Location:
Eastern Africa, west of Kenya.
Land Boundaries:
Democratic Republic of the Congo 765 km, Kenya 933 km, Rwanda 169 km, Sudan 435 km and Tanzania 396 km.
Geography:
Size 236,040 sq km, slightly smaller than Oregon, US. Uganda is a landlocked country. The terrain is mostly plateau with a rim of mountains. Its highest point is Margherita Peak on Mount Stanley which stands at 5,110 m. Uganda's lowest point is Lake Albert at 621 m. The climate is tropical; generally rainy with two dry seasons (December to February, June to August). The northeast of Uganda is semi-arid and therefore drier. The country is generally very fertile with many lakes and rivers.
Population:
Just over 27 million people live in Uganda. Life expectancy is around 51 years. Birth rate is on average 6.7 per woman. 4.1% of the population is believed to have HIV/AIDS. Literacy rate is just under 70%.
Languages:
English (official national language, taught in grade schools, used in courts of law and by most newspapers and some radio broadcasts), Ganda or Luganda (most widely used of the Niger-Congo languages, preferred for native language publications in the capital and may be taught in school), other Niger-Congo languages, Nilo-Saharan languages, Swahili, and Arabic.
Ethnic Groups:
Baganda 17%, Ankole 8%, Basoga 8%, Iteso 8%, Bakiga 7%, Langi 6%, Rwanda 6%, Bagisu 5%, Acholi 4%, Lugbara 4%, Batoro 3%, Bunyoro 3%, Alur 2%, Bagwere 2%, Bakonjo 2%, Jopodhola 2%, Karamojong 2%, Rundi 2%, non-African (European, Asian, Arab) 1%, other 8%.
Religion:
Roman Catholic 33%, Protestant 33%, Muslim 16%, indigenous beliefs 18%.
Political History:
Uganda achieved independence from the UK in 1962. The dictatorial regime of Idi Amin (1971-79) was responsible for the deaths of some 300,000 opponents; guerrilla war and human rights abuses under Milton Obote (1980-85) claimed at least another 100,000 lives. During the 1990s, the government promulgated non-party presidential and legislative elections.
Economic Overview:
Uganda has substantial natural resources, including fertile soils, regular rainfall, and sizable mineral deposits of copper and cobalt. Agriculture is the most important sector of the economy, employing over 80% of the work force. Coffee accounts for the bulk of export revenues. Since 1986, the government - with the support of foreign countries and international agencies - has acted to rehabilitate and stabilize the economy by undertaking currency reform, raising producer prices on export crops, increasing prices of petroleum products, and improving civil service wages.
Source: CIA World Factbook |