2008 Edition

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.

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; water hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria; widespread poaching

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

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 0.3 cu km/yr (43%/17%/40%) per capita: 10 cu m/yr (2002)

Geographic coordinates

1 00 N, 32 00 E

Geography - note

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

Irrigated land

90 sq km (2003)

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: 21.57% permanent crops: 8.92% other: 69.51% (2005)

Location

Eastern Africa, west of Kenya

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

NA

Natural resources

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

Terrain

mostly plateau with rim of mountains

Total renewable water resources

66 cu km (1970)

Age structure

0-14 years: 50% (male 7,903,935/female 7,789,792) 15-64 years: 47.8% (male 7,528,073/female 7,469,938) 65 years and over: 2.2% (male 284,122/female 392,112) (2008 est.)

Birth rate

48.15 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate

12.32 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Education expenditures

5.2% of GDP (2004)

Ethnic groups

Baganda 16.9%, Banyakole 9.5%, Basoga 8.4%, Bakiga 6.9%, Iteso 6.4%, Langi 6.1%, Acholi 4.7%, Bagisu 4.6%, Lugbara 4.2%, Bunyoro 2.7%, other 29.6% (2002 census)

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.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 65.99 deaths/1,000 live births male: 69.65 deaths/1,000 live births female: 62.21 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 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 in the capital and may be taught in school), other Niger-Congo languages, Nilo-Saharan languages, Swahili, Arabic

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 52.34 years male: 51.31 years female: 53.4 years (2008 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 66.8% male: 76.8% female: 57.7% (2002 census)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: chikungunya, malaria, plague, and African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2008)

Median age

total: 15 years male: 14.9 years female: 15.1 years (2008 est.)

Nationality

noun: Ugandan(s) adjective: Ugandan

Net migration rate

0.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Population

31,367,972 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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2008 est.)

Population growth rate

3.603% (2008 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 41.9%, Protestant 42% (Anglican 35.9%, Pentecostal 4.6%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.5%), Muslim 12.1%, other 3.1%, none 0.9% (2002 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 10 years male: 11 years female: 10 years (2004)

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: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.81 children born/woman (2008 est.)

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

Capital

name: Kampala geographic coordinates: 0 19 N, 32 25 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Steven BROWNING embassy: 1577 Ggaba Road, Kampala mailing address: P. O. Box 7007, Kampala telephone: [256] (414) 259, 306-001

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Perezi Karukubiro KAMUNANWIRE chancery: 5911 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011 telephone: [1] (202) 726-7100 through 7102, 0416

Executive branch

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 head of government: President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI (since seizing power 26 January 1986); Prime Minister Apolo NSIBAMBI (since 5 April 1999); note - 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%

FAX

[1] (202) 726-1727

[256] (414) 258-451

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

Judicial branch

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

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 seats; 215 members 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; to 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 - NRM 191, FDC 37, UPC 9, DP 8, CP 1, JEEMA 1, independents 36, other 49

National holiday

Independence Day, 9 October (1962)

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 Resistance Movement or NRM [Yoweri MUSEVENI]; Peoples Progressive Party or PPP [Bidandi SSALI]; 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

Lord's Resistence Group or LRA [Joseph KONY]; Young Parliamentary Association [Henry BANYENZAKI]; Parliamentary Advocacy Forum or PAFO; National Association of Women Organizations in Uganda or NAWOU [Florence NEKYON]; The Ugandan Coalition for Political Accountability to Wormen or COPAW

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $2.211 billion expenditures: $2.443 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate

14.68% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

19.11% (31 December 2007)

Currency (code)

Ugandan shilling (UGX)

Currency code

UGX

Current account balance

-$744.7 million (2007 est.)

Debt - external

$1.498 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

45.7 (2002)

Economic aid - recipient

$1.198 billion (2005)

Economy - overview

Uganda has substantial natural resources, including fertile soils, regular rainfall, and sizable mineral deposits of copper, cobalt, gold, and other minerals. 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. Growth continues to be solid, despite variability in the price of coffee, Uganda's principal export, and a consistent upturn in Uganda's export markets. 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.

Electricity - consumption

899.7 million kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - exports

180 million kWh (2006)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production

1.161 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 0.9% hydro: 99.1% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Exchange rates

Ugandan shillings (UGX) per US dollar - 1,685.8 (2007), 1,834.9 (2006), 1,780.7 (2005), 1,810.3 (2004), 1,963.7 (2003)

Exports

$1.686 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

Netherlands 10.2%, Belgium 9.8%, Germany 7.9%, France 7.2%, Rwanda 5.6% (2007)

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 30.2% industry: 24.7% services: 45.1% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$1,000 (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

6% (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$11.23 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$29.13 billion (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.3% highest 10%: 37.7% (2002)

Imports

$2.983 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities

capital equipment, vehicles, petroleum, medical supplies; cereals

Imports - partners

Kenya 31.8%, China 7.8%, UAE 7.7%, South Africa 5.9%, India 5.2%, Japan 4.8% (2007)

Industrial production growth rate

5.8% (2007 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

6.1% (2007 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

25.4% of GDP (2007 est.)

Labor force

14.02 million (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 82% industry: 5% services: 13% (1999 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$103.4 million (2005)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Oil - consumption

11,570 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - exports

115.2 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports

11,540 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)

Population below poverty line

35% (2001 est.)

Public debt

20.6% of GDP (2007 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$2.56 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$NA

Stock of domestic credit

$907.3 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of money

$1.363 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money

$1.302 billion (31 December 2007)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Internet country code

.ug

Internet hosts

1,090 (2008)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

2 (2000)

Internet users

2 million (2007)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 7, FM 33, shortwave 2 (2001)

Radios

5 million (2001)

Telephone system

general assessment: seriously inadequate; mobile cellular service is increasing rapidly, but the number of main lines is still deficient; 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

Telephones - main lines in use

162,300 (2007)

Telephones - mobile cellular

4.195 million (2007)

Television broadcast stations

8 (plus 1 repeater) (2001)

Televisions

500,000 (2001)

Airports

32 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 5 over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 27 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 9 (2007)

Ports and terminals

Entebbe, Jinja, Port Bell

Railways

total: 1,244 km narrow gauge: 1,244 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)

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)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 6,532,894 females age 16-49: 6,352,416 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 3,856,365 females age 16-49: 3,769,120 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 384,638 female: 381,990 (2008 est.)

Military expenditures

2.2% of GDP (2006)

Military service age and obligation

18-26 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military duty; 18-30 years of age for professionals; 9-year service obligation; the government has stated that recruitment below 18 years of age could occur with proper consent and that "no person under the apparent age of 13 years shall be enrolled in the armed forces"; Ugandan citizenship and secondary education required (2008)

Uganda Peoples Defense Force (UPDF)

Army (includes Marine Unit), Air Force (2007)

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

IDPs

1.27 million (350,000 IDPs returned in 2006 following ongoing peace talks between the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) and the Government of Uganda) (2007) This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin): 215,700 (Sudan); 28,880 (Democratic Republic of Congo); 24,900 (Rwanda)