2019 Edition

CIA World Factbook 2019 Archive (Wayback Machine)

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Countries

267

Data Records

66,981

Uganda

2019 Edition · 309 data fields

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Introduction

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. In December 2017, parliament approved the removal of presidential age limits, thereby making it possible for MUSEVENI to continue standing for office. Uganda faces numerous challenges, however, that could affect future stability, including explosive population growth, power and infrastructure constraints, corruption, underdeveloped democratic institutions, and human rights deficits.

Geography

Area

Land: 197,100 sq km
Total: 241,038 sq km
Water: 43,938 sq km

Area Comparative

slightly more than two times the size of Pennsylvania; 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

Highest Point: Margherita Peak on Mount Stanley 5,110 m
Lowest Point: Albert Nile 614 m

Environment Current Issues

draining of wetlands for agricultural use; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial discharge and 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

Geographic Coordinates

1 00 N, 32 00 E

Geography Note

landlocked; fertile, well-watered country with many lakes and rivers; Lake Victoria, the world's largest tropical lake and the second largest fresh water lake, is shared among three countries: Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda

Irrigated Land

140 sq km (2012)

Land Boundaries

Border Countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 877 km, Kenya 814 km, Rwanda 172 km, South Sudan 475 km, Tanzania 391 km
Total: 2,729 km

Land Use

Agricultural Land: 71.2% (2011 est.)
Agricultural Land Arable Land: 34.3% (2011 est.)
Agricultural Land Permanent Crops: 11.3% (2011 est.)
Agricultural Land Permanent Pasture: 25.6% (2011 est.)
Forest: 14.5% (2011 est.)
Other: 14.3% (2011 est.)

Location

East-Central Africa, west of Kenya, east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Map References

Africa

Maritime Claims

none (landlocked)

Natural Hazards

droughts; floods; earthquakes; landslides; hailstorms

Natural Resources

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

Population Distribution

population density is relatively high in comparison to other African nations; most of the population is concentrated in the central and southern parts of the country, particularly along the shores of Lake Victoria and Lake Albert; the northeast is least populated

Terrain

mostly plateau with rim of mountains

People and Society

Age Structure

0 14 Years: 47.84% (male 9,753,880 /female 9,789,455)
15 24 Years: 21.04% (male 4,250,222 /female 4,347,313)
25 54 Years: 26.52% (male 5,422,096 /female 5,412,112)
55 64 Years: 2.64% (male 522,637 /female 554,287)
65 Years And Over: 1.96% (male 351,481 /female 450,266) (2018 est.)

Birth Rate

42.4 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Children Under The Age Of 5 Years Underweight

10.4% (2016)

Contraceptive Prevalence Rate

41.8% (2018)

Current Health Expenditure

6.2% (2016)

Death Rate

9.9 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Demographic Profile

Uganda has one of the youngest and most rapidly growing populations in the world; its total fertility rate is among the world’s highest at 5.8 children per woman. Except in urban areas, actual fertility exceeds women’s desired fertility by one or two children, which is indicative of the widespread unmet need for contraception, lack of government support for family planning, and a cultural preference for large families. High numbers of births, short birth intervals, and the early age of childbearing contribute to Uganda’s high maternal mortality rate. Gender inequities also make fertility reduction difficult; women on average are less-educated, participate less in paid employment, and often have little say in decisions over childbearing and their own reproductive health. However, even if the birth rate were significantly reduced, Uganda’s large pool of women entering reproductive age ensures rapid population growth for decades to come.Unchecked, population increase will further strain the availability of arable land and natural resources and overwhelm the country’s limited means for providing food, employment, education, health care, housing, and basic services. The country’s north and northeast lag even further behind developmentally than the rest of the country as a result of long-term conflict (the Ugandan Bush War 1981-1986 and more than 20 years of fighting between the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and Ugandan Government forces), ongoing inter-communal violence, and periodic natural disasters.Uganda has been both a source of refugees and migrants and a host country for refugees. In 1972, then President Idi AMIN, in his drive to return Uganda to Ugandans, expelled the South Asian population that composed a large share of the country’s business people and bankers. Since the 1970s, thousands of Ugandans have emigrated, mainly to southern Africa or the West, for security reasons, to escape poverty, to search for jobs, and for access to natural resources. The emigration of Ugandan doctors and nurses due to low wages is a particular concern given the country’s shortage of skilled health care workers. Africans escaping conflicts in neighboring states have found refuge in Uganda since the 1950s; the country currently struggles to host tens of thousands from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, and other nearby countries.

