Basic Facts About Uganda

Population:
27,269,482 (July 2005 est.)

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

Political History:
Uganda achieved independence from the UK 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. During the 1990s, the government promoted non-party presidential and legislative elections. Now Uganda is one of the most stable and progressive African countries.

Religions:
Roman Catholic 33%, Protestant 33%, Muslim 16%, indigenous beliefs 18%

Location:
Eastern Africa, west of Kenya

Area - comparative:
Slightly smaller than Oregon

Climate:
Tropical; generally rainy with two dry seasons (December to February, June to August); semiarid in northeast

Terrain:
Mostly plateau with rim of mountain

Natural resources:
Copper, cobalt, hydropower, limestone, salt, arable land

Land use:
Arable land: 25.88%
Permanent crops: 10.65%
Other: 63.47% (2001)

Environment - current issues:
Draining of wetlands for agricultural use; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; water hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria; poaching is widespread

Geography - note:
Landlocked; fertile, well-watered country with many lakes and rivers

Nationality:
Noun: Ugandan(s)
Adjective: Ugandan

Ethnic groups:
Baganda 17%, Ankole 8%, Basoga 8%, Iteso 8%, Bakiga 7%, Langi 6%, Rwanda 6%, Bagisu 5%, Acholi 4%, Lugbara 4%, Batoro 3%, Bunyoro 3%, Alur 2%, Bagwere 2%, Bakonjo 2%, Jopodhola 2%, Karamojong 2%, Rundi 2%, non-African (European, Asian, Arab) 1%, other 8%

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: 69.9%
Male: 79.5%
Female: 60.4% (2003 est.)

Government type:
Republic

Capital:
Kampala

Independence:
9 October 1962 (from UK)


Source: CIA World Factbook