Statistical information Uganda 1996

Uganda in the World

Uganda - Introduction 1996

top of page

Background: 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 another 100,000 lives.

Uganda - Geography 1996

top of page

Location: Eastern Africa, west of Kenya

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

Area
Total: 236,040 km²
Land: 199,710 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries: Total 2,698 km, Kenya 933 km, Rwanda 169 km, Sudan 435 km, Tanzania 396 km, Democratic Republic of Congo 765 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: None; landlocked

Climate: Tropical; generally rainy with two dry seasons (December to February, June to August; semiarid in northeast

Terrain: Mostly plateau with rim of mountains

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Lake Albert 621 m
Extremes highest point: Margherita (Mount Stanley) 5,110 m

Natural resources:

Copper
Cobalt
Limestone
Salt

Land use

Land use
Arable land: 23%
Permanent crops: 9%
Permanent pastures: 25%
Forests and woodland: 30%
Other: 13%

Irrigated land: 90 km² (1989 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography

Uganda - People 1996

top of page

Population:

20,158,176 (July 1996 est.)
19,573,262 (July 1995 est.)

Growth rate:

2.24% (1996 est.)
2.25% (1995 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Ugandan(s)
Adjective: Ugandan

Ethnic groups:

Baganda 17%
Karamojong 12%
Basogo 8%
Iteso 8%
Langi 6%
Rwanda 6%
Bagisu 5%
Acholi 4%
Lugbara 4%
Bunyoro 3%
Batobo 3%
European, Asian, Arab 1%
Other 23%

Languages: English (official), Luganda, Swahili, Bantu languages, Nilotic languages

Religions:

Roman Catholic 33%
Protestant 33%
Muslim 16%
Indigenous beliefs 18%

Demographic profile

Age structure

Age structure
0-14 years:

50% (male 5,006,615; female 4,972,831) (July 1996 est.)
49% (male 4,834,757; female 4,792,164) (July 1995 est.)

15-64 years:

48% (male 4,842,908; female 4,874,471) (July 1996 est.)
49% (male 4,704,159; female 4,802,650) (July 1995 est.)

65 years and over:

2% (male 231,156; female 230,195) (July 1996 est.)
2% (male 223,884; female 215,648) (July 1995 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate:

2.24% (1996 est.)
2.25% (1995 est.)

Birth rate:

45.92 births/1000 population (1996 est.)
48.03 births/1000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate:

20.72 deaths/1000 population (1996 est.)
24.35 deaths/1000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: -2.8 migrant(s)/1000 population (1996 est.)
Note: Uganda is host to refugees from a number of neighboring countries, including Democratic Republic Congo, Sudan, and Rwanda; probably in excess of 100,000 southern Sudanese fled to Uganda during the past year; many of the 8,000 Rwandans who took refuge in Uganda have returned home

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: draining of wetlands for agricultural use; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; poaching is widespread
Current issues Natural hazards: NA
International agreements: party to_Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified_Environmental Modification
International agreements note: Landlocked

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female
All ages:

1 male(s)/female (1996 est.) Infant Mortality Rate:99.4 deaths/1000 live births (1996 est.)
112.2 deaths/1000 live births (1995 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 40.29 years (1996 est.), 36.58 years (1995 est.)
Male: 39.98 years (1996 est.), 36.26 years (1995 est.)
Female: 40.6 years (1996 est.), 36.91 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate:

6.61 children born/woman (1996 est.)
6.7 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over that can read and write (1995 est.)
Total population: 61.8%
Male: 73.7%
Female: 50.2%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment

Uganda - Government 1996

top of page

Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Uganda
Conventional short form: Uganda

Government type: Republic

Capital: Kampala

Administrative divisions: 39 districts; Apac, Arua, Bundibugyo, Bushenyi, Gulu, Hoima, Iganga, Jinja, Kabale, Kabarole, Kalangala, Kampala, Kamuli, Kapchorwa, Kasese, Kibale, Kiboga, Kisoro, Kitgum, Kotido, Kumi, Lira, Luwero, Masaka, Masindi, Mbale, Mbarara, Moroto, Moyo, Mpigi, Mubende, Mukono, Nebbi, Ntungamo, Pallisa, Rakai, Rukungiri, Sototi, Tororo

Dependent areas

Independence: 9 October 1962 (from U.K.)

National holiday: Independence Day, 9 October (1962)

Constitution: 8 October 1995; adopted by the interim, 284-member Constituent Assembly, charged with debating the draft constitution that had been proposed in May 1993; the Constituent Assembly was dissolved on promulgation of the constitution in October 1995

Legal system: In 1995, the government restored the legal system to one based on English common law and customary law and reinstituted a normal judicial system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI (since seizing power 29 January 1986); election last held 9 May 1996 (next to be held NA); results_Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI 74%, Paul K. SSEMOGERERE 24%, Muhammad MAYANJA 2%; note_this was the first popular direct presidential election since independence in 1962
Head of government: Prime Minister Kintu MUSOKE (since 18 November 1994)
Cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the president

Legislative branch: Unicameral National Assembly:Elections last held in 1980; note_the National Assembly was dissolved in July 1985 following a military coup and was succeeded on 1 February 1986 by the interim National Resistance Council, initially consisting of 23 appointed members, but by early-1989 enlarged to 278 members, of whom 210 were indirectly elected; the National Resistance Council, which had served as Uganda's acting legislature for more than 10 years, was dissolved on 15 June 1996 to prepare for the popular election of a new legislature on 27 June 1996 in keeping with the provisions of the new constitution

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal, High Court

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, EADB, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGADD, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation

Flag description

: Six equal horizontal bands of black (top), yellow, red, black, yellow, and red; a white disk is superimposed at the center and depicts a red-crested crane (the national symbol) facing the staff side

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage

Uganda - Economy 1996

top of page

Economy 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 is the major export crop and 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. The policy changes are especially aimed at dampening inflation and boosting production and export earnings. In 1990-94, the economy turned in a solid performance based on continued investment in the rehabilitation of infrastructure, improved incentives for production and exports, and gradually improving domestic security. The economy again prospered in 1995 with rapid growth, low inflation, growing foreign investment, a trimmed bureaucracy, and the continued return of exiled Indian-Ugandan entrepreneurs.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate:

7.1% (1995 est.)
6% (1994 est.)

Real gdp per capita ppp

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: Mainly subsistence; accounts for 57% of GDP and over 80% of labor force; cash crops_coffee, tea, cotton, tobacco; food crops_cassava, potatoes, corn, millet, pulses; livestock products_beef, goat meat, milk, poultry; self-sufficient in food

Industries:

Sugar
Brewing
Tobacco
Cotton textiles
Cement

Industrial production growth rate: Growth rate 15% (1994), 1.5% (1992; accounts for 5% of GDP

Labor force: 8.361 million (1993 est.)
By occupation Agriculture: 86%
By occupation Industry: 4%
By occupation Services: 10% (1980 est.)

Labor force