Uganda
Republic of Uganda
republicIndependence 9 October 1962 (from UK)
Uganda as the 2006 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 121 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
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 prevented 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. During the 1990s, the government promulgated non-party presidential and legislative elections.
Geography
Eastern Africa, west of Kenya
18 fieldsLand useshare of 236,040 sq km
Climate
- tropical;
- generally rainy with two dry seasons (December to February, June to August);
- semiarid in northeast
Environment - current issues
- draining of wetlands for agricultural use;
- deforestation;
- overgrazing;
- soil erosion;
- water hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria;
- poaching is widespread
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
People
20 fieldsAge structuremale left, female right · (2006 est.)
Note
Per 1,000 population(2006 est.)
Male · female
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.03 male(s)/female
- under 15 years:
- 1.01 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 1.01 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 0.76 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 1 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Major infectious diseases
- degree of risk:
- very high
- food or waterborne diseases:
- bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
- vectorborne diseases:
- malaria and African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) are high risks in some locations
- water contact disease:
- schistosomiasis (2005)
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
Government
Republic; President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI (since seizing power 26 January 1986); President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI (since seizing power 29 January 1986)
18 fieldsPresidential electionpercent of vote
Capital
- name:
- Kampala
- geographic coordinates:
- 0 19 N, 32 25 E
- time difference:
- UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions
56 districts; Adjumani, Apac, Arua, Bugiri, Bundibugyo, Bushenyi, Busia, Gulu, Hoima, Iganga, Jinja, Kabale, Kabarole, Kaberamaido, Kalangala, Kampala, Kamuli, Kamwenge, Kanungu, Kapchorwa, Kasese, Katakwi, Kayunga, Kibale, Kiboga, Kisoro, Kitgum, Kotido, Kumi, Kyenjojo, Lira, Luwero, Masaka, Masindi, Mayuge, Mbale, Mbarara, Moroto, Moyo, Mpigi, Mubende, Mukono, Nakapiripirit, Nakasongola, Nebbi, Ntungamo, Pader, Pallisa, Rakai, Rukungiri, Sembabule, Sironko, Soroti, Tororo, Wakiso, Yumbe
note: as of a July 2005, 13 new districts were reportedly added bringing the total up to 69; the new districts are Amolatar, Amuria, Budaka, Butaleja, Ibanda, Kaabong, Kabingo, Kaliro, Kiruhura, Koboko, Manafwa, Mityana, Nakaseke; a total of nine more districts are in the process of being added
Constitution
8 October 1995; in 2005 the constitution was amended removing presidential term limits and legalizing a multiparty political system
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
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI (since seizing power 26 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
- elections:
- president reelected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 23 February 2006 (next to be held in 2011)
- election results:
- Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI elected president; percent of vote - Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI 59.3%, Kizza BESIGYE 37.4%, other 3.3%
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)
- elections:
- last held 23 February 2006 (next to be held in 2011)
- election results:
- percent of vote by party - NA%;
- seats by party - NA;
- note - election results had not been posted as of March 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
- Conservative Party or CP [Ken LUKYAMUZI];
- Democratic Party or DP [Kizito SSEBAANA];
- Forum for Democratic Change or FDC [Kizza BESIGYE];
- Justice Forum or JEEMA [Muhammad Kibirige MAYANJA];
- National Democrats Forum [Chapaa KARUHANGA];
- National Resistance Movement or NRM [Yoweri MUSEVENI];
- Ugandan People's Congress or UPC [Miria OBOTE]
note: a national referendum in July 2005 opened the way for Uganda's transition to a multi-party political system
International organization participation
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, EADB, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador Edith G. SSEMPALA
- chancery:
- 5911 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
- telephone:
- [1] (202) 726-7100 through 7102, 0416
- FAX:
- [1] (202) 726-1727
Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission:
- Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires William FITZGERALD
- embassy:
- 1577 Ggaba Rd., Kampala
- mailing address:
- P. O. Box 7007, Kampala
- telephone:
- [256] (41) 234-142
- FAX:
- [256] (41) 258-451
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.
42 fieldsGDP - composition by sector(2004 est.)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
Electricity
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 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.
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 2001-02 was solid despite continued decline in the price of coffee, Uganda's principal export. Growth in 2003-05 reflected an upturn in Uganda's export markets.
Agriculture - products
coffee, tea, cotton, tobacco, cassava (tapioca), potatoes, corn, millet, pulses, cut flowers; beef, goat meat, milk, poultry
Exports - commodities
coffee, fish and fish products, tea, cotton, flowers, horticultural products; gold
Exchange rates
Ugandan shillings per US dollar - 1,780.7 (2005), 1,810.3 (2004), 1,963.7 (2003), 1,797.6 (2002), 1,755.7 (2001)
Communications
8 fieldsTelephone 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:
- country code - 256;
- satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat;
- analog links to Kenya and Tanzania
Transportation
7 fieldsAirports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right
Networkskm
Military
Ugandan Peoples' Defense Force (UPDF): Army, Marine Unit, Air Wing
5 fieldsMilitary service age and obligation
- 18 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military duty;
- the government has stated that recruitment below that age could occur with proper consent and that "no person under the apparent age of 13 years shall be enrolled in the armed forces"
Manpower available for military service
- males age 18-49:
- 5,012,620
- females age 18-49:
- 4,855,858 (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues
2 fieldsDisputes - international
- Uganda is subject to armed fighting among hostile ethnic groups, rebels, armed gangs, militias, and various government forces;
- Ugandan refugees have fled the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) into the southern Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo;
- LRA forces have attacked Kenyan villages across the border
Refugees and internally displaced persons
- refugees (country of origin):
- 214,673 (Sudan) 18,902 (Rwanda) 14,982 (Democratic Republic of Congo)
- IDPs:
- 1,330,000-2,000,000 note - ongoing Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebellion, mainly in the north; LRA frequently attacks IDP camps (2005)
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Uganda.” The World Factbook 2006. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/uganda/2006.