Located in Eastern Africa, Uganda is a small country
bordered by five African countries: Sudan, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda,
and the Democratic
Republic of Congo. Twice the size
of Pennsylvania, the country is divided into 4 regions: Northern, Central,
Western, Eastern - and
69 districts. Kampala, the capital, is Uganda's largest city.
Uganda sits on the equator, its beautiful landscape characterized by a high plateau surrounded by mountains. Lakes cover about one-fifth of Uganda. Swampy lowlands and desert regions are also part of its landscape.
Uganda is a multiparty democratic republic. Under its new constitution, the President serves as chief of state and head of government and is elected every five years by popular vote. Upon inauguration, the President appoints a Prime Minister and cabinet.
Uganda's population has grown to over 30 million people and includes various people of Bantu descent, including the Baganda, its largest group, Basoga, and Iteso. Non-African groups - Asian, European, Arab make up a small percentage of the population.
English is the official language. Ugandas also speak Swahili and Luganda. The majority of the people follow Christian faiths, and are either Roman Catholic or Protestant. Others follow Islam or traditional African religions.
Tourism, once a burgeoning industry, has been revamped with the addition of several parks since 1991.
Despite UN peacekeeping efforts, international disputes remain over the control of natural resources and religious beliefs. Over 1 million people have left Uganda because of the political unrest and the fear that their children will be abducted and enslaved.
The unit of currency is the Ugandan new shilling.
Web Sites
- State House of Republic of Uganda
- Uganda Bureau of Statistics
- All Africa.com
- Uganda Wildlife Authority
Catalog
Search the library's catalog for Uganda.
Databases
Enter Uganda in these databases: