Africa
Baobab
A name for South Sudan
A country by any other name
Jan 17th 2011, 18:02 by J.D | LONDON
AFTER a week's voting in a long-anticipated referendum, the secession of South Sudan looks ever more likely. The early results suggest that southerners have voted overwhelmingly in favour of splitting from the north and forming a new country. If and when the world's 193rd country is born, there will be many things to decide. What will it adopt as its national anthem? Which numbers will it pick as its international dialling code? Will it continue to use .sd as its internet domain suffix? But most importantly, before any of these, what will this newborn country be called? The north will no doubt hang on to the Republic of Sudan moniker so that's off the cards. Will it want to emphasize its Christian and animist character, in contrast to the largely Muslim north? Will it be keen to add a bit of democracy into its alias as many others choose to do? Given this opportunity, will a new government choose something more fanciful? To give them some ideas, we'd like you, our readers, to come up with some suggestions for names for Africa's newest state. Please leave your ideas in the comments box below.
Update: Read what South Sudanese in Juba had to say about their future country's name.
About Baobab
On this blog our correspondents delve into the politics, economics and culture of the continent of Africa, from Cairo to the Cape. The blog takes its name from the baobab, a massive tree that grows throughout much of Africa. It stores water, provides food and is often called the tree of life.
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Nubia, Meroe, Upper Nile Republic, (Western) Abyssinia and Equatoria (a name used for parts of southern Sudan).
Like North and South Korea......the "South Sudan" seems good to me.
Luo
African Hope-land said in his own language.
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Democratic republic of the Nile
Sou'dan
South Sudan works well.
The name Sudan means "Land of black" it is therefore worth naming the new country "Democratic Republic of South Sudan" (DROSS)not abandoning the word Sudan. Different internet domain suffix like .ross,.ssd or .ss can be used and a new international dialling code selected.
How about New Zimbabwe? Sooner or later that's the direction the country will take.
Zudan or Sydan
Republic of the White Nile.
Southan
our beloved new nation should be named the Democratic Republic of South Sudan [ DRSS]. We fought for freedom and Democracy.thanks.
If it is going to be a real democracy, it could be called New Africa Republic - setting up a role model for the continent.
Sudan should not be divided!
Failure.
Former Autonomous Region of South Sudan?
(The Greeks at least might like that one?)
Mind you, your map's name for the area could be quite good!
What's wrong with ''?''
I wouldn't recommend "Democratic Republic of South Sudan". Putting the democratic tag in a country's name just doesn't seem to make the country actually democratic. Take the German Democratic Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, or the Democratic People's Republic of Korea for instance.