Uganda lies astride the Equator, right in the heart of Africa. Uganda is bordered by
Kenya in the east, Tanzania in the south, Rwanda in the south west, Congo in the
west and Sudan in the north, making it a landlocked country.
Uganda is roughly the size of the United Kingdom, covering a total area of 236,040
sq kms, with a population of about 25 million.
Summary of Uganda travel Facts
Country: Uganda
Capital city: Kampala
Total area: 236,040 sq kms.
Area under water: 36,330 sq kms.
Area on land:1 99,710 sq kms.
Population: 25 million people.
Languages: English (official) Luganda, Bantu and Nilotic languages, and Swahili.
Religions: Roman Catholics 33%, Protestants 33%, Muslims 16%, others 17% ( including Pentecostal, which has gained a big following).
Average family income: About $200 per annum.
Government: Republic.
Independence date: October 9, 1962.
Industry: Brewing, sugar factories, cotton, tobacco, cement, coffee, etc.
Agriculture: Coffee, tea, cotton, vanilla, millet, milk, poultry, goat meat, fruits, fish, etc.
Minerals: Copper, cobalt, limestone, salt. The country recently discovered vast oil reserves and producton is expected soon.
Climate – Tropical
Tourism: Uganda has the biggest and most beautiful national parks on the African
Continent an probably the world. This has made the country a major tourist attraction.
Accessibility: By air, Entebbe International Airport; by land, through Busia and Malaba in the east, Katuna in the west and Mutukula in the south.
The historical background of Uganda
Physical and climatic features Uganda can be described as a basin-shaped rising between the western and eastern blocks of the rift valley. The topography of the country is generally flat with an altitude of 1,000m in most parts of the country. However, its location on the Great African Plateau and across the equator gives it a remarkable biological and physical diversity.
Uganda is naturally endowed with water and fertility - 25% of the area is covered with lakes, rivers and swamps, with Lake Victoria being the largest lake in Africa as well as the source of the River Nile - the world’s longest river. Lake Kyoga is in the centre of the country and lakes Edward, George and Albert lie close to the border with Congo.
The country is also a product of the African continent uplift, with the most mountainous part being in the southwest. Here, the Rwenzori Mountains, which form the highest point in Africa, are harboured. Other mountains in Uganda are, among others, Mount Elgon, Virunga, Bufumbira Mountains on the southwestern border of Rwanda, and the Northern Volcanoes of Uganda. Many such physical features make Uganda a very interesting geographical part of Africa.
