What is the Capital of South Sudan?

What is the capital of South Sudan? I was excited to teach my kids this week the birth of a new country, South Sudan. The capital is Juda. Tonight, we are going to try to handwrite in on our maps the border between Sudan and South Sudan. (Hopefully, with a new border comes a new era of peace for the Sudanese people and that South Sudan has their own George Washington.)

Don’t get wedded to Juda, though. South Sudan is searching for a new capital because they do not believe Juda is the best city in the long haul to be the capital of the country. So when you teach Juda as the captial of South Sudan, make sure you let your kids know that it comes with an asterisk of “could be changed soon.”

I’m a huge – huge – believer in teaching children capitals and other rote learning facts about geography and history. The phrase “rote facts” with education is usually said derisively. Ultimately, I think if you have the basic facts down, you are more interested in what is going on. I can sell my kids much easier on the idea that it is big deal that there are now two Sudans because they have some information already on Sudan. Not much. But they know where it is and they know the capital is Khartoum. That is not much but it is a huge start in getting them interested in the world around them.
So, in summary: Juda… for now!