About Uganda

A natural attraction

The Nile begins its 6,650 km journey off Uganda’s shores, cutting into its land as it begins its decent towards the Mediterranean Sea. This, and a myriad of other natural wonders such as gorillas, stunning mountain vistas and an unrivalled bird diversity, really put Uganda on the map.

Geography & climate

Partially embracing Lake Victoria, Uganda is an East Africa country that shares borders with Kenya and Tanzania, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Rwanda, and Tanzania to the south.

Uganda is subject to a tropical climate, however there are significant variations from one location to another. Most of the country receives 1,000 – 1,500 mm of rain per year. Generally, the south of the country has 2 rainy seasons (March – May and September – November) while the north experiences only 1 long wet season (June – October).  


Nature

East African savannas and the West African rainforests meet in Uganda, giving rise to a stunning ecological portrait. Forests, woodlands/savannas, wetlands, and open water (lakes) are all represented here, and the country can lay claim to more than half of all African bird species (10% of bird species globally).

Some 345 mammals species have been identified in Uganda, the highest mammal species count in Africa after the DRC. 


Population & religion

Uganda’s ethnic profile consists of a variety of groups, with approximately 40 languages in use within the country. English is still the official language of Uganda, decades after independence from the United Kingdom, and Swahili was recently approved as the country's second official national language. In the urban areas of Kampala and in the Buganda region, the most widely spoken local language is Luganda.

Christianity is reported as the leading religion in Uganda, followed by Islam. A small share of the population is said to follow “Traditional Religions”.


Economy & development

Fertile soils and regular rainfall have kept about 8 in 10 Ugandans engaged in agricultural activities (mostly coffee), the most important sector in the economy. In addition to crops, Uganda’s resources also include sizable deposits of copper and cobalt, crude oil and natural gas.

Life expectancy at birth in 2004 was 49 years of age, and literacy rates 67% for those aged 15 years and older.