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.

Eastern Africa, west of Kenya
1 00 N, 32 00 E
Africa
total: 236,040 sq km ; land: 199,710 sq km ; water: 36,330 sq km
slightly smaller than Oregon
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
0 km (landlocked)
none (landlocked)
tropical; generally rainy with two dry seasons (December to February, June to August); semiarid in northeast
mostly plateau with rim of mountains
lowest point: Lake Albert 621 m ; highest point: Margherita Peak on Mount Stanley 5,110 m
copper, cobalt, hydropower, limestone, salt, arable land
arable land: 21.57% ; permanent crops: 8.92% ; other: 69.51% (2005)
90 sq km (2003)
66 cu km (1970)
Total: 0.3 cu km/yr (43%/17%/40%) ; Per capita: 10 cu m/yr (2002)
NA
draining of wetlands for agricultural use; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; water hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria; widespread poaching
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
landlocked; fertile, well-watered country with many lakes and rivers
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.)
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.)
total: 14.9 years ; male: 14.8 years ; female: 15 years (2007 est.)
3.572% (2007 est.)
48.12 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
12.64 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
0.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
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.)
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.)
total population: 51.75 years ; male: 50.78 years ; female: 52.73 years (2007 est.)
6.84 children born/woman (2007 est.)
4.1% (2003 est.)
530,000 (2001 est.)
78,000 (2003 est.)
noun: Ugandan(s) ; adjective: Ugandan
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)
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)
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
definition: age 15 and over can read and write ; total population: 66.8% ; male: 76.8% ; female: 57.7% (2002 census)
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)

conventional long form: Republic of Uganda ; conventional short form: Uganda
republic
name: Kampala ; geographic coordinates: 0 19 N, 32 25 E ; time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
56 districts; Adjumani, Apac, Arua, Bugiri, Bundibugyo, Bushenyi, Busia, Gulu, Hoima, Iganga, Jinja, Kabale, Kabarole, Kaberamaido, Kalangala, Kampala, Kamuli, Kamwenge, Kanungu, Kapchorwa, Kasese, Katakwi, Kayunga, Kibale, Kiboga, Kisoro, Kitgum, Kotido, Kumi, Kyenjojo, Lira, Luwero, Masaka, Masindi, Mayuge, Mbale, Mbarara, Moroto, Moyo, Mpigi, Mubende, Mukono, Nakapiripirit, Nakasongola, Nebbi, Ntungamo, Pader, Pallisa, Rakai, Rukungiri, Sembabule, Sironko, Soroti, Tororo, Wakiso, Yumbe ; 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

9 October 1962 (from UK)
Independence Day, 9 October (1962)
8 October 1995; in 2005 the constitution was amended removing presidential term limits and legalizing a multiparty political 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
18 years of age; universal
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%
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
Court of Appeal (judges are appointed by the president and approved by the legislature); High Court (judges are appointed by the president)
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 Resistance Movement or NRM [Yoweri MUSEVENI]; Peoples Progressive Party or PPP [Bidandi SSALI]; 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

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
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
chief of mission: Ambassador Perezi Karukubiro KAMUNANWIRE ; chancery: 5911 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011 ; telephone: [1] (202) 726-7100 through 7102, 0416 ; FAX: [1] (202) 726-1727
chief of mission: Ambassador Steven BROWNING ; embassy: 1577 Ggaba Road, Kampala ; mailing address: P. O. Box 7007, Kampala ; telephone: [256] (41) 234-142 ; FAX: [256] (41) 258-451





Uganda has substantial natural resources, including fertile soils, regular rainfall, and sizable mineral deposits of copper, cobalt, gold, and other minerals. 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. Growth continues to be solid, despite variability in the price of coffee, Uganda's principal export, and a consistent upturn in Uganda's export markets. 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.
$31.47 billion (2007 est.)
$9.294 billion (2007 est.)
6% (2007 est.)
$1,100 (2007 est.)
agriculture: 30.2% ; industry: 24.7% ; services: 45.2% (2007 est.)
14.05 million (2007 est.)
agriculture: 82% ; industry: 5% ; services: 13% (1999 est.)
NA%
35% (2001 est.)
lowest 10%: 2.3% ; highest 10%: 37.7% (2002)
45.7 (2002)
5.8% (2007 est.)
24.3% of GDP (2007 est.)
revenues: $2.298 billion ; expenditures: $2.562 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2007 est.)
20.6% of GDP (2007 est.)
coffee, tea, cotton, tobacco, cassava (tapioca), potatoes, corn, millet, pulses, cut flowers; beef, goat meat, milk, poultry
sugar, brewing, tobacco, cotton textiles; cement, steel production
5.8% (2007 est.)
1.983 billion kWh (2005)
fossil fuel: 0.9% ; hydro: 99.1% ; nuclear: 0% ; other: 0% (2001)
1.674 billion kWh (2005)
170 million kWh (2005)
0 kWh (2005)
0 bbl/day (2005 est.)
11,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)
0 bbl/day (2004)
10,870 bbl/day (2004)
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
0 cu m (2005 est.)
0 cu m (2005 est.)
0 cu m (2005 est.)
0 cu m (2005)
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
-$241 million (2007 est.)
$1.459 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
coffee, fish and fish products, tea, cotton, flowers, horticultural products; gold
Belgium 9.9%, Netherlands 9.4%, France 7.9%, Germany 7.7%, Rwanda 5.6%, Sudan 4.8% (2006)
$2.726 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Kenya 34.1%, UAE 8.5%, China 7.1%, India 5.6%, South Africa 5.4%, Japan 4.2% (2006)

$2.1 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
$1.39 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
$NA
$NA
$103.4 million (2005)
Ugandan shilling (UGX)
UGX
Ugandan shillings per US dollar - 1,685.8 (2007), 1,834.9 (2006), 1,780.7 (2005), 1,810.3 (2004), 1,963.7 (2003)
1 July - 30 June
$1.198 billion (2005)
108,100 (2006)
2.009 million (2006)
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
AM 7, FM 33, shortwave 2 (2001)
5 million (2001)
8 (plus 1 repeater) (2001)
500,000 (2001)
.ug
546 (2007)
2 (2000)
750,000 (2006)

32 (2007)
total: 5 ; over 3,047 m: 3 ; 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 ; 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)
total: 27 ; 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 ; 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 ; 914 to 1,523 m: 11 ; under 914 m: 9 (2007)


total: 1,244 km ; narrow gauge: 1,244 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)
total: 70,746 km ; paved: 16,272 km ; unpaved: 54,474 km (2003)
on Lake Victoria, 200 km on Lake Albert, Lake Kyoga, and parts of Albert Nile (2005)

Entebbe, Jinja, Port Bell

Uganda Peoples Defense Force (UPDF): Army (includes Marine Unit), Air Force (2007)
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)
males age 18-49: 5,012,620 ; females age 18-49: 4,855,858 (2005 est.)
males age 18-49: 2,889,808 ; females age 18-49: 2,780,135 (2005 est.)

2.2% (2006)

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 (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)


