South Sudan, officially the Republic of South Sudan, is a sovereign nation located in East Africa, situated in the Nile basin. It is bordered by Sudan to the north, and by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, and Kenya to the south, while Ethiopia lies to the east and the Central African Republic to the west. The country's geography is characterized by vast, often seasonally flooded plains and plateaus, dominated by the massive Sudd swamp system on the Nile River. The capital and largest urban center is Juba, which serves as the administrative hub for the nation.