The Nuer are a Nilotic ethnic group primarily engaged in pastoralism, with cattle playing a central role in their economy, social structure, and cultural practices.

[3]: 1 In the early 1800 AD, Nuer occupied territory of about 8,700 square miles (23,000 km2) located in Western Nile present-day territories of Bul, Leek, Western Jikany, Jagei, and Dok tribes west of River Nile and North of 7°52 N latitude which was surrounded by Dinka on all sides.

[3]: 23  By 1890, the Nuer had expanded to the Eastern Nile basin cutting through the center of Dinka territory and a substantial portion of Anyuak country to the far east of Ethiopia escarpment.

Exogenous factors such as the Abyssinia territorial conquest and the Ottoman Empire invasion of North Sudan in 1821 and 1827 subsequently brought the Nuer expansion to a halt.

These two men have no political status or ritual qualification; but are renowned warriors who possess outstanding leadership, prowess, and the ability to stir up youth enthusiasm for a raid.

[7] First the migration of Jikany to the far east toward the Sobat River and as far as the Ethiopian border more than hundreds of miles away from the Nuer homeland.

Gaawar who originally occupied the Southern part of Dok territory migrated to their present home by just crossing the Nile and settling in one of the vast swampy regions in the world, the Sudd.

The failure of the Westward and Northward expansion was not surprising given the fact that a large area of the Nuer homeland was vacated by Eastern Jikany, Lou, Gawaar, Lak, and Thiang.

[3][page needed] A recent archeological study suggests that Nuer people have lived around the Nile Valley region since around 3372 B.C.E.

[9] These territorial expansions divided the Nuer into three tribal groups: Nuerland is largely located within South Sudan and some parts of western Ethiopia.

These forestry, grassland, and woodland savannahs are natural habitats for Nuerland wildlife which include, Elephants, Girafe, Lion, Tiger, Leopard, Buffalo, Hyena, fox, serval, monkeys, Rhino, and Antelope; mostly Gazelle.

[citation needed] Nuerland ecosystem features consist of Rivers, marshes, large swampy areas, and numerous fishing ponds.

[43] Nuerland inhabitants' economic necessity is mainly surrounded around Agriculture, Animal husbandry, fishing, and hunting.

A Nuer man usually gets a boy to lead his favorite oxen around the cattle camps in the morning as he leaps and sings behind it.

In the evening when the ox comes home, he pets it, rubs ashes on its back, removes ticks from its scrotum and belly, and picks adherent dunk from its anus.

He tethers his ox in front of his windscreen so he can see it when he wakes in the morning, for no sight fills a Nuer man with contentment and pride as his oxen.

[citation needed] Oil which is mostly produced in Western Nuer Homeland has been the cornerstone of South Sudan's economy making up at least 80% of the country's annual income since its discovery in 1978 by Chevron.