2007 Edition

Administrative divisions

56 districts; Adjumani, Apac, Arua, Bugiri, Bundibugyo, 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 ten more districts are in the process of being added

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.)

Agriculture - products

coffee, tea, cotton, tobacco, cassava (tapioca), potatoes, corn, millet, pulses, cut flowers; beef, goat meat, milk, poultry

Airports

31 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways

over 3,047 m

3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)

total

5

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

26 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 11

under 914 m

8 (2006)

Area

land

199,710 sq km

total

236,040 sq km

water

36,330 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Oregon

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 Uganda

Birth rate

47.35 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$1.994 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2006 est.)

revenues

$1.943 billion

Capital

geographic coordinates

0 19 N, 32 25 E

name

Kampala

time difference

UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Climate

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

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Constitution

8 October 1995; in 2005 the constitution was amended removing presidential term limits and legalizing a multiparty political system

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Uganda

conventional short form

Uganda

Currency (code)

Ugandan shilling (UGX)

Currency code

UGX

Current account balance

$-423 million (2006 est.)

Death rate

12.24 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Debt - external

$1.456 billion (2006 est.)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Steven BROWNING

embassy

1577 Ggaba Rd., Kampala

mailing address

P. O. Box 7007, Kampala

telephone

[256] (41) 234-142

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

5911 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011

chief of mission

Ambassador Perezi Karukubiro KAMUNANWIRE

telephone

[1] (202) 726-7100 through 7102, 0416

Disputes - international

Uganda is subject to armed fighting among hostile ethnic groups, rebels, armed gangs, militias, and various government forces that extend across its borders; Uganda hosts 209,860 Sudanese, 27,560 Congolese, and 19,710 Rwandan refugees, while Ugandan refugees as well as members of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) seek shelter in southern Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo's Garamba National Park; LRA forces have also attacked Kenyan villages across the border

Distribution of family income - Gini index

43 (1999)

Economic aid - recipient

$959 million (2003)

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 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 2003-06 reflected an upturn in Uganda's export markets.

Electricity - consumption

1.596 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports

165 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - production

1.894 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

0.9%

hydro

99.1%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Margherita Peak on Mount Stanley 5,110 m

lowest point

Lake Albert 621 m

Environment - current issues

draining of wetlands for agricultural use; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; water hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria; poaching is widespread

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

Environmental Modification

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%

Exchange rates

Ugandan shillings per US dollar - 1,855.59 (2006), 1,780.7 (2005), 1,810.3 (2004), 1,963.7 (2003), 1,797.6 (2002)

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the president from among elected legislators

chief of state

President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI (since seizing power 26 January 1986); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

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%

elections

president reelected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 23 February 2006 (next to be held in 2011)

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

Exports

$961.7 million f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities

coffee, fish and fish products, tea, cotton, flowers, horticultural products; gold

Exports - partners

Kenya 15.1%, Belgium 9.9%, Netherlands 9.6%, France 7.1%, Germany 5.1% (2005)

FAX

[1] (202) 726-1727

[256] (41) 258-451

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June Communications Uganda

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 Economy Uganda

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

29.4%

industry

22.1%

services

48.5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$1,800 (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

5% (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$8.502 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$51.89 billion (2006 est.)

Geographic coordinates

1 00 N, 32 00 E

Geography - note

landlocked; fertile, well-watered country with many lakes and rivers People Uganda

Government type

republic

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

4.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

78,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

530,000 (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

21% (2000)

lowest 10%

4%

IDPs

1.2-1.7 million (350,000 IDPs returned in 2006 following ongoing peace talks between the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) and Government of Uganda) (2006) This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

Imports

$1.945 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities

capital equipment, vehicles, petroleum, medical supplies; cereals

Imports - partners

Kenya 32.6%, UAE 8.8%, South Africa 5.8%, India 5.8%, China 5.3%, UK 4.5%, US 4.2%, Japan 4.1% (2005)

Independence

9 October 1962 (from UK)

Industrial production growth rate

5.2% (2006 est.)

