2010 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

land

197,100 sq km

total

241,038 sq km

water

43,938 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

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; 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)

per capita

10 cu m/yr (2002)

total

0.3 cu km/yr (43%/17%/40%)

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

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%

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, gold

Terrain

mostly plateau with rim of mountains

Total renewable water resources

66 cu km (1970)

Age structure

0-14 years: 50% (male 8,152,830/female 8,034,366) 15-64 years: 47.9% (male 7,789,209/female 7,703,143) 65 years and over: 2.1% (male 286,693/female 403,317) (2010 est.)

Birth rate

47.55 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Death rate

11.9 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)

Education expenditures

3.3% of GDP (2009)

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

5.4% (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

77,000 (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

940,000 (2007 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

59.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

male

67.31 deaths/1,000 live births

total

63.7 deaths/1,000 live births

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

female

54.07 years (2010 est.)

male

51.92 years

total population

52.98 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

female

57.7% (2002 census)

male

76.8%

total population

66.8%

Major infectious diseases

animal contact disease

rabies (2009)

degree of risk

very high

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases

malaria, plague, and African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness)

water contact disease

schistosomiasis

Median age

female

15.1 years (2010 est.)

male

14.9 years

total

15 years

Nationality

adjective

Ugandan

noun

Ugandan(s)

Net migration rate

-0.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Population

33,398,682 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 2010 est.)

Population growth rate

3.563% (2010 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)

female

10 years (2008)

male

11 years

total

10 years

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: 0.7 male(s)/female

total population

1.01 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.73 children born/woman (2010 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

4.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

urban population

13% of total population (2008)

Administrative divisions

80 districts; Abim, Adjumani, Amolatar, Amuria, Amuru, Apac, Arua, Budaka, Bududa, Bugiri, Bukedea, Bukwa, Bulisa, Bundibugyo, Bushenyi, Busia, Butaleja, Dokolo, Gulu, Hoima, Ibanda, Iganga, Isingiro, Jinja, Kaabong, Kabale, Kabarole, Kaberamaido, Kalangala, Kaliro, Kampala, Kamuli, Kamwenge, Kanungu, Kapchorwa, Kasese, Katakwi, Kayunga, Kibale, Kiboga, Kiruhara, Kisoro, Kitgum, Koboko, Kotido, Kumi, Kyenjojo, Lira, Luwero, Lyantonde, Manafwa, Maracha, Masaka, Masindi, Mayuge, Mbale, Mbarara, Mityana, Moroto, Moyo, Mpigi, Mubende, Mukono, Nakapiripirit, Nakaseke, Nakasongola, Namutumba, Nebbi, Ntungamo, Oyam, Pader, Pallisa, Rakai, Rukungiri, Sembabule, Sironko, Soroti, Tororo, Wakiso, Yumbe

Capital

geographic coordinates

0 19 N, 32 25 E

name

Kampala

time difference

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

Constitution

8 October 1995; amended in 2005 note: the amendments in 2005 removed presidential term limits and legalized 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 Jerry P. LANIER

embassy

1577 Ggaba Road, Kampala

FAX

[256] (414) 258-794

mailing address

P. O. Box 7007, Kampala

telephone

[256] (414) 259 791 through 93, 95

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

5911 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011

chief of mission

Ambassador Perezi Karukubiro KAMUNANWIRE

FAX

[1] (202) 726-1727

telephone

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

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the president from among elected legislators (For more information visit the World Leaders website )

chief of state

President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI (since seizing power on 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 on 23 February 2006 (next to be held on 18 February 2011)

head of government

President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI (since seizing power on 26 January 1986); Prime Minister Apolo NSIBAMBI (since 5 April 1999); note - the prime minister assists the president in the supervision of the cabinet

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; black symbolizes the African people, yellow sunshine and vitality, red African brotherhood; the crane was the military badge of Ugandan soldiers under the UK

Government type

republic

Independence

9 October 1962 (from the 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, 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

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; members to serve five-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NRM 205, FDC 37, UPC 9, DP 8, CP 1, JEEMA 1, independents 37, other 34

elections

last held on 23 February 2006 (next to be held on 18 February 2011)

National anthem

lyrics/music

George Wilberforce KAKOMOA note: adopted 1962

name

"Oh Uganda, Land of Beauty!"

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]; Inter-Party Co-operation or IPC (a coalition of opposition groups); 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 Resistance Army 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 Women 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

Central bank discount rate

9.65% (31 December 2009) 19.42% (31 December 2008)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

20.96% (31 December 2009 est.) 20.45% (31 December 2008 est.)

Current account balance

-$784 million (2010 est.) -$451 million (2009 est.)