Dependency Ratios

Elderly Dependency Ratio: 4.4 (2015 est.)
Potential Support Ratio: 22.8 (2015 est.)
Total Dependency Ratio: 101.6 (2015 est.)
Youth Dependency Ratio: 97.2 (2015 est.)

Drinking Water Source

Improved Rural: 75.8% of population
Improved Total: 79% of population
Improved Urban: 95.5% of population
Unimproved Rural: 24.2% of population
Unimproved Total: 21% of population (2015 est.)
Unimproved Urban: 4.5% of population

Education Expenditures

2.6% of GDP (2017)

Ethnic Groups

Baganda 16.5%, Banyankole 9.6%, Basoga 8.8%, Bakiga 7.1%, Iteso 7%, Langi 6.3%, Bagisu 4.9%, Acholi 4.4%, Lugbara 3.3%, other 32.1% (2014 est.)

HIV/AIDS Adult Prevalence Rate

5.7% (2018 est.)

HIV/AIDS Deaths

23,000 (2018 est.)

HIV/AIDS People Living With HIV/AIDS

1.4 million (2018 est.)

Hospital Bed Density

0.5 beds/1,000 population (2010)

Infant Mortality Rate

Female: 45.7 deaths/1,000 live births
Male: 63.3 deaths/1,000 live births
Total: 54.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

Languages

English (official language, taught in 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 and the language used most often in the capital), other Niger-Congo languages, Nilo-Saharan languages, Swahili (official), Arabic

Life Expectancy at Birth

Female: 57.8 years
Male: 54.8 years
Total Population: 56.3 years (2018 est.)

Literacy

Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Female: 71.5% (2015)
Male: 85.3%
Total Population: 78.4%

Major Infectious Diseases

Animal Contact Diseases: rabies (2016)
Degree Of Risk: very high (2016)
Food Or Waterborne Diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A and E, and typhoid fever (2016)
Vectorborne Diseases: malaria, dengue fever, and trypanosomiasis-Gambiense (African sleeping sickness) (2016)
Water Contact Diseases: schistosomiasis (2016)

Major Urban Areas Population

3.318 million KAMPALA (capital) (2019)

Maternal Mortality Rate

375 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median Age

Female: 16 years
Male: 15.8 years
Total: 15.9 years (2018 est.)

Mother's Mean Age at First Birth

18.9 years (2011 est.)

Nationality

Adjective: Ugandan
Noun: Ugandan(s)

Net Migration Rate

-0.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate

5.3% (2016)

Physicians Density

0.09 physicians/1,000 population (2015)

Population

40,853,749 (July 2018 est.)

Population Growth Rate

3.18% (2018 est.)

Religions

Protestant 45.1% (Anglican 32.0%, Pentecostal/Born Again/Evangelical 11.1%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.7%, Baptist .3%), Roman Catholic 39.3%, Muslim 13.7%, other 1.6%, none 0.2% (2014 est.)

Sanitation Facility Access

Improved Rural: 17.3% of population (2015 est.)
Improved Total: 19.1% of population (2015 est.)
Improved Urban: 28.5% of population (2015 est.)
Unimproved Rural: 82.7% of population (2015 est.)
Unimproved Total: 80.9% of population (2015 est.)
Unimproved Urban: 71.5% of population (2015 est.)

