[3] It was located in the Greater Upper Nile region of South Sudan, and it bordered the country of Sudan to the north, and the southern Sudanese states of Eastern Nile to the east, Western Bieh to the southwest, and Ruweng to the west.

[5] The decree established the new states largely along ethnic lines.

A number of opposition parties and civil society groups challenged the constitutionality of the decree.

Kiir later resolved to take it to parliament for approval as a constitutional amendment.

[6] In November the South Sudanese parliament empowered President Kiir to create new states.