Debt - external

$2.888 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $2.554 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

45.7 (2002) 37.4 (1996)

Economy - overview

Uganda has substantial natural resources, including fertile soils, regular rainfall, small deposits of copper, gold, and other minerals, and recently discovered oil. Uganda has never conducted a national minerals survey. 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. Since 1990 economic reforms ushered in an era of solid economic growth based on continued investment in infrastructure, improved incentives for production and exports, lower inflation, better domestic security, and the return of exiled Indian-Ugandan entrepreneurs. Uganda has received about $2 billion in multilateral and bilateral debt relief. In 2007 Uganda received $10 million for a Millennium Challenge Account Threshold Program. The global economic downturn has hurt Uganda's exports; however, Uganda's GDP growth is still relatively strong due to past reforms and sound management of the downturn. Oil revenues and taxes will become a larger source of government funding as oil comes on line in the next few years. Instability in southern Sudan is the biggest risk for the Ugandan economy in 2011 because Uganda's main export partner is Sudan and Uganda is a key destination for Sudanese refugees.

Electricity - consumption

2.068 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - exports

30 million kWh (2007)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - production

2.256 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Exchange rates

Ugandan shillings (UGX) per US dollar - 2,166 (2010), 2,038.9 (2009), 1,658.1 (2008), 1,685.8 (2007), 1,834.9 (2006)

Exports

$2.941 billion (2010 est.) $2.7 billion (2009 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

Sudan 13.47%, Kenya 8.98%, UAE 7.52%, Rwanda 7.5%, Switzerland 7.42%, Democratic Republic of the Congo 6.85%, Netherlands 5.67%, Belgium 5.66%, Germany 5.18%, Italy 4.33% (2009)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

23.6%

industry

24.5%

services

51.9% (2010 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$1,200 (2010 est.) $1,200 (2009 est.) $1,200 (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

5.8% (2010 est.) 7.2% (2009 est.) 8.7% (2008 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$17.12 billion (2010 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$41.7 billion (2010 est.) $39.41 billion (2009 est.) $36.76 billion (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 34.1% (2005)

Imports

$4.474 billion (2010 est.) $3.844 billion (2009 est.)

Imports - commodities

capital equipment, vehicles, petroleum, medical supplies; cereals

Imports - partners

Kenya 13.9%, India 12.79%, UAE 11.16%, China 8.91%, South Africa 5.08%, France 4.6%, Japan 4.37%, US 4.07% (2009)

Industrial production growth rate

6% (2010 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

9.4% (2010 est.) 14.2% (2009 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

20.9% of GDP (2010 est.)

Labor force

15.51 million (2010 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

82%

industry

5%

services

13% (1999 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA (31 December 2009) $NA (31 December 2007) $116.3 million (31 December 2006)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.)

Oil - consumption

13,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - imports

13,090 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - production

NA bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

Population below poverty line

35% (2001 est.)

Public debt

20.4% of GDP (2010 est.) 20.2% of GDP (2009 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$3.743 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $2.995 billion (31 December 2009 est.) note: excludes gold

Stock of broad money

$3.905 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $3.322 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$NA

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$NA

Stock of domestic credit

$1.882 billion (31 December 2010 est.) $1.716 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$1.997 billion (31 December 2010 est) $1.603 billion (31 December 2009 est)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Broadcast media

public broadcaster, Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC), operates radio and television networks; Uganda first began licensing privately-owned stations in the 1990s; by 2007 there were nearly 150 radio and 35 TV stations, mostly based in and around Kampala; transmissions of multiple international broadcasters are available in Kampala (2007)

Internet country code

.ug

Internet hosts

19,927 (2010)

Internet users

3.2 million (2009)

Telephone system

domestic

intercity traffic by wire, microwave radio relay, and radiotelephone communication stations, fixed and mobile-cellular systems for short-range traffic; mobile-cellular teledensity about 30 per 100 persons in 2009

general assessment

mobile cellular service is increasing rapidly, but the number of main lines is still deficient; work underway on a national backbone information and communications technology infrastructure; international phone networks and Internet connectivity provided through satellite and VSAT applications

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

233,500 (2009)

Telephones - mobile cellular

9.384 million (2009)

Airports

46 (2010)

Airports - with paved runways

total

5 over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

41 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 25 under 914 m: 8 (2010)

Ports and terminals

Entebbe, Jinja, Port Bell

Railways

narrow gauge

1,244 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

total

1,244 km

Roadways

paved

16,272 km

total

70,746 km

unpaved

54,474 km (2003)

Waterways

there are no long navigable stretches of river in Uganda; parts of the Albert Nile that flow out of Lake Albert in the northwestern part of the country are navigable; several lakes including Lake Victoria and Lake Kyoga have substantial traffic; Lake Albert is navigable along a 200 km stretch from its northern tip to its southern shores (2009)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 6,972,134 females age 16-49: 6,752,005 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 4,138,180 females age 16-49: 4,028,125 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

408,521 (2010 est.)

male

412,640

Military branches

Uganda Peoples Defense Force (UPDF)

Army (includes Marine Unit), Uganda Air Force (2010)

Military expenditures

2.2% of GDP (2006)

Military service age and obligation

18-26 years of age for voluntary military duty; 18-30 years of age for professionals; no conscription; 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 (2010)

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

Refugees and internally displaced persons

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) page last updated on January 20, 2011 ======================================================================

refugees (country of origin)

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