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Uganda Country Guide
Explore Uganda in Africa
The terrain features mostly plateau with rim of mountains. The average density of population is approximately 133 per km². The notable climate conditions in Uganda can be described as tropical with generally rainy with two dry seasons (December to February, June to August) and semiarid in northeast. Potential natural disasters are NA.
To reach someone in Uganda dial +256 prior to a number. There are 233,500 installed telephones. And there are 9,384,000 registered mobile phones. The cellular networks commonly support frequencies of 900 MHz. Websites registered in this country end with the top level domain ".ug". If you want to bring electric equipment on your trip (e.g. laptop power supply), note the local power outlet of 240V - 50Hz.
About the flag and history of Uganda
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.
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.
Geography Quick-Facts
| Summary | Continent: Africa Neighbours: Tanzania, Kenya, Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda Capital: Kampala |
| Size | 236,040 square kilometers (km² or sqkm) or 91,135 square miles (mi² or sqmi) slightly smaller than Oregon |
| Population | 31,367,000 |
| Currency | Name Shilling, Currency Code:UGX |
| Country Top Level Domain (cTLD) | .ug |
| Telephone Country Prefix | +256 |
| Mobile Phone Connections | 9,384,000 |
| Landline Phone Connections | 233,500 |
Country Position in World Rankings
Information about single country attributes and how these compare against the rest of the world. The information below is compiled with data from 2013. As such, it may differ a bit to the Information above in the text (which is from 2010).
Geography
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Area | 241,038 (sq km) | 81 |
People and Society
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 34,758,809 | 36 |
| Population growth rate | 3.32 (%) | 4 |
| Birth rate | 44.50 (births/1,000 population) | 3 |
| Death rate | 11.26 (deaths/1,000 population) | 35 |
| Net migration rate | -0.01 (migrant(s)/1,000 population) | 109 |
| Maternal mortality rate | 310.00 (deaths/100,000 live births) | 36 |
| Infant mortality rate | 62.47 (deaths/1,000 live births) | 22 |
| Life expectancy at birth | 53.98 (years) | 208 |
| Total fertility rate | 6.06 (children born/woman) | 4 |
| Health expenditures | 9.00 (% of GDP) | 45 |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate | 6.50 (%) | 10 |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS | 1,200,000 | 8 |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths | 64,000 | 8 |
| Obesity - adult prevalence rate | 4.30 (%) | 167 |
| Children under the age of 5 years underweight | 16.40 (%) | 46 |
| Education expenditures | 3.30 (% of GDP) | 134 |
| Unemployment, youth ages 15-24 | 5.40 (%) | 131 |
Economy
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| GDP (purchasing power parity) | 51,270,000,000 | 96 |
| GDP - real growth rate | 2.60 (%) | 118 |
| GDP - per capita (PPP) | 1,400 | 206 |
| Labor force | 16,550,000 | 38 |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index | 44.30 | 46 |
| Investment (gross fixed) | 24.90 (% of GDP) | 53 |
| Taxes and other revenues | 13.90 (% of GDP) | 197 |
| Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) | -3.40 (% of GDP) | 121 |
| Public debt | 26.80 (% of GDP) | 120 |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 14.70 (%) | 211 |
| Central bank discount rate | 9.65 (%) | 27 |
| Commercial bank prime lending rate | 21.83 (%) | 15 |
| Stock of narrow money | 2,283,000,000 | 124 |
| Stock of broad money | 4,162,000,000 | 132 |
| Stock of domestic credit | 3,296,000,000 | 128 |
| Market value of publicly traded shares | 1,788,000,000 | 99 |
| Industrial production growth rate | 2.00 (%) | 115 |
| Current account balance | -2,280,000,000 | 141 |
| Exports | 2,735,000,000 | 134 |
| Imports | 5,528,000,000 | 123 |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold | 2,705,000,000 | 111 |
| Debt - external | 4,126,000,000 | 126 |
Energy
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity - production | 2,445,000,000 (kWh) | 133 |
| Electricity - consumption | 2,217,000,000 (kWh) | 139 |
| Electricity - exports | 75,000,000 (kWh) | 76 |
| Electricity - imports | 29,000,000 (kWh) | 104 |
| Electricity - installed generating capacity | 529,000 (kW) | 136 |
| Electricity - from fossil fuels | 37.80 (% of total installed capacity) | 172 |
| Electricity - from hydroelectric plants | 59.50 (% of total installed capacity) | 33 |
| Electricity - from other renewable sources | 2.60 (% of total installed capacity) | 51 |
| Crude oil - proved reserves | 1,000,000,000 (bbl) | 42 |
| Refined petroleum products - consumption | 16,930 (bbl/day) | 140 |
| Refined petroleum products - imports | 23,950 (bbl/day) | 98 |
| Natural gas - proved reserves | 14,160,000,000 (cu m) | 80 |
| Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy | 2,014,000 (Mt) | 150 |
Communications
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Telephones - main lines in use | 464,800 | 103 |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | 16,697,000 | 52 |
| Internet hosts | 32,683 | 106 |
| Internet users | 3,200,000 | 66 |
Transportation
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Airports | 46 | 95 |
| Railways | 1,244 (km) | 83 |
| Roadways | 70,746 (km) | 66 |
Military
| Value name | Value | World Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Military expenditures | 1.80 (% of GDP) | 76 |
Data based on CIA facts book 2010 & 2013, wikipedia, national statistical offices and their census releases
List of current world heritage sites
| Name | Since |
|---|---|
| Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Located in south-western Uganda, at the junction of the plain and mountain forests, Bwindi Park covers 32,000 ha and is known for its exceptional biodiversity, with more than 160 species of trees and over 100 species of ferns. Many types of birds and ... | 1994 |
| Rwenzori Mountains National Park The Rwenzori Mountains National Park covers nearly 100,000 ha in western Uganda and comprises the main part of the Rwenzori mountain chain, which includes Africa's third highest peak (Mount Margherita: 5,109 m). The region's glaciers, waterfalls and ... | 1994 |
| Tombs of Buganda Kings at Kasubi The Tombs of Buganda Kings at Kasubi constitute a site embracing almost 30 ha of hillside within Kampala district. Most of the site is agricultural, farmed by traditional methods. At its core on the hilltop is the former palace of the Kabakas of Buga ... | 2001 |