The growth of the town accelerated following the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005,[3] which made Juba the capital of the Autonomous Government of Southern Sudan.

Disease was common; soldiers often fell ill due to the malaria, meningitis and blackwater fever that was prevalent in the region.

[6][7][8] In the late 1920s, Anglo-Egyptian officials ordered Bari residents to relocate so that a new town could be constructed to serve as the capital of Mongalla Province.

[14] Their number never exceeded 2,000, but because of their excellent relationship with the native Bari people and the large amount of resulting assistance they received, they built many structures in the downtown Juba Market area as well as in the area that the contemporary British soldiers called the Greek Quarter, which is today the small suburb of Hai Jalaba.

In 1946, without consulting Southern opinion, the British administration began instead to implement a policy of uniting the north and the south.

To facilitate the new policy, the Juba Conference was convened as a gesture to southerners,[16] the hidden aim being the appeasement of northern Sudanese nationalists and the Egyptian government.

With the advent of peace, the United Nations increased its presence in Juba, shifting its management of operations in Southern Sudan from its previous location in Kenya.

[25] Before the civil war, Juba was also a transport hub, with highways connecting it to Kenya, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Since the end of the war, Juba has been unable to recover to its pre-war state and is no longer a significant trade city.

In 2003, the Swiss Foundation for Mine Action (FSD) started to clear the roads leading from Juba to Uganda and Kenya.

The roads are important for the peace process in Sudan as people need them to return to their homes and to regain what they feel is a normal life.

[27] Juba International Airport (IATA: JUB, ICAO: HJJJ) is the site of large numbers of flights bringing UN and non-governmental organization (NGO) aid into South Sudan, as well as passengers and general air freight.

Based on analysis of aerial photos, the best estimate of several donors working in Juba calculated the 2006 population at approximately 250,000.

[31] Suburbs adjacent to Juba have become increasingly dense as people from the countryside move into the city for economic opportunities.

[citation needed] The prospect of an economic boom has brought thousands of merchants to Juba, mostly from northern Sudan and from East Africa.

[36] Despite recent economic difficulties brought about by the 15 December 2013 civil war, Juba has continued to grow and construction is still booming.

Research from the Overseas Development Institute found that markets in Juba are transient, as many traders only come to make a quick profit and so do not invest in storage facilities or shops.

[54] Juba has a tropical wet and dry climate (Köppen: Aw),[55] and as it lies near the equator, temperatures are hot year-round.