School Life Expectancy Primary To Tertiary Education

Female: 10 years (2011)
Male: 10 years
Total: 10 years

Sex Ratio

0 14 Years: 1 male(s)/female
15 24 Years: 0.98 male(s)/female
25 54 Years: 1 male(s)/female
55 64 Years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 Years And Over: 0.78 male(s)/female
At Birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
Total Population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2018 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

5.62 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Unemployment Youth Ages 15 24

Female: 17.3% (2017 est.)
Male: 12.7%
Total: 14.8%

Urbanization

Rate Of Urbanization: 5.7% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
Urban Population: 24.4% of total population (2019)

Government

Administrative Divisions

121 districts and 1 capital city*; Abim, Adjumani, Agago, Alebtong, Amolatar, Amudat, Amuria, Amuru, Apac, Arua, Budaka, Bududa, Bugiri, Buhweju, Buikwe, Bukedea, Bukomansimbi, Bukwa, Bulambuli, Buliisa, Bundibugyo, Bunyangabu, Bushenyi, Busia, Butaleja, Butambala, Butebo, Buvuma, Buyende, Dokolo, Gomba, Gulu, Hoima, Ibanda, Iganga, Isingiro, Jinja, Kaabong, Kabale, Kabarole, Kaberamaido, Kagadi, Kakumiro, Kalangala, Kaliro, Kalungu, Kampala*, Kamuli, Kamwenge, Kanungu, Kapchorwa, Kasese, Katakwi, Kayunga, Kibaale, Kiboga, Kibuku, Kiruhura, Kiryandongo, Kisoro, Kitgum, Koboko, Kole, Kotido, Kumi, Kween, Kyankwanzi, Kyegegwa, Kyenjojo, Kyotera, Lamwo, Lira, Luuka, Luwero, Lwengo, Lyantonde, Manafwa, Maracha, Masaka, Masindi, Mayuge, Mbale, Mbarara, Mitooma, Mityana, Moroto, Moyo, Mpigi, Mubende, Mukono, Nakapiripirit, Nakaseke, Nakasongola, Namayingo, Namisindwa, Namutumba, Napak, Nebbi, Ngora, Ntoroko, Ntungamo, Nwoya, Omoro, Otuke, Oyam, Pader, Pakwach, Pallisa, Rakai, Rubanda, Rubirizi, Rukiga, Rukungiri, Sembabule, Serere, Sheema, Sironko, Soroti, Tororo, Wakiso, Yumbe, Zombo

Capital

Geographic Coordinates: 0 19 N, 32 33 E
Name: Kampala
Time Difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

Citizenship By Birth: no
Citizenship By Descent Only: at least one parent or grandparent must be a native-born citizen of Uganda
Dual Citizenship Recognized: yes
Residency Requirement For Naturalization: an aggregate of 20 years and continuously for the last 2 years prior to applying for citizenship

Constitution

Amendments: proposed by the National Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly membership in the second and third readings; proposals affecting "entrenched clauses," including the sovereignty of the people, supremacy of the constitution, human rights and freedoms, the democratic and multiparty form of government, presidential term of office, independence of the judiciary, and the institutions of traditional or cultural leaders, also requires passage by referendum, ratification by at least two-thirds majority vote of district council members in at least two thirds of Uganda's districts, and assent ofthe president of the republic; amended several times, last in 2017 (2019)
History: several previous; latest adopted 27 September 1995, promulgated 8 October 1995

Country Name

Conventional Long Form: Republic of Uganda
Conventional Short Form: Uganda
Etymology: from the name "Buganda," adopted by the British as the designation for their East African colony in 1894; Buganda had been a powerful East African state during the 18th and 19th centuries

Diplomatic Representation From The Us

Chief Of Mission: Ambassador Deborah R. MALAC (since 27 February 2016)
Embassy: 1577 Ggaba Road, Kampala
Fax: [256] 414-306-009
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 7007, Kampala
Telephone: [256] 414-306001

Diplomatic Representation In The Us

Chancery: 5911 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
Chief Of Mission: Ambassador Mull Sebujja KATENDE (since 8 September 2017)
Fax: [1] (202) 726-1727
Telephone: [1] (202) 726-7100

