Uganda
Introduction Uganda
-------------------
Background: Uganda achieved independence from
the UK 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 another
100,000 lives. During the 1990s the
government promulgated non-party
presidential and legislative
elections.
Geography Uganda
----------------
Location: Eastern Africa, west of Kenya
Geographic coordinates: 1 00 N, 32 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area: total: 236,040 sq km
water: 36,330 sq km
land: 199,710 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Oregon
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
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)
Climate: tropical; generally rainy with two
dry seasons (December to February,
June to August); semiarid in
northeast
Terrain: mostly plateau with rim of mountains
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Lake Albert 621 m
highest point: Margherita Peak on
Mount Stanley 5,110 m
Natural resources: copper, cobalt, hydropower,
limestone, salt, arable land
Land use: arable land: 25.34%
permanent crops: 8.77%
other: 65.89% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 90 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: draining of wetlands for
agricultural use; deforestation;
overgrazing; soil erosion; water
hyacinth infestation in Lake
Victoria; poaching is widespread
Environment - international party to: Biodiversity, Climate
agreements: Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of
the Sea, Marine Life Conservation,
Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:
Environmental Modification
Geography - note: landlocked; fertile, well-watered
country with many lakes and rivers
People Uganda
-------------
Population: 24,699,073
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 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 50.9% (male 6,314,371;
female 6,265,681)
15-64 years: 47% (male 5,803,430;
female 5,789,713)
65 years and over: 2.1% (male
247,798; female 278,080) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.94% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 47.15 births/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Death rate: 17.53 deaths/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Net migration rate: -0.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: according to the UNHCR, by the
end of 2001, Uganda was host to
178,815 refugees from a number of
neighboring countries, including:
Sudan 155,996, Rwanda 14,375, and
Democratic Republic of the Congo
7,459 (2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/
female
total population: 1 male(s)/female
(2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 89.35 deaths/1,000 live births (2002
est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 43.81 years
female: 44.67 years (2002 est.)
male: 42.97 years
Total fertility rate: 6.8 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 6.1% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/ 1.1 million (2001 est.)
AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 110,000 (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Ugandan(s)
adjective: Ugandan
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%
Religions: Roman Catholic 33%, Protestant 33%,
Muslim 16%, indigenous beliefs 18%
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
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read
and write
total population: 62.7%
male: 74%
female: 54% (2000 est.)
Government Uganda
-----------------
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of
Uganda
conventional short form: Uganda
Government type: republic
Capital: Kampala
Administrative divisions: 45 districts; Adjumani, Apac, Arua,
Bugiri, Bundibugyo, Bushenyi, Busia,
Gulu, Hoima, Iganga, Jinja, Kabale,
Kabarole, Kalangala, Kampala,
Kamuli, Kapchorwa, Kasese, Katakwi,
Kibale, Kiboga, Kisoro, Kitgum,
Kotido, Kumi, Lira, Luwero, Masaka,
Masindi, Mbale, Mbarara, Moroto,
Moyo, Mpigi, Mubende, Mukono,
Nakasongola, Nebbi, Ntungamo,
Pallisa, Rakai, Rukungiri,
Sembabule, Soroti, Tororo
note: there may be eleven more
districts: Kaberamaido, Kamwenge,
Kanungu, Kayunga, Kyenjojo, Mayngc,
Nakapiripiti, Pader, Sironko,
Wakiso, Yumbe
Independence: 9 October 1962 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 9 October (1962)
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
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
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
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 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
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the
president from among elected
legislators
election results: Lt. Gen. Yoweri
Kaguta MUSEVENI elected president;
percent of vote - Lt. Gen. Yoweri
Kaguta MUSEVENI 69.3%, Kizza BESIGYE
27.8%
elections: president reelected by
popular vote for a five-year term;
election last held 12 March 2001
(next to be held NA 2006); note -
first popular election for president
since independence in 1962 was held
in 1996; prime minister appointed by
the president
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (303
members - 214 directly elected by
popular vote, 81 nominated by
legally established special interest
groups [women 56, army 10, disabled
5, youth 5, labor 5], 8 ex officio
members; members serve five-year
terms)
election results: percent of vote by
party - NA%; seats by party - NA;
note - election campaigning by party
was not permitted
elections: last held 26 June 2001
(next to be held May or June 2006);
Judicial branch: Court of Appeal (judges are
appointed by the president and
approved by the legislature); High
Court (judges are appointed by the
president)
Political parties and leaders: only one political organization, the
National Resistance Movement or NRM
[President MUSEVENI, chairman] is
allowed to operate unfettered; note
- the president maintains that the
NRM is not a political party, but a
movement which claims the loyalty of
all Ugandans
note: the new constitution requires
the suspension of political parties
while the Movement organization is
in governance; of the political
parties that exist but are
prohibited from sponsoring
candidates, the most important are
the Ugandan People's Congress or UPC
[Milton OBOTE]; Democratic Party or
DP [Paul SSEMOGERERE]; Conservative
Party or CP [Joshua S. MAYANJA-
NKANGI]; Justice Forum [Muhammad
Kibirige MAYANJA]; and National
Democrats Forum [Chapaa KARUHANGA]
Political pressure groups and NA
leaders:
International organization ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, EADB, ECA, FAO,
participation: G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD,
ILO, IMF, 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
FAX: [1] (202) 726-1727
telephone: [1] (202) 726-7100
through 7102, 0416
chancery: 5911 16th Street NW,
Washington, DC 20011
Diplomatic representation from the chief of mission: Ambassador Martin
US: G. BRENNAN
embassy: Ggaba, Plot 1577, Kampala
mailing address: P. O. Box 7007,
Kampala
telephone: [256] (41) 259791 through
259795
FAX: [256] (41) 259794
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
--------------
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. 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.
