Map of Uganda | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: The colonial boundaries created by Britain to delimit Uganda grouped together a wide range of ethnic groups with different political systems and cultures. These differences prevented the establishment of a working political community after independence was achieved 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. The rule of Yoweri MUSEVENI since 1986 has brought relative stability and economic growth to Uganda. During the 1990s the government promulgated non-party presidential and legislative elections.


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Location: Eastern Africa west of Kenya

Geographic coordinates: 1 00 N 32 00 E

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 236,040 km²
Land: 199,710 km²
Water: 36,330 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries
Total: 2,698 km
Border countries: (5) Democratic Republic of the Congo 765 km; , Kenya 933 km; , Rwanda 169 km; , Sudan 435 km; , Tanzania 396 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 Peak on Mount Stanley 5,110 m

Natural resources: copper cobalt hydropower limestone salt arable land

Land use
Arable land: 21.57%
Permanent crops: 8.92%
Other: 69.51% (2005)

Irrigated land: 90 km² (2003)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: NA

Geography
Note: landlocked; fertile well-watered country with many lakes and rivers


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Population
Note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2007 est.)
Growth rate: 3.572% (2007 est.)
Below poverty line: 35% (2001 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Ugandan
Adjective: Ugandan

Ethnic groups: Baganda 16.9% Banyakole 9.5% Basoga 8.4% Bakiga 6.9% Iteso 6.4% Langi 6.1% Acholi 4.7% Bagisu 4.6% Lugbara 4.2% Bunyoro 2.7% other 29.6% (2002 census)

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 Arabic

Religions: Roman Catholic 41.9% Protestant 42% (Anglican 35.9% Pentecostal 4.6% Seventh Day Adventist 1.5%) Muslim 12.1% other 3.1% none 0.9% (2002 census)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 50.2% (male 7,646,619/female 7,538,137)
15-64 years: 47.6% (male 7,231,196/female 7,185,058)
65 years and over: 2.2% (male 281,317/female 380,283) (2007 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 14.9 years
Male: 14.8 years
Female: 15 years (2007 est.)

Population growth rate: 3.572% (2007 est.)

Birth rate: 48.12 births/1000 population (2007 est.)

Death rate: 12.64 deaths/1000 population (2007 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.24 migrant(s)/1000 population (2007 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: draining of wetlands for agricultural use; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; water hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria; widespread poaching
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.014 male/female
15-64 years: 1.006 male/female
65 years and over: 0.74 male/female
Total population: 1.004 male/female (2007 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 67.22 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 70.92 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 63.42 deaths/1000 live births (2007 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 51.75 years
Male: 50.78 years
Female: 52.73 years (2007 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.84 children born/woman (2007 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 4.1% (2003 est.)
People living with hivaids: 530,000 (2001 est.)
Deaths: 78,000 (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: very high
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
Vectorborne diseases: malaria and African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) are high risks in some locations
Water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2007)

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 66.8%
Male: 76.8%
Female: 57.7% (2002 census)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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

Government type: republic

Capital
Name: Kampala
Geographic coordinates: 0 19 N, 32 25 E
Time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions
Note: as of a July 2005, 13 new districts were reportedly added bringing the total up to 69; the new districts are Amolatar, Amuria, Budaka, Butaleja, Ibanda, Kaabong, Kabingo, Kaliro, Kiruhura, Koboko, Manafwa, Mityana, Nakaseke; a total of ten more districts are in the process of being added

Dependent areas

Independence: 9 October 1962 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day 9 October (1962)

Constitution: 8 October 1995; in 2005 the constitution was amended removing presidential term limits and legalizing a multiparty political system

Legal system: in 1995 the government restored the legal system to one based on English common law and customary law; 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 26 January 1986); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI (since seizing power 26 January 1986); Prime Minister Apollo NSIBAMBI (since 5 April 1999); note - the prime minister assists the president in the supervision of the cabinet
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among elected legislators
Elections: president reelected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 23 February 2006 (next to be held in 2011)
Election results: Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI elected president; percent of vote - Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI 59.3%, Kizza BESIGYE 37.4%, other 3.3%

Legislative branch
Elections: last held 23 February 2006 (next to be held in 2011)
Election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NRM 191, FDC 37, UPC 9, DP 8, CP 1, JEEMA 1, independents 36, other 49

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal (judges are appointed by the president and approved by the legislature); High Court (judges are appointed by the president)

Political parties and leaders
Note: a national referendum in July 2005 opened the way for Uganda's transition to a multi-party political system

International organization participation: ACP AfDB AU C COMESA EAC EADB FAO G-77 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICCt ICRM IDA IDB IFAD IFC IFRCS IGAD ILO IMF Interpol IOC IOM IPU ISO (correspondent) ITSO ITU ITUC MIGA NAM OIC OPCW PCA UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO UNMIS UNWTO UPU WCO WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Perezi Karukubiro KAMUNANWIRE
In the us chancery: 5,911 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20,011
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 726-7,100 through 7,102, 0416
In the us fax: [1] (202) 726-1727
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Steven BROWNING
From the us embassy: 1577 Ggaba Road, Kampala
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box 7,007, Kampala
From the us telephone: [256] (41) 234-142
From the us fax: [256] (41) 258-451