Executive Branch

Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president from among elected members of the National Assembly or persons who qualify to be elected as members of the National Assembly
Election Results: Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI reelected president in the first round; percent of vote - Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI (NRM) 60.6%, Kizza BESIGYE (FDC) 35.6%, other 3.8%
Elections Appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (no term limits); election last held on 18 February 2016 (next scheduled to be held February 2021)
Head Of Government: President Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI (since seizing power on 26 January 1986); Vice President Edward SSEKANDI (since 24 May 2011); Prime Minister Ruhakana RUGUNDA (since 19 September 2014); First Deputy Prime Minister Moses ALI (since 6 June 2016); Second Deputy Prime Minister Kirunda KIVEJINJA (since 6 June 2016)
Head Of State: President Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI (since seizing power on 26 January 1986); Vice President Edward SSEKANDI (since 24 May 2011); note - the president is both head of state and head of government

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

Government Type

presidential republic

Independence

9 October 1962 (from the UK)

International Law Organization Participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International Organization Participation

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

Judicial Branch

Highest Courts: Supreme Court of Uganda (consists of the chief justice and at least 6 justices)
Judge Selection And Term Of Office: justices appointed by the president of the republic in consultation with the Judicial Service Commission, an 8-member independent advisory body, and approved by the National Assembly; justices serve until mandatory retirement at age 70
Subordinate Courts: Court of Appeal (also acts as the Constitutional Court); High Court (includes 12 High Court Circuits and 8 High Court Divisions); Industrial Court; Chief Magistrate Grade One and Grade Two Courts throughout the country; qadhis courts; local council courts; family and children courts

Legal System

mixed legal system of English common law and customary law

Legislative Branch

Description: unicameral National Assembly or Parliament (445 seats; 290 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote, 112 for women directly elected in single-seat districts by simple majority vote, and 25 "representatives" reserved for special interest groups - army 10, disabled 5, youth 5, labor 5; up to 18 ex officio members appointed by the president; members serve 5-year terms)
Election Results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NRM 292, FDC 37, DP 5, UPDF 10, UPC 6, independent 66 (excludes 19 ex-officio members)
Elections: last held on 18 February 2016 (next to be held in February 2021)

National Anthem

Lyrics Music: George Wilberforce KAKOMOA
Name: Oh Uganda, Land of Beauty!

National Holiday

Independence Day, 9 October (1962)

National Symbol S

grey crowned crane; national colors: black, yellow, red

Political Parties And Leaders

Alliance for National Transformation or ANT [Gregory Mugisha MUNTU] Democratic Party or DP [Norbert MAO] Forum for Democratic Change or FDC [Patrick Oboi AMURIAT] Justice Forum or JEEMA [Asuman BASALIRWA] National Resistance Movement or NRM [Yoweri MUSEVENI] Uganda People's Congress or UPC [James AKENA]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Economy

Agriculture Products

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

Budget

Expenditures: 4.928 billion (2017 est.)
Revenues: 3.848 billion (2017 est.)

Budget Surplus Or Deficit

-4.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Central Bank Discount Rate

