At the end of each voting day, the ballot box is closed, and the number of ballot papers in each box counted and compared with the number of registered voters. The counting of the ballot papers started on January 15th, 2011, marking the end of the referendum. Despite the country’s history of internal turmoil and conflict, and although fighting and deaths arising from feuding factions were reported during the referendum, the process was, relatively speaking, peaceful. Photograph: UNAMID - Olivier Chassot.