Uganda

Republic of Uganda

republicIndependence 9 October 1962 (from UK)

Uganda as the 1999 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 102 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalKampala

Position1 00 N, 32 00 E

Area236,040 sq km

LocationEastern Africa, west of Kenya

Populationas each edition published it

22.8 million July 1999 est. · 17.96m in 1990

Population growth% a year

2.83% 1999 est. · 2.69% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 14.7 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

43.06 years 1999 est. · 38.4 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

7.03 children per woman 1999 est. · 7.4 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

90.68 deaths per 1,000 live births 1999 est. · 107 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$1,020 1998 est. · $300 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

5.5% 1998 est. · 4% in 1993

Geography

Eastern Africa, west of Kenya

18 fields

Area

236,040sq km

land: 199,710 sq kmwater: 36,330 sq kmslightly smaller than Oregon

Coastline

0km

(landlocked)Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Highest point

5,110m

Margherita Peak on Mount Stanleylowest point: Lake Albert 621 m

Land boundaries

2,698km

border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 765 km, Kenya 933 km, Rwanda 169 km, Sudan 435 km, Tanzania 396 km

Climate

tropical;
generally rainy with two dry seasons (December to February, June to August);
semiarid in northeast

Land use

arable land:: 25%
permanent crops:: 9%
permanent pastures:: 9%
forests and woodland:: 28%
other:: 29% (1993 est.)

Environment--current issues

draining of wetlands for agricultural use;
deforestation;
overgrazing;
soil erosion;
poaching is widespread

Environment--international agreements

party to:: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified:: Environmental Modification

People

15 fields

Population

22,804,973

(July 1999 est.)growth rate: 2.83% (1999 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1999 est.)

Birth

48.54Death

18.43Net migration

-1.84

Net migration: note: according to the UNHCR, by the end of 1997, Uganda was host to refugees from a number of neighboring countries, including: Sudan 160,000, Democratic Republic of the Congo 14,000, and Rwanda 12,000

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (1999 est.)43.06

42.2 · 43.94

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (1995 est.)61.8%

73.7% · 50.2%

MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Ethnic groups

Baganda 17%Karamojong 12%Basogo 8%Iteso 8%Langi 6%Rwanda 6%Bagisu 5%Acholi 4%Lugbara 4%Bunyoro 3%Batobo 3%non-African (European, Asian, Arab) 1%other 23%

Religions

Roman Catholic 33%Protestant 33%Muslim 16%indigenous beliefs 18%

Age structure

0-14 years:: 51% (male 5,857,254; female 5,820,526)
15-64 years:: 47% (male 5,301,208; female 5,330,005)
65 years and over:: 2% (male 239,434; female 256,546) (1999 est.)

Net migration rate

-1.84 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.) note: according to the UNHCR, by the end of 1997, Uganda was host to refugees from a number of neighboring countries, including: Sudan 160,000, Democratic Republic of the Congo 14,000, and Rwanda 12,000

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years:: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 0.93 male(s)/female
total population:: 1 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate

90.68 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate

7.03 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Ugandan(s)
adjective:: Ugandan

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 and may be taught in school), other Niger-Congo languages, Nilo-Saharan languages, Swahili, Arabic

Government

Republic; President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI (since seizing power 29 January 1986); President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI (since seizing power 29 January 1986)

18 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

74%

-Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI 74%Paul Kawanga SSEMOGERERE 24%Muhammad MAYANJA 2%election last held 9 May 1996 (next to be held by 31 May 2001)

Country name

conventional long form:: Republic of Uganda
conventional short form:: Uganda

Data code

Government type

republic

Capital

Kampala

Administrative divisions

39 districts; Apac, Arua, Bundibugyo, Bushenyi, Gulu, Hoima, Iganga, Jinja, Kabale, Kabarole, Kalangala, Kampala, Kamuli, Kapchorwa, Kasese, Kibale, Kiboga, Kisoro, Kitgum, Kotido, Kumi, Lira, Luwero, Masaka, Masindi, Mbale, Mbarara, Moroto, Moyo, Mpigi, Mubende, Mukono, Nebbi, Ntungamo, Pallisa, Rakai, Rukungiri, Soroti, Tororo

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 Kintu MUSOKE (since 18 November 1994); 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
elections:: president elected by popular vote for a NA-year term;
election last held 9 May 1996 (next to be held by 31 May 2001);
note--first popular election for president since independence in 1962 was held in 1996;
prime minister appointed by the president
election results:: Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI elected president; percent of vote--Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI 74%, Paul Kawanga SSEMOGERERE 24%, Muhammad MAYANJA 2%