December 2017: 9.5%
February 2018: 9%

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

31 December 2016: 23.89%
31 December 2017: 21.28%

Current Account Balance

2016: -$707 million
2017: -$1.212 billion

Debt External

22 March 2018: $10.8 billion
31 December 2016: $6.241 billion
31 December 2017: $11.54 billion

Distribution Of Family Income Gini Index

2002: 45.7
2013: 39.5

Economy Overview

Uganda has substantial natural resources, including fertile soils, regular rainfall, substantial reserves of recoverable oil, and small deposits of copper, gold, and other minerals. Agriculture is one of the most important sectors of the economy, employing 72% of the work force. The country’s export market suffered a major slump following the outbreak of conflict in South Sudan, but has recovered lately, largely due to record coffee harvests, which account for 16% of exports, and increasing gold exports, which account for 10% of exports. Uganda has a small industrial sector that is dependent on imported inputs such as refined oil and heavy equipment. Overall, productivity is hampered by a number of supply-side constraints, including insufficient infrastructure, lack of modern technology in agriculture, and corruption.Uganda’s economic growth has slowed since 2016 as government spending and public debt has grown. Uganda’s budget is dominated by energy and road infrastructure spending, while Uganda relies on donor support for long-term drivers of growth, including agriculture, health, and education. The largest infrastructure projects are externally financed through concessional loans, but at inflated costs. As a result, debt servicing for these loans is expected to rise.Oil revenues and taxes are expected to become a larger source of government funding as oil production starts in the next three to 10 years. Over the next three to five years, foreign investors are planning to invest $9 billion in production facilities projects, $4 billion in an export pipeline, as well as in a $2-3 billion refinery to produce petroleum products for the domestic and East African Community markets. Furthermore, the government is looking to build several hundred million dollars’ worth of highway projects to the oil region.Uganda faces many economic challenges. Instability in South Sudan has led to a sharp increase in Sudanese refugees and is disrupting Uganda's main export market. Additional economic risks include: poor economic management, endemic corruption, and the government’s failure to invest adequately in the health, education, and economic opportunities for a burgeoning young population. Uganda has one of the lowest electrification rates in Africa - only 22% of Ugandans have access to electricity, dropping to 10% in rural areas.

Exchange Rates

2013: 2,599.8
2014: 3,234.1
2015: 3,420.1
2016: 3,420.1
2017: 3,695
Currency: Ugandan shillings (UGX) per US dollar -

Exports

2016: $2.921 billion
2017: $3.339 billion

Exports Commodities

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

Exports Partners

Kenya 17.7%, UAE 16.7%, Democratic Republic of the Congo 6.6%, Rwanda 6.1%, Italy 4.8% (2017)

Fiscal Year

1 July - 30 June

GDP Composition By End Use

Exports Of Goods And Services: 18.8% (2017 est.)
Government Consumption: 8% (2017 est.)
Household Consumption: 74.3% (2017 est.)
Imports Of Goods And Services: -25.1% (2017 est.)
Investment In Fixed Capital: 23.9% (2017 est.)
Investment In Inventories: 0.3% (2017 est.)

GDP Composition By Sector Of Origin

Agriculture: 28.2% (2017 est.)
Industry: 21.1% (2017 est.)
Services: 50.7% (2017 est.)

GDP Official Exchange Rate

$26.62 billion (2017 est.)

GDP Per Capita Ppp

2015: $2,300
2016: $2,300
2017: $2,400

GDP Purchasing Power Parity

2015: $83.14 billion
2016: $85.07 billion
2017: $89.19 billion

GDP Real Growth Rate

2015: 5.7%
2016: 2.3%
2017: 4.8%

Gross National Saving

2015: 17.7% of GDP
2016: 21.5% of GDP
2017: 20.6% of GDP

Household Income Or Consumption By Percentage Share

Highest 10: 36.1% (2009 est.)
Lowest 10: 2.4%

Imports

2016: $4.424 billion
2017: $5.036 billion

Imports Commodities

capital equipment, vehicles, petroleum, medical supplies; cereals

Imports Partners

China 17.4%, India 13.4%, UAE 12.2%, Kenya 7.9%, Japan 6.4%, Saudi Arabia 6.3%, Indonesia 4.4%, South Africa 4.1% (2017)

Industrial Production Growth Rate

4.4% (2017 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation Rate Consumer Prices

2016: 5.5%
2017: 5.6%

Labor Force

15.84 million (2015 est.)

Labor Force By Occupation

Agriculture: 71%
Industry: 7%
Services: 22% (2013 est.)

Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares

31 December 2011: $1.788 billion
31 December 2012: $7.294 billion

Population Below Poverty Line

21.4% (2017 est.)

Public Debt

2016: 37.4% of GDP
2017: 40% of GDP

Reserves Of Foreign Exchange And Gold

31 December 2016: $3.034 billion
31 December 2017: $3.654 billion

Stock Of Broad Money

31 December 2016: $2.167 billion
31 December 2017: $2.519 billion

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment Abroad

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment at Home

2017: $541 million

Stock Of Domestic Credit

31 December 2016: $3.989 billion
31 December 2017: $4.297 billion

Stock Of Narrow Money

31 December 2016: $2.167 billion
31 December 2017: $2.519 billion

Taxes And Other Revenues

14.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment Rate

2014: 9.4%

Energy

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants: less than 1 (2017 est.)
Total: 145,765

