East Darfur

East Darfur State (Arabic: ولاية شرق دارفور Wilāyat Šarq Dārfūr; Sharq Darfur) is one of the states of Sudan, and one of five comprising the Darfur region. It was created in January 2012 as a result of the ongoing peace process for the wider Darfur region.^[2] The state capital is Ed Daein. The state was formed from land that was previously part of South Darfur state.

East Darfur borders South Sudan to the south and serves as a major transportation and trade crossroads linking the states of Kordofan and Darfur with South Sudan. It is the primary transit route for commercial goods traveling to South Sudanese cities such as Wau, Aweil, and Gogrial. The state is also connected to the national railway network, linking it to Khartoum via Kosti and Sennar to the east, and to Nyala to the west.

The state's economy is highly active in agriculture, livestock herding, and cross-border trade. Pastoralism is a major economic activity, particularly in the Bahr el Arab locality. East Darfur possesses fertile agricultural lands, vast pastures, mineral resources, and oil. Its rich pastures attract nomadic herders from other regions such as North Kordofan and the Butana region. The discovery of oil in the Adila locality has brought significant economic potential, but has also posed regional security challenges regarding the protection of oil fields and exploration areas.

The state is characterized by historical relations and peaceful coexistence among its various ethnic, social, and cultural groups. The three primary ethnic components of the state are the Rizeigat (centered around the capital, Ed Daein), the Ma'alia (centered around Adila), and the Birged (centered around Shaeria), who live alongside several other communities.

The state consists of nine districts (localities):

• Abu Jabra
• Abu Karinka
• Ad Du'ain (Ed Daein)
• Adila
• Assalaya
• Bahr el Arab
• El Ferdous
• Shaeria
• Yassin

11°10′N 26°30′E / 11.167°N 26.500°E / 11.167; 26.500