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. A constitutional referendum in 2005 cancelled a 19-year ban on multi-party politics and lifted presidential term limits.


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Location: East-Central Africa west of Kenya east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Geographic coordinates: 1 00 N 32 00 E

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 241,038 km²
Land: 197,100 km²
Water: 43,938 km²
Rank: 81
Comparative: slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries
Total: 2,729 km
Border countries: (5) Democratic Republic of the Congo 877 km; Kenya 814 km; Rwanda 172 km; South Sudan 475 km; Tanzania 391 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: gold

Land use
Agricultural land: 71.2%
Forest: 14.5%
Other: 14.3%

Irrigated land: 144.2 km² (2010)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 66 km³ (2011)

Natural hazards: NA

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


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Population: 37,101,745
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 higher death rates lower population growth rates and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected
Rank: 36
Growth rate: 3.24% (2015 est.)
Growth rate rank: 5
Below poverty line: 19.7% (2013 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Ugandan
Adjective: Ugandan

Ethnic groups: Baganda 16.9% Banyankole 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: 48.47%
15-24 years: 21.16%
25-54 years: 25.91%
55-64 years: 2.43%
65 years and over: 2.04% (2015 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 102.3%
Youth dependency ratio: 97.3%
Elderly dependency ratio: 5%
Potential support ratio: 19.9%

Median age
Total: 15.6 years
Male: 15.6 years
Female: 15.7 years

Population growth rate: 3.24% (2015 est.)
Rank: 5

Birth rate: 43.79 births/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 3

Death rate: 10.69 deaths/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 36

Net migration rate: -0.74 migrant(s)/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 143

Population distribution

Urbanization
Urban population: 16.1% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 5.43% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: KAMPALA (capital) 1.936 million (2015)

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
0-14 years: 1 male/female
15-24 years: 0.98 male/female
25-54 years: 1 male/female
55-64 years: 0.92 male/female
65 years and over: 0.79 male/female
Total population: 0.99 male/female

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 59.21 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 68.39 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 49.75 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 21

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 54.93 years
Male: 53.54 years
Female: 56.36 years
Rank: 211

Total fertility rate: 5.89 children born/woman (2015 est.)
Rank: 5

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 30% (2011)

Drinking water source:

Current health expenditure

Physicians density: 0.12 physicians/1000 population (2005)

Hospital bed density: 0.5 beds/1000 population (2010)

Sanitation facility access:

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 7.25% (2014 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 10
People living with hivaids: 1,486,600 (2014 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 7
Deaths: 32,900 (2014 est.)
Deaths rank: 10

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: very high
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea hepatitis A and E and typhoid fever
Vectorborne diseases: malaria dengue fever and trypanosomiasis-Gambiense
Water contact disease: schistosomiasis
Animal contact disease: rabies

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 3.9% (2014)
Rank: 167

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 14.1% (2011)
Rank: 51

Education expenditures: 3.3% of GDP (2012)
Rank: 131

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 78.4%
Male: 85.3%
Female: 71.5%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 10 years
Male: 10 years
Female: 10 years

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 33 E
Time difference: UTC+3

Administrative divisions: 111 districts and 1 capital city*; Abim Adjumani Agago Alebtong Amolatar Amudat Amuria Amuru Apac Arua Budaka Bududa Bugiri Buhweju Buikwe Bukedea Bukomansimbi Bukwa Bulambuli Buliisa Bundibugyo Bushenyi Busia Butaleja Butambala Buvuma Buyende Dokolo Gomba Gulu Hoima Ibanda Iganga Isingiro Jinja Kaabong Kabale Kabarole Kaberamaido Kalangala Kaliro Kalungu Kampala* Kamuli Kamwenge Kanungu Kapchorwa Kasese Katakwi Kayunga Kibaale Kiboga Kibuku Kiruhura Kiryandongo Kisoro Kitgum Koboko Kole Kotido Kumi Kween Kyankwanzi Kyegegwa Kyenjojo Lamwo Lira Luuka Luwero Lwengo Lyantonde Manafwa Maracha Masaka Masindi Mayuge Mbale Mbarara Mitooma Mityana Moroto Moyo Mpigi Mubende Mukono Nakapiripirit Nakaseke Nakasongola Namayingo Namutumba Napak Nebbi Ngora Ntoroko Ntungamo Nwoya Otuke Oyam Pader Pallisa Rakai Rubirizi Rukungiri Sembabule Serere Sheema Sironko Soroti Tororo Wakiso Yumbe Zombo

