1999 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1999 (Internet Archive)
Geography
Area
total: 236,040 sq km land: 199,710 sq km water: 36,330 sq km
Area--comparative
slightly smaller than Oregon
Climate
tropical; generally rainy with two dry seasons (December to February, June to August); semiarid in northeast
Coastline
0 km (landlocked)
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Lake Albert 621 m highest point: Margherita Peak on Mount Stanley 5,110 m
Environment--current issues
draining of wetlands for agricultural use; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; poaching is widespread
Environment--international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
Geographic coordinates
1 00 N, 32 00 E
Geography--note
landlocked
Irrigated land
90 sq km (1993 est.)
Land boundaries
total: 2,698 km border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 765 km, Kenya 933 km, Rwanda 169 km, Sudan 435 km, Tanzania 396 km
Land use
arable land: 25% permanent crops: 9% permanent pastures: 9% forests and woodland: 28% other: 29% (1993 est.)
Location
Eastern Africa, west of Kenya
Map references
Africa
Maritime claims
none (landlocked)
Natural hazards
NA
Natural resources
copper, cobalt, limestone, salt
Terrain
mostly plateau with rim of mountains
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 51% (male 5,857,254; female 5,820,526) 15-64 years: 47% (male 5,301,208; female 5,330,005) 65 years and over: 2% (male 239,434; female 256,546) (1999 est.)
Birth rate
48.54 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate
18.43 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Ethnic groups
Baganda 17%, Karamojong 12%, Basogo 8%, Iteso 8%, Langi 6%, Rwanda 6%, Bagisu 5%, Acholi 4%, Lugbara 4%, Bunyoro 3%, Batobo 3%, non-African (European, Asian, Arab) 1%, other 23%
Infant mortality rate
90.68 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
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 and may be taught in school), other Niger-Congo languages, Nilo-Saharan languages, Swahili, Arabic
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 43.06 years male: 42.2 years female: 43.94 years (1999 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 61.8% male: 73.7% female: 50.2% (1995 est.)
Nationality
noun: Ugandan(s) adjective: Ugandan
Net migration rate
-1.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.) note: according to the UNHCR, by the end of 1997, Uganda was host to refugees from a number of neighboring countries, including: Sudan 160,000, Democratic Republic of the Congo 14,000, and Rwanda 12,000
Population
22,804,973 (July 1999 est.)
Population growth rate
2.83% (1999 est.)
Religions
Roman Catholic 33%, Protestant 33%, Muslim 16%, indigenous beliefs 18%
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.93 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate
7.03 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
39 districts; Apac, Arua, Bundibugyo, Bushenyi, Gulu, Hoima, Iganga, Jinja, Kabale, Kabarole, Kalangala, Kampala, Kamuli, Kapchorwa, Kasese, Kibale, Kiboga, Kisoro, Kitgum, Kotido, Kumi, Lira, Luwero, Masaka, Masindi, Mbale, Mbarara, Moroto, Moyo, Mpigi, Mubende, Mukono, Nebbi, Ntungamo, Pallisa, Rakai, Rukungiri, Soroti, Tororo
Capital
Kampala
Constitution
8 October 1995; adopted by the interim, 284-member Constituent Assembly, charged with debating the draft constitution that had been proposed in May 1993; the Constituent Assembly was dissolved upon the promulgation of the constitution in October 1995
Country name
conventional long form: Republic of Uganda conventional short form: Uganda
Data code
UG
Executive branch
chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI (since seizing power 29 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 Kintu MUSOKE (since 18 November 1994); 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 elected by popular vote for a NA-year term; election last held 9 May 1996 (next to be held by 31 May 2001); note--first popular election for president since independence in 1962 was held in 1996; prime minister appointed by the president election results: Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI elected president; percent of vote--Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI 74%, Paul Kawanga SSEMOGERERE 24%, Muhammad MAYANJA 2%
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 red-crested crane (the national symbol) facing the hoist side
Government type
republic
Independence
9 October 1962 (from UK)
International organization participation
ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, EADB, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Edith Grace SSEMPALA chancery: 5911 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Nancy J. POWELL embassy: Parliament Avenue, Kampala mailing address: P. O. Box 7007, Kampala
Judicial branch
Court of Appeal, judges are appointed by the president; High Court, judges are appointed by the president Political parties and leaders: only one political organization, chairman] is recognized; note--this is the party of President MUSEVENI; the president maintains that the NRM is not a political party, but a movement which claims the loyalty of all Ugandans note: of the political parties that exist but are prohibited from sponsoring candidates, the most important are the Ugandan People's MAYANJA-NKANGI]; the new constitution requires the suspension of political party activity until a referendum is held on the matter in 2000
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
Legislative branch
unicameral National Assembly (276 members--214 directly elected by popular vote, 62 nominated by legally established special interest groups and approved by the president--women 39, army 10, disabled 5, youth 5, labor 3; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 27 June 1996 (next to be held NA 2001); election results: NA; note--election campaigning by party was not permitted
National holiday
Independence Day, 9 October (1962)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture--products
coffee, tea, cotton, tobacco, cassava (tapioca), potatoes, corn, millet, pulses; beef, goat meat, milk, poultry
Budget
revenues: $869 million expenditures: $985 million, including capital expenditures of $69 million (FY95/96)
Currency
1 Ugandan shilling (USh) = 100 cents
Debt--external
$2.9 billion (1998 est.)
