Uganda

Uganda

General Information
Geography
Government
Economy
Population
Health
Communications and media
Chronology


GENERAL INFORMATION

National name Republic of Uganda Area 236,600 sq km/91,351 sq mi Capital Kampala Language English (official), Kiswahili, other Bantu and Nilotic languages Religion Christian 65%, animist 20%, Muslim 15% Time difference GMT +3 Major holidays 1 January, 1 April, 1 May, 9 October, 25–26 December; variable: Good Friday, Easter Monday, Holy Saturday, end of Ramadan


GEOGRAPHY

Major towns/cities Jinja, Mbale, Entebbe, Masaka, Mbarara, Soroti Physical features plateau with mountains in west (Ruwenzori Range, with Mount Margherita, 5,110 m/16,765 ft); forest and grassland; 18% is lakes, rivers, and wetlands (Owen Falls on White Nile where it leaves Lake Victoria; Lake Albert in west); arid in northwest Airports one international airport; domestic services operate to all major towns; total passengers carried: 40,000 (2003 est) Railways total length: 1,241 km/771 mi; total passenger journeys: 184,000 (1995) Roads total road network: 70,746 km/43,960 mi, of which 23% paved (2003 est); passenger cars: 6.8 per 1,000 people (2000 est)


GOVERNMENT

Head of state Yoweri Museveni from 1986 Head of government Apolo Nsibambi from 1999 Political system authoritarian nationalist Political executive unlimited presidency Administrative divisions 39 districts, grouped in four geographical regions Political parties National Resistance Movement (NRM), left of centre; Democratic Party (DP), left of centre; Conservative Party (CP), right of centre; Uganda People's Congress (UPC), left of centre; Uganda Freedom Movement (UFM), left of centre. From 1986, political parties were forced to suspend activities Death penalty retained and used for ordinary crimes Armed forces 45,500; plus paramilitary forces of 1,800 (2006 est) Conscription military service is voluntary Defence spend (% GDP) 2.5 (2004 est) Education spend (% GDP) 2.5 (2001 est) Health spend (% GDP) 2.6 (2004)


ECONOMY

Currency Ugandan new shilling GDP (US$) 8.7 billion (2005 est) Real GDP growth (% change on previous year) 5.5 (2006 est) GNI (US$) 7.9 billion (2005 est) GNI per capita (PPP) (US$) 1,500 (2005 est) Consumer price inflation 6.7% (2006 est) Unemployment 3.2% (2003) Labour force 69.1% agriculture, 7.6% industry, 22.3% services (2003) Foreign debt (US$) 4.9 billion (2005 est) Major trading partners Kenya, Belgium, United Arab Emirates, the Netherlands, India, South Africa, Germany, China Resources copper, apatite, limestone; believed to possess the world's second-largest deposit of gold (which began to be exploited again in the mid-1990s); also reserves of phosphate, magnetite, tin, tungsten, beryllium, bismuth, asbestos, graphite Industries processing of agricultural products, brewing, vehicle assembly, textiles, cement, soap, fertilizers, footwear, metal products, paints, batteries, matches Exports coffee, fish and fish products, cotton, tea, gold, tobacco, oil seeds and oleaginous fruit; textiles. Principal market: Kenya 15.5% (2005) Imports machinery and transport equipment, vegetable products, animal fats and oil, basic manufactures, petroleum and petroleum products, chemicals, miscellaneous manufactured articles, iron and steel. Principal source: Kenya 33.3% (2005) Arable land 21.6% (2006 est) Agricultural products coffee, cotton, tea, maize, tobacco, sugar cane, cocoa, horticulture, plantains, cassava, sweet potatoes, millet, sorghum, beans, groundnuts, rice; livestock rearing (cattle, goats, sheep, and poultry); freshwater fishing


POPULATION

Population 29,856,500 (2006 est) Population growth rate 3.6% (2005–10) Population density (per sq km) 126 (2006 est) Urban population (% of total) 12 (2005 est) Age distribution (% of total population) 0–14 50%, 15–59 46%, 60+ 4% (2005 est) Ethnic groups about 40 different peoples concentrated into three main groups; the Bantu (the most numerous), the Nilotics, and the Nilo-Hamites; there are also Rwandan, Sudanese, Zairean, and Kenyan minorities Life expectancy 51 (men); 53 (women) (2005–10) Child mortality rate (under 5, per 1,000 live births) 138 (2004) Education not compulsory Literacy rate 79% (men); 59% (women) (2004 est)


HEALTH

Physicians (per 10,000 people) 0.5 (2004 est) Hospital beds (per 1,000 people) 1 (2002 est) HIV infection (% of population aged 15–49) 6.7 (2005 est) AIDS deaths 91,000 (2005 est) Access to drinking-water source (% of total population) 87 (urban); 52 (rural) (2002)


COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA

Landline telephones (per 100 people) 0.4 (2005 est) Mobile phone subscribers (per 100 people) 5.3 (2005 est) Radios (per 1,000 people) 127 (1998) TV sets (per 1,000 people) 17 (2004 est) Personal computer users (per 100 people) 0.9 (2005 est) Internet users (per 100 people) 1.7 (2005 est)


CHRONOLOGY

16th century Bunyoro kingdom founded by immigrants from southeastern Sudan. 17th century Rise of kingdom of Buganda people, which became particularly powerful from 17th century. mid-19th century Arabs, trading ivory and slaves, reached Uganda; first visits by European explorers and Christian missionaries. 1885–87 Uganda Martyrs: Christians persecuted by Buganda ruler, Mwanga. 1890 Royal Charter granted to British East African Company, which concluded trade treaties with the Buganda and the western states of Ankole and Toro. 1894 British protectorate established, with Buganda retaining some autonomy under its traditional prince (Kabaka). 1904 Cotton growing introduced by Buganda peasants. 1958 Internal self-government granted. 1962 Independence achieved from Britain, within Commonwealth, with Milton Obote of Uganda People's Congress (UPC) as prime minister. 1963 Proclaimed federal republic with King Mutesa II (of Buganda) as president and Obote as prime minister. 1966 King Mutesa, who opposed creation of one-party state, ousted in coup led by Obote, who ended federal status and became executive president. 1969 All opposition parties banned after assassination attempt on Obote; key enterprises nationalized. 1971 Obote overthrown in army coup led by Maj-Gen Idi Amin Dada; constitution suspended and dictatorship established; Ugandan Asians expelled; mass killing of regime opponents. 1979 Ugandan annexation of Tanzanian territory provoked Tanzanian counter-invasion in support of anti-Amin forces; Amin deposed and exiled; provisional government set up. 1980 Provisional government overthrown by army; elections held and Milton Obote returned to power. 1985 Obote ousted in military coup by Gen Tito Okello. 1986 National Resistance Army (NRA) took power; Yoweri Museveni became president. 1996 Landslide victory for Museveni in first direct presidential elections. 1997–2002 Ugandan military intervention in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in support of rebel forces. 1999 Sudanese-Ugandan agreement to stop supporting rebel factions in the other's country. 2000 Referendum rejected multiparty political system. 2001 Museveni re-elected; allegations of electoral fraud. 2002 Peace agreement with DRC committing Uganda to withdraw its forces; border cooperation agreement with Sudan to counter Ugandan rebel Lord's Resistance Army (LRA). 2005 Constitutional amendment ending limits on presidential terms; return to multiparty politics approved in referendum. 2006 Museveni won multiparty presidential elections; government and LRA signed truce aimed at ending northern insurgency.


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