Upper Nile was one of the ten states of South Sudan. The only governor of Upper Nile governor since the independence of South Sudan was Simon Kun Puoch The White Nile flowed through the state, giving it its name. The state also shared a similar name with the region of Greater Upper Nile, of which it was part along with the states of Unity and Jonglei. It had an area of 77,823 square kilometres (30,048 sq mi). Malakal was the capital of the state. The town of Kodok, the location of the Fashoda Incident that ended the "Scramble for Africa", was located im the state. Upper Nile seceded from Sudan as part of the Republic of South Sudan on 9 July 2011.