
Bahr el Ghazal River
The Bahr el Ghazal is a river in South Sudan. The name translates as "sea of gazelles". The South Sudanese region of Bahr el Ghazal takes its name from the river....
. Other sources say the Jur joins the Bahr el Ghazal before the Bahr al-Arab does. The Bahr el Ghazal flows a short distance east to join the White Nile in the Sudd
Sudd
The Sudd , also known as the Bahr al Jabal, As Sudd or Al Sudd, is a vast swamp in South Sudan, formed by the White Nile. The word “sudd” is derived from the Arabic word “sadd”, meaning “block.” The term has come to refer to any large solid floating vegetation island or mat...
wetlands. The Lol River
Lol River
The Lol River, also spelled Loll, is a stream in northern South Sudan that feeds the Bahr al-Arab, known locally as the Kiir River. It meets the larger river in Warrap state, south of the disputed Abyei Area and roughly 100 kilometers west of Bentiu....
joins the Bahr al-Arab from the south, just above the Jur River confluence.
Natural history
The Bahr al-Arab has the largest drainage basin of any river in the Bahr el GhazalBahr el Ghazal
The Bahr el Ghazal is a region of western South Sudan. Its name comes from the river Bahr el Ghazal.- Geography :The region consists of the states of Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Western Bahr el Ghazal, Lakes, and Warrap. It borders Central African Republic to the west...
region. But compared to the rivers to the south, the Bahr al-Arab has very little water and it flows sluggishly.
History
During the Second Sudanese Civil WarSecond Sudanese Civil War
The Second Sudanese Civil War started in 1983, although it was largely a continuation of the First Sudanese Civil War of 1955 to 1972. Although it originated in southern Sudan, the civil war spread to the Nuba mountains and Blue Nile by the end of the 1980s....
Bahr al-Arab's location on the border of Northern and Southern Sudan
South Sudan
South Sudan , officially the Republic of South Sudan, is a landlocked country located in the Sahel region of northeastern Africa. It is also part of the North Africa UN sub-region. Its current capital is Juba, which is also its largest city; the capital city is planned to be moved to the more...
made it a military front and an area of conflict. In the early 1980s western Sudan suffered several droughts and crop failures. As various peoples shifted southward the Baggara
Baggara
The Baggāra Arabs are a set of communities inhabiting the portion of Africa's Sahel between Lake Chad and southern Kordofan, numbering over one million. They have a common language which is one of the regional colloquial Arabic languages...
moved south of the Bahr al-Arab and came into conflict with the Dinka
Dinka
The Dinka is an ethnic group inhabiting the Bahr el Ghazal region of the Nile basin, Jonglei and parts of southern Kordufan and Upper Nile regions. They are mainly agro-pastoral people, relying on cattle herding at riverside camps in the dry season and growing millet and other varieties of grains ...
. The Baggara were supported by the Sudanese military in an attempt to make headway against the Sudan People's Liberation Army
Sudan People's Liberation Army
The Sudan People's Liberation Movement is a political party in South Sudan. It was initially founded as a rebel political movement with a military wing known as the Sudan People's Liberation Army estimated at 180,000 soldiers. The SPLM fought in the Second Sudanese Civil War against the Sudanese...
(SPLA). The Baggara militias, known as murahileen, battled the SPLA throughout the 1980s. By the end of the decade the land along the Bahr al-Arab was devastated and the population decimated.
External links
- ‘Arab, Baḩr al, GEOnet Names ServerGEOnet Names ServerThe GEOnet Names Server provides access to the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency's and the U.S. Board on Geographic Names' database of geographic feature names and locations for locations outside the United States. The database is the official repository of foreign place-name decisions...