Economic aid--recipient
$827.3 million (1993)
Economy--overview
Uganda has substantial natural resources, including 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 is the major export crop and 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. In 1990-98, 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. Continuation of this performance, while possible, appears difficult because of Ugandan involvement in the war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, growing corruption within the government, and slippage in the government's determination to press reforms.
Electricity--consumption
677 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports
110 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--production
787 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source
fossil fuel: 0.89% hydro: 99.11% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Exchange rates
Ugandan shillings (USh) per US$1--1,368.4 (December 1998), 1,240.2 (1998), 1,083.0 (1997), 1,046.1 (1996), 968.9 (1995), 979.4 (1994)
Exports
$476 million (f.o.b., 1998)
Exports--commodities
coffee 54%, gold, fish and fish products, cotton, tea, corn (1997)
Exports--partners
Spain 14%, Germany 14%, Netherlands 10%, France 8%, Italy (1997)
Fiscal year
1 July--30 June
GDP
purchasing power parity--$22.7 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector
agriculture: 44% industry: 17% services: 39% (1997 est.)
GDP--per capita
purchasing power parity?$1,020 (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate
5.5% (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: 3% highest 10%: 33.4% (1992)
Imports
$1.4 billion (c.i.f., 1998)
Imports--commodities
transportation equipment, petroleum, medical supplies, iron and steel (1996)
Imports--partners
Kenya 31%, UK 12%, Japan 6%, India 6%, South Africa 5% (1997)
Industrial production growth rate
19.7% (FY95/96)
Industries
sugar, brewing, tobacco, cotton textiles, cement
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
2.6% (1998)
Labor force
8.361 million (1993 est.)
Labor force--by occupation
agriculture 86%, industry 4%, services 10% (1980 est.)
Population below poverty line
55% (1993 est.)
Unemployment rate
NA%
Communications
Radio broadcast stations
AM 10, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios
2.13 million (1993 est.)
Telephone system
fair system but in serious need of expansion and better maintenance; a cellular system has been introduced as a stopgap but the communications problems will not be solved without substantial investment in the conventional telephone infrastructure; e-mail and Internet services are available domestic: intercity traffic by wire, microwave radio relay, and radiotelephone communications stations, cellular system for short range traffic international: satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones
61,600 (1990 est.)
Television broadcast stations
8 (in addition, there is one low-power repeater) (1997)
Televisions
220,000 (1993 est.)
Transportation
Airports
27 (1998 est.) Airports--with paved runways: total: 4 over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1998 est.) Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 23 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 7 (1998 est.)
Highways
total: 27,000 km paved: 1,800 km unpaved: 25,200 km (of which about 4,800 km are all-weather roads) (1990 est.)
Merchant marine
total: 3 roll-on/roll-off cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,091 GRT/8,229 DWT (1998 est.)
Railways
total: 1,241 km narrow gauge: 1,241 km 1.000-m gauge note: a program to rehabilitate the railroad is underway (1995)
Waterways
Lake Victoria, Lake Albert, Lake Kyoga, Lake George, Lake Edward, Victoria Nile, Albert Nile Ports and harbors: Entebbe, Jinja, Port Bell
Military and Security
Military branches
Army, Navy, Air Wing
Military expenditures--dollar figure
$95 million (FY98/99)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP
1.9% (FY98/99)
Military manpower--availability
males age 15-49: 4,812,363 (1999 est.) Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 2,611,096 (1999 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international
Ugandan military forces are supporting the rebel forces in the civil war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo