South Sudan officially became the world's newest internationally recognized country on July 9, 2011, following a referendum to secede from Sudan. Located in East-Central Africa, it is a landlocked country with a population of approximately 11 million. Its capital and largest city is Juba. The country is ethnically diverse and rich in natural resources, particularly oil, but it has faced significant challenges since independence, including internal conflict and economic instability. Its creation changed the map of Africa for the first time in nearly two decades (since Eritrea gained independence from Ethiopia in 1993), and it became the 193rd member of the United Nations.