from
CIA World Factbook 2006
Uganda
Introduction
Background: 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
Location: Eastern Africa, west of Kenya
Geographic 1 00 N, 32 00 E
coordinates:
Map Africa
references:
Area: total: 236,040 sq km
land: 199,710 sq km
water: 36,330 sq km
Area - slightly smaller than Oregon
comparative:
Land total: 2,698 km
boundaries: 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 none (landlocked)
claims:
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 lowest point: Lake Albert 621 m
extremes: highest point: Margherita Peak on Mount Stanley 5,110 m
Natural copper, cobalt, hydropower, limestone, salt, arable
resources: land
Land use: arable land: 21.57%
permanent crops: 8.92%
other: 69.51% (2005)
Irrigated 90 sq km (2003)
land:
Natural NA
hazards:
Environment - draining of wetlands for agricultural use;
current deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; water
issues: hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria; poaching is
widespread
Environment - party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
international Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
agreements: Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life
Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
Geography - landlocked; fertile, well-watered country with many
note: lakes and rivers
People
Population: 28,195,754
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 2006
est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 50% (male 7,091,763/female 6,996,385)
15-64 years: 47.8% (male 6,762,071/female 6,727,230)
65 years and over: 2.2% (male 266,931/female 351,374)
(2006 est.)
Median age: total: 15 years
male: 14.9 years
female: 15.1 years (2006 est.)
Population 3.37% (2006 est.)
growth rate:
Birth rate: 47.35 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate: 12.24 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration -1.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
rate:
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant total: 66.15 deaths/1,000 live births
mortality male: 69.51 deaths/1,000 live births
rate: female: 62.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life total population: 52.67 years
expectancy at male: 51.68 years
birth: female: 53.69 years (2006 est.)
Total 6.71 children born/woman (2006 est.)
fertility
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 4.1% (2003 est.)
adult
prevalence
rate:
HIV/AIDS - 530,000 (2001 est.)
people living
with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - 78,000 (2003 est.)
deaths:
Major degree of risk: very high
infectious food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea,
diseases: hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria and African
trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) are high risks in
some locations
water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2005)
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%
Religions: Roman Catholic 33%, Protestant 33%, Muslim 16%,
indigenous beliefs 18%
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
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of Uganda
conventional short form: Uganda
Government republic
type:
Capital: name: Kampala
geographic coordinates: 0 19 N, 32 25 E
time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC
during Standard Time)
Administrative 56 districts; Adjumani, Apac, Arua, Bugiri, Bundibugyo,
divisions: 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 nine more
districts are in the process of being added
Independence: 9 October 1962 (from UK)
National Independence Day, 9 October (1962)
holiday:
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 chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta
branch: 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 29 January 1986); Prime
Minister Apollo NSIBAMBI (since 5 April 1999); note -
the president is both chief of state and head of
government; 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 unicameral National Assembly (303 members - 214
branch: directly elected by popular vote, 81 nominated by
legally established special interest groups [women 56,
army 10, disabled 5, youth 5, labor 5], 8 ex officio
members; members 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 - NA; note - election results had not been
posted as of March 2006
Judicial Court of Appeal (judges are appointed by the president
branch: and approved by the legislature); High Court (judges
are appointed by the president)
Political Conservative Party or CP [Ken LUKYAMUZI]; Democratic
parties and Party or DP [Kizito SSEBAANA]; Forum for Democratic
leaders: 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 Popular Resistance Against a Life President or PRALP
pressure
groups and
leaders:
International ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, EADB, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
organization ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
participation: IGAD, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO
(correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UPU, WCO, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Edith G. SSEMPALA
representation chancery: 5911 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
in the US: telephone: [1] (202) 726-7100 through 7102, 0416
FAX: [1] (202) 726-1727
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge
representation d'Affaires William FITZGERALD
from the US: embassy: 1577 Ggaba Rd., Kampala
mailing address: P. O. Box 7007, Kampala
telephone: [256] (41) 234-142
FAX: [256] (41) 258-451
Flag six equal horizontal bands of black (top), yellow, red,
description: 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
Economy - Uganda has substantial natural resources, including
overview: 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
2003-05 reflected an upturn in Uganda's export markets.
GDP $47.76 billion (2005 est.)
(purchasing
power parity):
GDP (official $7.909 billion (2005 est.)
exchange
rate):
GDP - real 4% (2005 est.)
growth rate:
GDP - per $1,800 (2005 est.)
capita (PPP):
GDP - agriculture: 31.1%
composition by industry: 22.2%
sector: services: 46.9% (2004 est.)
Labor force: 13.17 million (2005 est.)
Labor force - agriculture: 82%
by occupation: industry: 5%
services: 13% (1999 est.)
Unemployment NA%
rate:
Population 35% (2001 est.)
below poverty
line:
Household lowest 10%: 4%
income or highest 10%: 21% (2000)
consumption by
percentage
share:
Distribution 43 (1999)
of family
income - Gini
index:
Inflation rate 8.1% (2005 est.)
(consumer
prices):
Investment 23.4% of GDP (2005 est.)
(gross fixed):
Budget: revenues: $1.845 billion
expenditures: $1.904 billion; including capital
expenditures of $NA (2005 est.)
Public debt: 64.3% of GDP (2005 est.)
Agriculture - coffee, tea, cotton, tobacco, cassava (tapioca),
products: potatoes, corn, millet, pulses, cut flowers; beef, goat
meat, milk, poultry
Industries: sugar, brewing, tobacco, cotton textiles; cement, steel
production
Industrial 9% (2005 est.)
production
growth rate:
Electricity - 1.729 billion kWh (2003)
production:
Electricity - fossil fuel: 0.9%
production by hydro: 99.1%
source: nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - 1.448 billion kWh (2003)
consumption:
Electricity - 160 million kWh (2003)
exports:
Electricity - 0 kWh (2003)
imports:
Oil - 0 bbl/day (2003 est.)
production:
Oil - 10,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)
consumption:
Oil - exports: NA bbl/day
Oil - imports: NA bbl/day
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2003 est.)
production:
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2003 est.)
consumption:
Current $-355 million (2005 est.)
account
balance:
Exports: $768 million f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - coffee, fish and fish products, tea, cotton, flowers,
commodities: horticultural products; gold
Exports - Kenya 15.1%, Belgium 9.9%, Netherlands 9.7%, France
partners: 7.1%, Germany 5.1%, Rwanda 4% (2005)
Imports: $1.608 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Imports - capital equipment, vehicles, petroleum, medical
commodities: supplies; cereals
Imports - Kenya 32%, UAE 8.6%, South Africa 6.4%, India 5.7%,
partners: China 5.2%, UK 4.4%, US 4.1%, Japan 4% (2005)
Reserves of $1.286 billion (2005 est.)
foreign
exchange and
gold:
Debt - $4.973 billion (2005 est.)
external:
Economic aid - $959 million (2003)
recipient:
Currency Ugandan shilling (UGX)
(code):
Currency code: UGX
Exchange Ugandan shillings per US dollar - 1,780.7 (2005),
rates: 1,810.3 (2004), 1,963.7 (2003), 1,797.6 (2002), 1,755.7
(2001)
Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June
Communications
Telephones - 100,800 (2005)
main lines in
use:
Telephones - 1.525 million (2005)
mobile
cellular:
Telephone general assessment: seriously inadequate; two cellular
system: 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 AM 7, FM 33, shortwave 2 (2001)
broadcast
stations:
Radios: 5 million (2001)
Television 8 (plus one low-power repeater) (2001)
broadcast
stations:
Televisions: 500,000 (2001)
Internet .ug
country code:
Internet 1,365 (2006)
hosts:
Internet 2 (2000)
Service
Providers
(ISPs):
Internet 500,000 (2005)
users:
Transportation
Airports: 31 (2006)
Airports - total: 5
with paved over 3,047 m: 3
runways: 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)
Airports - total: 26
with unpaved 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
runways: 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 Entebbe, Jinja, Port Bell
terminals:
Military
Military Ugandan Peoples' Defense Force (UPDF): Army, Marine
branches: Unit, Air Wing
Military 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military
service age duty; the government has stated that recruitment below
and that age could occur with proper consent and that "no
obligation: person under the apparent age of 13 years shall be
enrolled in the armed forces"
Manpower males age 18-49: 5,012,620
available for females age 18-49: 4,855,858 (2005 est.)
military
service:
Manpower fit males age 18-49: 2,889,808
for military females age 18-49: 2,780,135 (2005 est.)
service:
Military $192.8 million (2005 est.)
expenditures -
dollar figure:
Military 2.2% (2005 est.)
expenditures -
percent of
GDP:
Transnational
Issues
Disputes - Uganda is subject to armed fighting among hostile
international: ethnic groups, rebels, armed gangs, militias, and
various government forces; Ugandan refugees have fled
the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) into the southern
Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo; LRA
forces have attacked Kenyan villages across the border
Refugees and refugees (country of origin): 214,673 (Sudan) 18,902
internally (Rwanda) 14,982 (Democratic Republic of Congo)
displaced IDPs: 1,330,000-2,000,000 note - ongoing Lord's
persons: Resistance Army (LRA) rebellion, mainly in the north;
LRA frequently attacks IDP camps (2005)