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.
Location
Eastern Africa, west of Kenya
Geographic coordinates
1 00 N, 32 00 E
Map references
Africa
Area
total
236,040 sq km
land
199,710 sq km
water
36,330 sq km
Area - comparative
slightly smaller than Oregon
Land boundaries
total
2,698 km
border countries
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
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 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards
NA
Environment - current issues
draining of wetlands for agricultural use; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; water hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria; widespread poaching
Environment - 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
signed, but not ratified
Environmental Modification
Geography - note
landlocked; fertile, well-watered country with many lakes and rivers
Population
30,262,610
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.)
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.)
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/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate
12.64 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Net migration rate
0.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth
1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years
1.014 male(s)/female
15-64 years
1.006 male(s)/female
65 years and over
0.74 male(s)/female
total population
1.004 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total
67.22 deaths/1,000 live births
male
70.92 deaths/1,000 live births
female
63.42 deaths/1,000 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.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
4.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
530,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - 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
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)
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
Literacy
definition
age 15 and over can read and write
total population
66.8%
male
76.8%
female
57.7% (2002 census)
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)
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
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
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
unicameral National Assembly (332 seats; 215 members elected by popular vote, 104 nominated by legally established special interest groups [women 79, army 10, disabled 5, youth 5, labor 5], 13 ex officio members; to serve five-year terms)
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
Conservative Party or CP [Ken LUKYAMUZI]; Democratic Party or DP [Kizito SSEBAANA]; Forum for Democratic Change or FDC [Kizza BESIGYE]; Justice Forum or JEEMA [Muhammad Kibirige MAYANJA]; National Democrats Forum [Chapaa KARUHANGA]; National Resistance Movement or NRM [Yoweri MUSEVENI]; Ugandan People's Congress or UPC [Miria OBOTE]
note: a national referendum in July 2005 opened the way for Uganda's transition to a multi-party political system
Political pressure groups and leaders
Popular Resistance Against a Life President or PRALP
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
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.
GDP (purchasing power parity)
$52.93 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$8.526 billion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
5.3% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP)
$1,900 (2006 est.)
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture
29.4%
industry
22.1%
services
48.5% (2006 est.)
Labor force
13.76 million (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture
82%
industry
5%
services
13% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate
NA%
Population below poverty line
35% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%
4%
highest 10%
21% (2000)
Distribution of family income - Gini index
43 (1999)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
6% (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed)
23.5% of GDP (2006 est.)
Budget
revenues
$1.943 billion
expenditures
$1.994 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.)
capital equipment, vehicles, petroleum, medical supplies; cereals
Imports - partners
Kenya 34.6%, UAE 8.7%, China 7.2%, India 5.6%, South Africa 5.5%, Japan 4.3% (2006)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$1.4 billion (2006 est.)
Debt - external
$1.456 billion (2006 est.)
Economic aid - recipient
$959 million (2003)
Currency (code)
Ugandan shilling (UGX)
Currency code
UGX
Exchange rates
Ugandan shillings per US dollar - 1,834.9 (2006), 1,780.7 (2005), 1,810.3 (2004), 1,963.7 (2003), 1,797.6 (2002)
Fiscal year
1 July - 30 June
Telephones - main lines in use
100,800 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular
1.525 million (2005)
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
Radio broadcast stations
AM 7, FM 33, shortwave 2 (2001)
Radios
5 million (2001)
Television broadcast stations
8 (plus 1 repeater) (2001)
Televisions
500,000 (2001)
Internet country code
.ug
Internet hosts
1,365 (2006)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
2 (2000)
Internet users
500,000 (2005)
Airports
31 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways
total
5
over 3,047 m
3
1,524 to 2,437 m
1
914 to 1,523 m
1 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total
26
2,438 to 3,047 m
1
1,524 to 2,437 m
6
914 to 1,523 m
11
under 914 m
8 (2006)
Railways
total
1,244 km
narrow gauge
1,244 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)
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)
Ports and terminals
Entebbe, Jinja, Port Bell
Military branches
Uganda Peoples Defense Force (UPDF): Army (includes Marine Unit), Air Force (2007)
Military service age and obligation
18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military duty; the government has stated that recruitment below that age could occur with proper consent and that "no person under the apparent age of 13 years shall be enrolled in the armed forces"
Manpower available for military service
males age 18-49
5,012,620
females age 18-49
4,855,858 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service
males age 18-49
2,889,808
females age 18-49
2,780,135 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP
2.2% (2006)
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)