Dependent areas

Independence: 9 October 1962 (from the UK)

National holiday: Independence Day 9 October (1962)

Constitution: several previous; latest adopted 27 September 1995 promulgated 8 October 1995; amended many times last in 2005 (2011)

Legal system: mixed legal system of English common law and customary law

International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI ; Vice President Edward SSEKANDI (since 24 May 2011); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government
Head of government: President Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI ; Prime Minister Amama MBABAZI (since 24 May 2011); note - the prime minister assists the president in supervising the cabinet
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among elected members of the National Assembly
Electionsappointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term ; election last held on 18 February 2011 (next to be held in 2016)
Election results: Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI reelected president; percent of vote - Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI 68.4% Kizza BESIGYE (FDC) 26.0% other 5.6%

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral National Assembly or Parliament
Elections: last held on 18 February 2011
Election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NRM 263 FDC 34 DP 12 UPC 10 UPDF 10 CP 1 JEEMA 1 independent 43 vacant 1; note - UPDF is the Uganda People's Defense Force

Judicial branch
Highest court: Supreme Court of Uganda
Judge selection and term of office: justices appointed by the president in consultation with the Judicial Service Commission and with approval of the National Assembly; justices serve until mandatory retirement at age 70
Subordinate courts: Court of Appeal ; High Court (includes 10 High Court Circuits and 7 High Court Divisions); Chief Magistrate Grade One and Grade Two Courts

Political parties and leaders:

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

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Oliver WONEKHA
In the us chancery: 5,911 16th Street NW Washington DC 20,011
In the us telephone: [1] 726-7,100 through 7,102 0416
In the us FAX: [1] 726-1727
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Scott H. DELISI
From the us embassy: 1577 Ggaba Road Kampala
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box 7,007 Kampala
From the us telephone: [256] 259 791 through 93 95
From the us FAX: [256] 259-794

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 grey crowned crane (the national symbol) facing the hoist side; black symbolizes the African people yellow sunshine and vitality red African brotherhood; the crane was the military badge of Ugandan soldiers under the UK

National symbols: grey crowned crane; national colors: black yellow red

National anthem
Name: 'Oh Uganda Land of Beauty!'
Lyrics and music: George Wilberforce KAKOMOA
Note: adopted 1962

National heritage


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Economy overview: Uganda has substantial natural resources including fertile soils regular rainfall small deposits of copper gold and other minerals and recently discovered oil. Agriculture is the most important sector of the economy employing over two-thirds 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. Since 1990 economic reforms ushered in an era of solid economic growth based on continued investment in infrastructure improved incentives for production and exports lower inflation better domestic security and the return of exiled Indian-Ugandan entrepreneurs. The global economic downturn in 2008 hurt Uganda's exports; however Uganda's GDP growth has largely recovered due to past reforms and sound management of the downturn. Oil revenues and taxes will become a larger source of government funding as oil comes on line in the next few years although lower oil prices since 2014 and protracted negotiations and legal disputes between the Ugandan government and oil companies may prove a stumbling block to further exploration and development. Instability in South Sudan is a risk for the Ugandan economy because Uganda is a key destination for Sudanese refugees and South Sudan is Uganda's main export partner. Unreliable power high energy costs inadequate transportation infrastructure and corruption inhibit economic development and investor confidence. During 2014 to 2015 the Uganda shilling depreciated against the dollar and this coupled with increased public debt has severely impeded production especially since Uganda imports most of its capital goods.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Note: data are in 2014 US dollars
Rank: 98

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 36

Real gdp per capita:
Note: data are in 2014 US dollars
Rank: 209

Gross national saving:
Rank: 112

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 78.9%
Government consumption: 8.8%
Investment in fixed capital: 24.2%
Investment in inventories: 0.2%
Exports of goods and services: 21%
Imports of goods and services: -33.2%: (2014 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 21.9%
Industry: 26.7%
Services: 51.3%

Agriculture products: coffee tea cotton tobacco cassava (manioc 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% (2014 est.)
Rank: 52

Labor force: 18 million (2014 est.)
Rank: 34
By occupation agriculture: 82%
By occupation industry: 5%
By occupation services: 13%

Unemployment rate: NA%

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 19.7% (2013 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 2.4%
Highest 10: 36.1%

Distribution of family income gini index:
Rank: 46

Budget
Revenues: $3.434 billion
Expenditures: $4.431 billion
Surplus or deficit: -3.8% of GDP (2014 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 137