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly (276 members--214 directly elected by popular vote, 62 nominated by legally established special interest groups and approved by the president--women 39, army 10, disabled 5, youth 5, labor 3; members serve five-year terms)

elections:: last held 27 June 1996 (next to be held NA 2001);
election results:: NA; note--election campaigning by party was not permitted

Judicial branch

Court of Appeal, judges are appointed by the president; High Court, judges are appointed by the president

Political parties and leaders

only one political organization, chairman] is recognized;
note--this is the party of President MUSEVENI;
the president maintains that the NRM is not a political party, but a movement which claims the loyalty of all Ugandans

note: of the political parties that exist but are prohibited from sponsoring candidates, the most important are the Ugandan People's MAYANJA-NKANGI];

the new constitution requires the suspension of political party activity until a referendum is held on the matter in 2000

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, EADB, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, 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
chancery:: 5911 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Nancy J. POWELL
embassy:: Parliament Avenue, Kampala
mailing address:: P. O. Box 7007, Kampala

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 has substantial natural resources, | including fertile soils, regular rainfall, and sizable mineral | deposits of copper and cobalt.

31 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$1,020

purchasing power parity? · (1998 est.)

Real growth rate

5.5%

(1998 est.)industrial production growth: 19.7% (FY95/96)

Inflation, consumer prices

2.6%

(1998)

Population below poverty line

55%

(1993 est.)

GDP--composition by sector(1997 est.)

agriculture 44%industry 17%services 39% (1997 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$869 millionExpenditures

$985 million

expenditures including capital expenditures of $69 million (FY95/96)

Electricity

fossil fuel 0.89%hydro 99.11%nuclear 0% · other 0%

Electricity production

787 million (1996)Electricity consumption

677 million (1996)Electricity exports

110 million (1996)

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. In 1990-98, 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.

Continuation of this performance, while possible, appears difficult because of Ugandan involvement in the war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, growing corruption within the government, and slippage in the government's determination to press reforms.

GDP

purchasing power parity--$22.7 billion (1998 est.)

Labor force

8.361 million (1993 est.)

Labor force--by occupation

agriculture 86%, industry 4%, services 10% (1980 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Industries

sugar, brewing, tobacco, cotton textiles, cement

Agriculture--products

coffee, tea, cotton, tobacco, cassava (tapioca), potatoes, corn, millet, pulses; beef, goat meat, milk, poultry

Exports

$476 million (f.o.b., 1998)

Exports--commodities

coffee 54%, gold, fish and fish products, cotton, tea, corn (1997)

Exports--partners

Spain 14%, Germany 14%, Netherlands 10%, France 8%, Italy (1997)

Imports

$1.4 billion (c.i.f., 1998)

Imports--commodities

transportation equipment, petroleum, medical supplies, iron and steel (1996)

Imports--partners

Kenya 31%, UK 12%, Japan 6%, India 6%, South Africa 5% (1997)

Debt--external

$2.9 billion (1998 est.)

Economic aid--recipient

$827.3 million (1993)

Currency

1 Ugandan shilling (USh) = 100 cents

Exchange rates

Ugandan shillings (USh) per US$1--1,368.4 (December 1998), 1,240.2 (1998), 1,083.0 (1997), 1,046.1 (1996), 968.9 (1995), 979.4 (1994)

Fiscal year

1 July--30 June

Communications

6 fields

Fixed lines

61,600

(1990 est.)

Telephone system

fair system but in serious need of expansion and better maintenance;
a cellular system has been introduced as a stopgap but the communications problems will not be solved without substantial investment in the conventional telephone infrastructure;
e-mail and Internet services are available

domestic:: intercity traffic by wire, microwave radio relay, and radiotelephone communications stations, cellular system for short range traffic
international:: satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 10, FM 0, shortwave 0

Radios

2.13 million (1993 est.)

Television broadcast stations

8 (in addition, there is one low-power repeater) (1997)

Televisions

220,000 (1993 est.)

Transportation

8 fields

Airports by runway lengthunpaved only

under 914 m

total: 23 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 9

Networkskm

Highways

27,000Railways

1,241

Highways: paved: 1,800 km · unpaved: 25,200 km (of which about 4,800 km are all-weather roads) (1990 est.) · Railways: narrow gauge: 1,241 km 1.000-m gauge note: a program to rehabilitate the railroad is underway (1995)