Ongoing Ugandan involvement in the
war in the Democratic Republic of
the Congo, corruption within the
government, and slippage in the
government's determination to press
reforms raise doubts about the
continuation of strong growth. 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 was held back
because of a continued decline in
the price of coffee, Uganda's
principal export.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $29
billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 5.1% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,200
(2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 44%
industry: 18%
services: 38% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line: 35% (2001 est.)
Household income or consumption by lowest 10%: 4%
percentage share: highest 10%: 21% (2000)
Distribution of family income - Gini 37.4 (1996)
index:
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.5% (2001 est.)
Labor force: 12 million (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 82%, industry 5%,
services 13% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $959 million
expenditures: $1.04 billion,
including capital expenditures of
$NA (FY98/99 est.)
Industries: sugar, brewing, tobacco, cotton
textiles, cement
Industrial production growth rate: 7% (1999)
Electricity - production: 1.599 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 0.94%
hydro: 99.06%
other: 0% (2000)
nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 1.314 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 174 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 1 million kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: coffee, tea, cotton, tobacco,
cassava (tapioca), potatoes, corn,
millet, pulses; beef, goat meat,
milk, poultry, cut flowers
Exports: $367 million (f.o.b., 2001)
Exports - commodities: coffee, fish and fish products, tea;
gold, cotton, flowers, horticultural
products
Exports - partners: Germany 12.0%, Netherlands 10.2%, US
8.7%, Spain 8.0%, Belgium 7.1%
(2000)
Imports: $1.26 billion (f.o.b., 2001)
Imports - commodities: capital equipment, vehicles,
petroleum, medical supplies; cereals
Imports - partners: Kenya 43.1%, US 7.0%, India 6.8%,
South Africa 6.1%, Japan 3.4% (2000)
Debt - external: $3.4 billion (2001 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $1.4 billion (2000)
Currency: Ugandan shilling (UGX)
Currency code: UGX
Exchange rates: Ugandan shillings per US dollar -
1,738.7 (January 2002), 1,755.7
(2001), 1,644.5 (2000), 1,454.8
(1999), 1,240.2 (1998), 1,083.0
(1997)
Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June
Communications Uganda
---------------------
Telephones - main lines in use: 50,074; however, 80,868 main lines
have been installed (1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 9,000 (1998)
Telephone system: 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
domestic: intercity traffic by wire,
microwave radio relay, and
radiotelephone communication
stations, fixed and mobile cellular
systems for short range traffic
international: satellite earth
stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic
Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat; analog links
to Kenya and Tanzania
Radio broadcast stations: AM 7, FM 33, shortwave 2 (2001)
Radios: 5 million (2001)
Television broadcast stations: 8 (plus one low-power repeater)
(2001)
Televisions: 500,000 (2001)
Internet country code: .ug
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000)
Internet users: 25,000 (2000)
Transportation Uganda
---------------------
Railways: total: 1,241 km
narrow gauge: 1,241 km 1.000-m gauge
note: a program to rehabilitate the
railroad is underway (2001)
Highways: total: 27,000 km
paved: 1,800 km
unpaved: 25,200 km (of which about
4,200 km are all-weather roads)
(1990)
Waterways: Lake Victoria, Lake Albert, Lake
Kyoga, Lake George, Lake Edward,
Victoria Nile, Albert Nile
Ports and harbors: Entebbe, Jinja, Port Bell
Merchant marine: total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over)
totaling 5,091 GRT/8,229 DWT
ships by type: roll on/roll off 3
note: these ships are in cargo and
passenger (ferry) service on
Uganda's inland waterways (2002
est.)
Airports: 27 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 4
over 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2001)
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 (2001)
Military Uganda
---------------
Military branches: Ugandan Peoples' Defense Force
(including Army, Marine unit, Air
Wing)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 5,302,787 (2002
est.)
Military manpower - fit for military males age 15-49: 2,879,083 (2002
service: est.)
Military expenditures - dollar $121.3 million (FY01)
figure:
Military expenditures - percent of 2.1% (FY01)
GDP:
Transnational Issues Uganda
---------------------------
Disputes - international: Tutsi, Hutu, and other ethnic
groups, political rebels, and
various government forces continue
fighting in Great Lakes region,
transcending the boundaries of
Burundi, Democratic Republic of the
Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda
|