Taxes and other revenues: 13.2% of GDP (2014 est.)
Rank: 202

Public debt:
Rank: 110

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 167

Central bank discount rate:
Rank: 10

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Rank: 13

Stock of narrow money:
Rank: 125

Stock of broad money:
Rank: 139

Stock of domestic credit:
Rank: 127

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 80

Current account balance:
Rank: 150

Exports:
Rank: 133
Commodities: coffee fish and fish products tea cotton flowers horticultural products; gold
Partners: Rwanda 10.1% UAE 9.8% Democratic Republic of the Congo 9.3% Kenya 9.1% Netherlands 6% Germany 5.7% Italy 5.5% China 5.3% (2014)

Imports:
Rank: 130
Commodities: capital equipment vehicles petroleum medical supplies; cereals
Partners: Kenya 18.3% UAE 14.3% India 12.8% China 11.3% Japan 4.4% (2014)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Note: excludes gold
Rank: 103

Debt external:
Rank: 125

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $N/A

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $N/A

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Production: 2.493 billion kWh (2011 est.)
Production rank: 133
Consumption: 2.284 billion kWh (2011 est.)
Consumption rank: 138
Exports: 70 million kWh (2011)
Exports rank: 84
Imports: 36 million kWh (2011 est.)
Imports rank: 105
Installed generating capacity: 711,400 kW (2014 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 132
Generation sources fossil fuels: 21% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 192
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 195
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 59.9% of total installed capacity (2014 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 19
Generation sources other renewable sources: 19.2% of total installed capacity (2014 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 65

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 137
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 196
Crude oil imports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 134
Crude oil proven reserves: 2.5 billion bbl (July 6 1905)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 34

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products production rank: 203
Products consumption: 18,180 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Products consumption rank: 135
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products exports rank: 139
Products imports: 22,990 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Products imports rank: 99

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2012 est.)
Production rank: 201
Consumption: 0 m³ (2012 est.)
Consumption rank: 202
Exports: 0 m³ (2012 est.)
Exports rank: 197
Imports: 0 m³ (2012 est.)
Imports rank: 142
Proven reserves: 14.16 billion m³ (1 January 2014 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 77

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 2.548 million Mt (2012 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 145

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 320,000
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1
Fixed lines rank: 114
Mobile cellular total: 20.4 million
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 57
Mobile cellular rank: 57

Telephone system
General assessment: mobile cellular service is increasing rapidly but the number of main lines is still deficient; work underway on a national backbone information and communications technology infrastructure; international phone networks and Internet connectivity provided through satellite and VSAT applications
Domestic: intercity traffic by wire microwave radio relay and radiotelephone communication stations fixed-line and mobile-cellular systems for short-range traffic; mobile-cellular teledensity about 50 per 100 persons in 2010
International: country code - 256; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat and 1 Inmarsat; analog links to Kenya and Tanzania (2011)

Broadcast media: public broadcaster Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC) operates radio and TV networks; Uganda first began licensing privately owned stations in the 1990s; by 2007 there were nearly 150 radio and 35 TV stations mostly based in and around Kampala; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are available in Kampala (2007)

Internet
Country code: .ug
Users total: 6 million
Users percent of population: 16.8%
Users rank: 57

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures:
Rank: 67

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 18-26 years of age for voluntary military duty; 18-30 years of age for professionals; no conscription; 9-year service obligation; the government has stated that while recruitment under 18 years of age could occur with proper consent 'no person under the apparent age of 18 years shall be enrolled in the armed forces'; Ugandan citizenship and secondary education required (2012)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 47 (2013)
Rank: 93
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
With unpaved runways total: 42
With unpaved runways over 3047 m: 1
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 8
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 26
With unpaved runways: 7 (2013)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways
Total: 1244 km
Narrow gauge: 1244 km 1.000-m gauge
Rank: 83

Roadways
Total: 20,000 km
Paved: 3,264 km
Unpaved: 16,736 km
Rank: 109

Waterways: (there are no long navigable stretches of river in Uganda; parts of the Albert Nile that flow out of Lake Albert in the northwestern part of the country are navigable; several lakes including Lake Victoria and Lake Kyoga have substantial traffic; Lake Albert is navigable along a 200-km stretch from its northern tip to its southern shores) (2011)

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals
Lake port: 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; 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: 190,612 (South Sudan); 187,838 (Democratic Republic of Congo); 28,005 (Somalia); 16,601 (Rwanda); 26,106 (Burundi) (2015)
IDPs: 30,136 (2014)

Illicit drugs