Broadcast Media

public broadcaster, Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC), operates radio and TV networks; 31 Free-To-Air (FTA) TV stations, 2 digital terrestrial TV stations, 3 cable TV stations, and 5 digital satellite TV stations; 258 operational FM stations

Internet Country Code

.ug

Internet Users

Percent Of Population: 45.9% (September 2017)
Total: 18,148,923

Telephone System

Domestic: intercity traffic by wire, microwave radio relay, and radiotelephone communication stations, fixed-line 1 per 100 and mobile- cellular systems teledensity about 63 per 100 persons (2018)
General Assessment: in recent years, telecommunications infrastructure has developed through private partnerships; private companies have laid over 1,800 km of fiber optics in Uganda since 2015; as of 2018, fixed fiber backbone infrastructure is available in over half of Uganda’s districts; mobile phone companies now provide 4G networks across all major cities and national parks, while offering 3G coverage in second-tier cities and most rural areas with road access; between 2016 and 2018, commercial Internet services dropped in price from $300/Mbps to $80/Mbps. (2018)
International: country code - 256; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat; analog and digital links to Kenya and Tanzania

Telephones Fixed Lines

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants: 1 (2017 est.)
Total Subscriptions: 262,286

Telephones Mobile Cellular

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants: 63 (2017 est.)
Total Subscriptions: 24,948,878

Transportation

Airports

47 (2013)

Airports With Paved Runways

1 524 To 2 437 M: 1 (2013)
914 To 1 523 M: 1 (2013)
Over 3 047 M: 3 (2013)
Total: 5 (2013)

Airports With Unpaved Runways

1 524 To 2 437 M: 8 (2013)
914 To 1 523 M: 26 (2013)
Over 3 047 M: 1 (2013)
Total: 42 (2013)
Under 914 M: 7 (2013)

Civil Aircraft Registration Country Code Prefix

5X (2016)

Merchant Marine

By Type: bulk carrier 1 (2017)
Total: 1

National Air Transport System

Annual Freight Traffic On Registered Air Carriers: 23,472 mt-km (2015)
Annual Passenger Traffic On Registered Air Carriers: 41,812 (2015)
Inventory Of Registered Aircraft Operated By Air Carriers: 1 (2015)
Number Of Registered Air Carriers: 1 (2015)

Ports And Terminals

Entebbe, Jinja, Port Bell (Lake Victoria)

Railways

Narrow Gauge: 1,244 km 1.000-m gauge (2014)
Total: 1,244 km (2014)

Roadways

Paved: 4,257 km (2017)
Total: 20,544 km (excludes local roads) (2017)
Unpaved: 16,287 km (2017)

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) (2011)

Military and Security

Military And Security Forces

Uganda People's Defense Force (UPDF): Land Forces, Air Forces, Marine Forces, Special Operations Command, Reserve Force (2019)

Military Expenditures

2014: 1.17% of GDP
2015: 1.21% of GDP
2016: 1.26% of GDP
2017: 1.29% of GDP
2018: 1.43% of GDP

Military Service Age And Obligation

18-25 years of age for voluntary military duty (must be single, no children); 9-year service obligation (2019)

Transnational Issues

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; 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: 32,000 (displaced in northern Uganda because of fighting between government forces and the Lord's Resistance Army; as of 2011, most of the 1.8 million people displaced to IDP camps at the height of the conflict had returned home or resettled, but many had not found durable solutions; intercommunal violence, land disputes, and cattle raids) (2018)
Refugees Country Of Origin: 857,268 (South Sudan) (refugees and asylum seekers), 389,276 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers), 45,437 (Burundi), 37,155 (Somalia) (refugees and asylum seekers), 16,272 (Rwanda) (refugees and asylum seekers), 13,563 (Eritrea) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2019)

Terrorism

Terrorist Groups Foreign Based

aim(s): punish Ugandan Government for participating in African Union military operations against al-Shabaab; compel Uganda to withdraw forces from Somalia area(s) of operation: aspires to renew attacks in Kampala; no permanent presence (2018)