Industries

sugar, brewing, tobacco, cotton textiles; cement, steel production

Infant mortality rate

female

62.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

male

69.51 deaths/1,000 live births

total

66.15 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

6% (2006 est.)

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, EADB, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Internet country code

.ug

Internet hosts

1,365 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

2 (2000)

Internet users

500,000 (2005) Transportation Uganda

Investment (gross fixed)

23.5% of GDP (2006 est.)

Irrigated land

90 sq km (2003)

Judicial branch

Court of Appeal (judges are appointed by the president and approved by the legislature); High Court (judges are appointed by the president)

Labor force

13.76 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

82%

industry

5%

services

13% (1999 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

Democratic Republic of the Congo 765 km, Kenya 933 km, Rwanda 169 km, Sudan 435 km, Tanzania 396 km

total

2,698 km

Land use

arable land

21.57%

other

69.51% (2005)

permanent crops

8.92%

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

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 (332 members - 215 directly elected by popular vote, 104 nominated by legally established special interest groups [women 79, army 10, disabled 5, youth 5, labor 5], 13 ex officio members; members serve five-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NRM 191, FDC 37, UPC 9, DP 8, CD 1, JEEMA 1, Independents 36, other 49

elections

last held 23 February 2006 (next to be held in 2011)

Life expectancy at birth

female

53.69 years (2006 est.)

male

51.68 years

total population

52.67 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

60.4% (2003 est.) Government Uganda

male

79.5%

total population

69.9%

Location

Eastern Africa, west of Kenya

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk

very high

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases

malaria and African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) are high risks in some locations

water contact disease

schistosomiasis (2007)

Manpower available for military service

females age 18-49

4,855,858 (2005 est.)

males age 18-49

5,012,620

Manpower fit for military service

females age 18-49

2,780,135 (2005 est.)

males age 18-49

2,889,808

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Median age

female

15.1 years (2006 est.)

male

14.9 years

total

15 years

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$192.8 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

2.2% (2005 est.) Transnational Issues Uganda

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military duty; the government has stated that recruitment below that age could occur with proper consent and that "no person under the apparent age of 13 years shall be enrolled in the armed forces"

National holiday

Independence Day, 9 October (1962)

Nationality

adjective

Ugandan

noun

Ugandan(s)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural hazards

NA

Natural resources

copper, cobalt, hydropower, limestone, salt, arable land

Net migration rate

-1.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Oil - consumption

10,890 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports

NA bbl/day

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Political parties and leaders

Conservative Party or CP [Ken LUKYAMUZI]; Democratic Party or DP [Kizito SSEBAANA]; Forum for Democratic 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 pressure groups and leaders

Popular Resistance Against a Life President or PRALP

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.)

Population below poverty line

35% (2001 est.)

Population growth rate

3.37% (2006 est.)

Ports and terminals

Entebbe, Jinja, Port Bell Military Uganda

Public debt

29.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 7, FM 33, shortwave 2 (2001)

Radios

5 million (2001)

Railways

narrow gauge

1,244 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)

total

1,244 km

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin)

212,857 (Sudan), 20,564 (Democratic Republic of Congo), 20,213 (Rwanda)

Religions

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

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$1.4 billion (2006 est.)

Roadways

paved

16,272 km

total

70,746 km

unpaved

54,474 km (2003)

Sex ratio

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

domestic

intercity traffic by wire, microwave radio relay, and radiotelephone communication stations, fixed and mobile cellular systems for short-range traffic

general assessment

seriously inadequate; two cellular systems have been introduced, but a sharp increase in the number of main lines is essential; e-mail and Internet services are available

international

country code - 256; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat; analog links to Kenya and Tanzania

Telephones - main lines in use

100,800 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular

1.525 million (2005)

Television broadcast stations

8 (plus one low-power repeater) (2001)

Televisions

500,000 (2001)

Terrain

mostly plateau with rim of mountains

Total fertility rate

6.71 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Ugandan Peoples' Defense Force (UPDF)

Army, Marine Unit, Air Wing

Unemployment rate

NA%

Waterways

on Lake Victoria, 200 km on Lake Albert, Lake Kyoga, and parts of Albert Nile (2005)