Uganda
in Eastern Africa
Africa

Location Summary
Currency and Currency Code:
Shilling - UGX
Spoken languages:
English, Ganda, Swahili, Arabic
Local electricity:
240 V - 50 Hz (plugs: G)
Mobile phone / cellular frequencies (MHz):
900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 3G, 4G
ISO 2-Letter code:
UG
Internet top level domain:
.ug
Country phone prefix:
+256
Local Time (capital):
Timezone:
UTC/GMT offset: hours
Current travel safety evaluation for Uganda in Eastern Africa

Safety Score: 3,5 of 5.0 based on data from 9 authorites. Meaning please reconsider your need to travel to Uganda.

Travel warnings are updated daily. Source: Travel Warning Uganda. Last Update: 2024-03-28 08:18:27

Explore Uganda

Uganda with its capital Kampala is located in Africa (East-Central Africa, west of Kenya). It covers some 241,039 square kilometers (slightly more than two times the size of Pennsylvania) with 39,570,100 citizens. English, Ganda, Swahili and Arabic are the common languages used in Uganda (consider regional differences). Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan and Tanzania are bordering countries.

Uganda is a country in East Africa. It is bordered to the east by Kenya, to the north by South Sudan, to the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the southwest by Rwanda, and to the south by Tanzania. Most travellers come for the gorilla Safari, but other major draws are the chimpanzees, ornithology, trekking the Rwenzoris and visiting the source of The Nile river. Uganda has a variety of landscapes which most tourists find interesting. The North is relatively flat and dry savanna while the East is mountainous and lush and the centre of Uganda hosts larges forests. The national parks are beautiful and, on the whole, uncrowded. See the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) website [3] or for details of gorilla tracking, safaris, chimpanzee tracking and more. Prices in several parks seem to be set at 20 (1 day), 35 (2 days). An ISIC student card cuts you a 25% off the entrance fees these days.

Popular Destinations in Uganda

Administrative regions of Uganda

About the country

The landscape is mostly plateau with rim of mountains. The average density of population is about 164 per km². The climate in Uganda can be described as tropicalgenerally rainy with two dry seasons (December to February, June to August), semiarid in northeast. Potential threats by nature are droughts, earthquakes, floods, hailstorms and landslides.

To reach someone Uganda dial +256 prior to a number. The local cellular networks are operated on 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 3G, 4G. Websites typically end with the top level domain ".ug". If you want to bring electric appliances (e.g. battery chaarger), keep in min the local 240 V - 50 Hz (plugs: G). The sign for the locally used currency Shilling is UGX.

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.

Flag of Uganda

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 complicated 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. A constitutional referendum in 2005 cancelled a 19-year ban on multi-party politics and lifted presidential term limits.

Geography

Area
Total (World Rank: 82) 241,038sq km
Land (World Rank: 84) 197,100sq km
Water (World Rank: 15) 43,938sq km
Forest (World Rank: 69) 25.60%
Comparative slightly more than two times the size of Pennsylvania; slightly smaller than Oregon
Landborder
2729
Elevation
Lowest point (World Rank: 5) 614m
Highest point (World Rank: 27) 5,110m
Agricultural land
Total (World Rank: 21) 71.20%
Arable (World Rank: 24) 34.30%
Permanent crops (World Rank: 26) 11.30%
Permanent pastures (World Rank: 69) 25.60%
Irrigated land (World Rank: 137) 140sq km
Map reference
Africa
Environment
Issues
  • - deforestation
  • - draining of wetlands for agricultural use
  • - overgrazing
  • - soil erosion
  • - water hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria
  • - widespread poaching
Agreement party
  • - Biodiversity
  • - Climate Change
  • - Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
  • - Desertification
  • - Endangered Species
  • - Hazardous Wastes
  • - Law of the Sea
  • - Marine Life Conservation
  • - Ozone Layer Protection
  • - Wetlands
Agreement signed Environmental Modification
Hazzards
  • - droughts
  • - earthquakes
  • - floods
  • - hailstorms
  • - landslides
Location
East-Central Africa, west of Kenya, east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Climate
tropical; generally rainy with two dry seasons (December to February, June to August); semiarid in northeast
Terrain
mostly plateau with rim of mountains

