These two states are in east central Sudan, on or next to the main stream of the Nile(3). Junqali State is bounded west by the Mountain Nile(4). At its northwest corner the name changes to the White Nile(5), whic flows along its north, then turns northward again to travel the length of A'ali-Nile State. In the west center of Junqali State is the right bank portion of as-Sudd, the marshes the nation is named for, and where the Nile's course is difficult to follow. There are also flooded grasslands in southern A'ali-Nile State, beyond the right bank of the Sobat. That river's sources arise in Ethiopia's highlands and form part of the national frontiers before joining together into this northwest flowing tributary of the White Nile. Some of the Sobat's feeds also arise in southeast Junqali State where this area's highest ground(6), and yet more swamp, are both found.
There is no majority first language. Many learn either the national language, Sudanese Spoken Arabic, or English, and some learn the religious language, Standard Arabic. But the most important first languages are unrelated to Arabic. They are Nilo-Saharan tongues of the Dinka-Nuer group, spoken by more than eight in ten, almost evenly split between Nuer(7) and the three local forms of Dinka(8). Despite linguistic commonalities, the Nuer and Dinka despise each other. The other first languages are also Nilo-Saharan; the most important being Shilluk, spoken by about 15 percent of the area's residents.
This is a boundary area for Islam, and it has probably been gaining ground slowly. Sudanese regional religious statistics are hard to come by and untrustworthy, so whether this area has a religious majority is hard to determine. Presumably Islam or Chrisianity is the closest, and indiginous animist religious lag behind.
Malakal, the capital of A'ali-Nile State, is the largest city in both states, but has less than a quarter million residents. It is not far north of the terminus of the Junqali Canal, which diverts water from as-Sudd to the Sobat, cutting the corner made by the Mountain Nile.
The Nilo-Saharan languages have probably been spoken here for thousands of years. Shilluk was probably spoken much further north than these states, perhaps as far as today's Khartoum, where Arabic is now spoken.
Islam and Christianity both vied for converts here starting in the 19th century, but Christianity lost its edge after Sudan became an independent nation.
south, west, north and northeast
east, from the northernmost part of A'ali-Nile's border with Ethiopia
east, from southeast A'ali-Nile
southeast of A'ali-Nile, and east of Junqali
(1) Also transliterated from Arabic as Jonglei.
(2) an-Nil in transliterated Arabic.
(3) The world's longest river.
(4) Bahr (waters, stream)-al-Jabal (mountain) in transliterated Arabic.
(5) al-Bahr (waters, steam)-al-Abyad (white) in transliterated Arabic.
(6) approaching 2,000 meters.
(7) They call themselves Naath.
(8) They call themselves Jieng.