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 hoist side

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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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 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. During 1990-2001 the economy turned in a solid performance based on continued investment in the rehabilitation of infrastructure improved incentives for production and exports reduced inflation gradually improved domestic security and the return of exiled Indian-Ugandan entrepreneurs. In 2000 Uganda qualified for enhanced Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) debt relief worth $1.3 billion and Paris Club debt relief worth $145 million. These amounts combined with the original HIPC debt relief added up to about $2 billion. Growth for 2001-02 was solid despite continued decline in the price of coffee Uganda's principal export. Growth in 2003-06 reflected an upturn in Uganda's export markets.

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $52.93 billion (2006 est.)

Real gdp growth rate: 5.3% (2006 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $1900 (2006 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 31.4%
Industry: 24.6%
Services: 44% (2006 est.)

Agriculture products: coffee tea cotton tobacco cassava (tapioca) potatoes corn millet pulses cut flowers; beef goat meat milk poultry

Industries: sugar brewing tobacco cotton textiles; cement steel production

Industrial production growth rate: 5.2% (2006 est.)

Labor force: 13.58 million (2006 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 82%
By occupation industry: 5%
By occupation services: 13% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 35% (2001 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 2.3%
Highest 10: 37.7% (2002)

Distribution of family income gini index: 45.7 (2002)

Budget
Revenues: $1.758 billion
Expenditures: $1.984 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt: 19.4% of GDP (2006 est.)

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Inflation rate consumer prices: 6.6% (2006 est.)

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares: $103.4 million (2005)

Current account balance: $-130.6 million (2006 est.)

Exports: $1.004 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Commodities: coffee fish and fish products tea cotton flowers horticultural products; gold
Partners: Belgium 9.9% Netherlands 9.4% France 7.9% Germany 7.7% Rwanda 5.6% Sudan 4.8% (2006)

Imports: $2.249 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Commodities: capital equipment vehicles petroleum medical supplies; cereals
Partners: Kenya 34.1% UAE 8.5% China 7.1% India 5.6% South Africa 5.4% Japan 4.2% (2006)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $1.811 billion (2006 est.)

Debt external: $1.136 billion (2006 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $NA

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $NA

Exchange rates: Ugandan shillings per US dollar - 1834.9 (2006) 1780.7 (2005) 1810.3 (2004) 1963.7 (2003) 1797.6 (2002)


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Electricity
Production: 1.983 billion kWh (2005)
Consumption: 1.674 billion kWh (2005)
Exports: 170 million kWh (2005)
Imports: 0 kWh (2005)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2005 est.)
Consumption: 0 m³ (2005 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 108,100 (2006)
Mobile cellular: 2.009 million (2006)

Telephone system
General assessment: seriously inadequate; 2 cellular systems have been introduced, but a sharp increase in the number of main lines is essential; e-mail and Internet services are available
Domestic: intercity traffic by wire, microwave radio relay, and radiotelephone communication stations, fixed and mobile cellular systems for short-range traffic
International: country code - 256; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat; analog links to Kenya and Tanzania

Broadcast media

Internet
Country code: .ug
Hosts: 546 (2007)
Users: 750,000 (2006)

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Percent of gdp: 2.2% (2006)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 18-26 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military duty; 18-30 years of age for professionals; 9-year service obligation; the government has stated that recruitment below 18 years of age could occur with proper consent and that 'no person under the apparent age of 13 years shall be enrolled in the armed forces' (2007)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 32 (2007)
With paved runways total: 5
With paved runways over 3047 m: 3
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1 (2007)
With unpaved runways total: 27
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 6
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 11
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 9 (2007)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways
Total: 1,244 km
Narrow gauge: 1,244 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)

Roadways
Total: 70,746 km
Paved: 16,272 km
Unpaved: 54,474 km (2003)

Waterways: on Lake Victoria 200 km on Lake Albert Lake Kyoga and parts of Albert Nile (2005)

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals: Entebbe Jinja Port Bell


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Disputes international: Uganda is subject to armed fighting among hostile ethnic groups rebels armed gangs militias and various government forces that extend across its borders; Uganda hosts 209,860 Sudanese 27,560 Congolese and 19,710 Rwandan refugees while Ugandan refugees as well as members of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) seek shelter in southern Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo's Garamba National Park; LRA forces have also attacked Kenyan villages across the border

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees country of origin: 212,857 (Sudan), 20,564 (Democratic Republic of Congo), 20,213 (Rwanda)
Idps: 1.2-1.7 million (350,000 IDPs returned in 2006 following ongoing peace talks between the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) and the Government of Uganda) (2006)

Illicit drugs