People

Population
Total (World Rank: 34) 39,570,100
Deathrate (World Rank: 37) 1.02%
Birthrate (World Rank: 4) 4.29%
Growthrate (World Rank: 6) 3.20%
Migration rate (World Rank: 97) -0.07%
Fertility rate (World Rank: 7) 5.71%
Median age
Male (World Rank: 222) 15.70
Female (World Rank: 224) 15.90
Age structure
0 14 male (World Rank: 20) 9,486,320
0 14 female (World Rank: 19) 9,526,710
15 24 male (World Rank: 26) 4,130,360
15 24 female (World Rank: 24) 4,217,680
25 54 male (World Rank: 47) 5,208,820
25 54 female (World Rank: 47) 5,199,560
55 64 male (World Rank: 71) 491,397
55 64 female (World Rank: 72) 525,064
65 x male (World Rank: 80) 343,805
65 x female (World Rank: 80) 440,411
Health
Infant mortality rate (World Rank: 20) 5.61%
Life expectancy total (World Rank: 209) 56years
Life expectancy female (World Rank: 210) 57years
Life expectancy male (World Rank: 209) 54years
Hospital bed per 1000 (World Rank: 170) 0.50
Sanitation access total (World Rank: 196) 19.10%
Obesity adult (World Rank: 179) 5.30%
Drinking water access (World Rank: 162) 79.00%

Energy

Electricity
Production (World Rank: 130) 3,235,000,000kWh
Consumption (World Rank: 135) 2,936,000,000kWh
Export (World Rank: 79) 121,000,000kWh
Import (World Rank: 102) 48,000,000kWh
Source fossil (World Rank: 197) 14.80%
Source nuclear (World Rank: 16) 76.60%
Source renew (World Rank: 67) 10.20%
Crude oil
Proved reserves (World Rank: 32) 2,500,000,000bbl
Refined products
Consumption (World Rank: 123) 27,000bbl / day
Import (World Rank: 104) 26,290bbl / day
Natural gas
Consumption (World Rank: 148) 12
Carbon footprint
2700000

Nation

Budget
Education (World Rank: 168) 2% of GDP
Military (World Rank: 70) 2% of GDP
Health (World Rank: 75) 7% of GDP
Surplus (World Rank: 140) -5% of GDP
National symbol
grey crowned crane
National colours
yellow
Adjective
Ugandan
Noun
Ugandan(s)
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 complicated 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. A constitutional referendum in 2005 cancelled a 19-year ban on multi-party politics and lifted presidential term limits.
Flag description
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

Economy

Gdp
Purchasing power parity (World Rank: 90) 83,390,000,000USD
Real growth rate (World Rank: 119) 2.30%
Per capita purchasing power parity (World Rank: 198) 2,300USD
Source agriculture (World Rank: 28) 25.40%
Source industry (World Rank: 127) 22.70%
Source service (World Rank: 166) 51.90%
Labourforce
Total (World Rank: 31) 19,400,000
In poverty (World Rank: 109) 19.70%
Products
Industries
  • - brewing
  • - cement
  • - cotton textiles
  • - steel production
  • - sugar processing
  • - tobacco
Agriculture
  • - beef
  • - cassava
  • - coffee
  • - corn
  • - cotton
  • - cut flowers
  • - fish
  • - goat meat
  • - manioc
  • - milk
  • - millet
  • - potatoes
  • - poultry
  • - pulses
  • - tapioca
  • - tea
  • - tobacco
Exports
  • - coffee
  • - cotton
  • - fish
  • - fish products
  • - flowers
  • - gold
  • - horticultural products
  • - tea
Imports
  • - capital equipment
  • - cereals
  • - medical supplies
  • - petroleum
  • - vehicles

Communication

Phone
Landline total (World Rank: 104) 368,243
Landline per 100 (World Rank: 192) 1.00
Mobile per 100 (World Rank: 195) 60.00
Assessment 0
Internet
Users (World Rank: 51) 8,382,780
Population (World Rank: 183) 21.90%

Transport

Air
Airports paved (World Rank: 146) 5.00
Airports unpaved (World Rank: 66) 42.00
Rail
Total length (World Rank: 85) 1,244
Road
Total length (World Rank: 110) 20,000
Paved length (World Rank: 114) 3,264
Unpaved length (World Rank: 68) 16,736