Republic of Uganda

President: Yoweri Museveni (1986)

Prime Minister: Apolo Nsibambi (1999)

Land area: 77,108 sq mi (199,710 sq km); total area: 91,136 sq mi (236,040 sq km)

Population (2006 est.): 28,195,754 (growth rate: 3.4%); birth rate: 47.4/1000; infant mortality rate: 66.2/1000; life expectancy: 52.7; density per sq mi: 366

Capital and largest city (2003 est.): Kampala, 1,461,600 (metro. area), 1,244,000 (city proper)

Monetary unit: Ugandan new shilling

Languages: English (official), Ganda or Luganda, other Niger-Congo languages, Nilo-Saharan languages, Swahili, Arabic

Ethnicity/race: 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%, Islam 16%, indigenous beliefs 18%

Literacy rate: 70% (2003 est.)

Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2005 est.): $46.06 billion; per capita $1,700. Real growth rate: 9%. Inflation: 9.7%. Unemployment: n.a. Arable land: 22%. Agriculture: coffee, tea, cotton, tobacco, cassava (tapioca), potatoes, corn, millet, pulses, cut flowers; beef, goat meat, milk, poultry. Labor force: 13.17 million; agriculture 82%, industry 5%, services 13% (1999 est.). Industries: sugar, brewing, tobacco, cotton textiles; cement, steel production. Natural resources: copper, cobalt, hydropower, limestone, salt, arable land. Exports: $768 million f.o.b. (2005 est.): coffee, fish and fish products, tea, cotton, flowers, horticultural products; gold. Imports: $1.608 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.): capital equipment, vehicles, petroleum, medical supplies; cereals. Major trading partners: Kenya, Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany, Rwanda, U.S., UAE, South Africa, India, China, UK, Japan (2004).

Member of the Commonwealth of Nations

Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 50,074; however, 80,868 main lines were installed (1998); mobile cellular: 9,000 (1998). 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 Service Providers (ISPs): 2 (2000). Internet users: 60,000 (2002).

Transportation: Railways: total: 1,241 km (2002). Highways: total: 27,000 km; paved: 1,809 km; unpaved: 25,191 km (1999 est.). Waterways: Lake Victoria, Lake Albert, Lake Kyoga, Lake George, Lake Edward, Victoria Nile, Albert Nile. Ports and harbors: Entebbe, Jinja, Port Bell. Airports: 27 (2002).

International disputes: Tutsi, Hutu, and other ethnic groups, associated political rebels, armed gangs, and various government forces continue fighting in the Great Lakes region, transcending the boundaries of Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda to gain control over populated areas and natural resources; government heads pledge to end conflict, but localized violence continues despite UN peacekeeping efforts; conflict in Sudan has extended rebel forces and refugees into Uganda.

 

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