The Republic of Uganda is an East African country bordered by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, and Tanzania. Although Uganda is landlocked, it is not without bodies of water.
Uganda shares Lake Victoria with Tanzania and Kenya, and Lake Albert and Lake Edward with the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Entirely within Uganda are Lakes Busina, Bugondo, Buhera, Bujuku, Bunyonyi, George, Kabaka, Kachera, Katwe, Kayumbu, Kitandra, Kwania, Kyahafi, Kyoga, Mburo, Mutanda, Mulehe, Nabugabo, Nakuwa, Nkugute, Nyabihoko, Nyamusingine, Opeta, Saka, and Wamala.
Additionally, Uganda has several rivers. The Victoria Nile drains from Lake Victoria into Lake Kyoga and flows from there into Lake Albert at Uganda's border with the DRC. A portion of East Uganda is drained by the Suam River, which is part of Lake Turkana's drainage basin.
Uganda is situated on the East African Plateau, and slopes steadily downward to the Sudanese Plain in the north. Lake Kyoga, in the center of the country, is surrounded by a large marshy area. Much of the population of Uganda is concentrated around Lake Victoria, one of the largest lakes in the world.
There are several ethnic groups in Uganda. The south and southwest are inhabited primarily by Bantu-speaking tribes. In the north and northeast are the Nilotic-speaking groups. Central-Sudanic speakers are concentrated in the northwest, while there are pockets of Kuliak-speaking tribes in the northeast, along the Kenyan border.
English was the only official language of Uganda until 2005 when Swahili was added. Although Swahili is not much used by the majority Bantu-speaking populations in the south, it is a common language in the north, and widely used among the country's police and military personnel, the majority of whom are from the north.
Approximately 85% of Ugandans are Christian, Roman Catholics being the most common, followed by the Anglican Church of Uganda. Muslims make up about 12% of the population, and they are concentrated in the Iganga District of eastern Uganda.
The first people to inhabit Uganda were hunter-gatherers who were largely absorbed by Bantu-speaking people who came to the area more than two thousand years ago. Arab traders came in the 1830s and were followed by the British in the 1860s. Anglican missionaries came to the Kingdom of Buganda, which is now part of Uganda, in 1877. A group of French Catholic missionaries arrived a couple of years later. Meanwhile, Arab traders had introduced Islam to the kingdom. Each of these groups had converted several people, including members of the royal court.
A new king, who ascended to the throne in 1884, became concerned about the converts and the changes they were making to the traditional way of life. Over a period of two years, beginning in 1885, the king ordered the killing of twenty-three Anglicans and twenty-two Catholics, as well as a number of Muslim converts, who included chiefs as well as court pages. The king planned to get rid of the surviving Christians by leaving them to starve on an island in Lake Victoria, an area that was known for its crocodiles. When word of this got out, a joint rebellion by Christians and Muslims deposed the king and put his brother on the throne.
In 1888, the Muslims took power, expelling the Christian leaders and killing the king, replacing him with yet another brother. This was followed by a series of religious wars in Buganda, and eventually to Britain stepping in. Uganda became a British Protectorate in 1894.
In 1962, Uganda became independent as a British Commonwealth realm. A year later, it became a republic, retaining its membership in the Commonwealth. The new government faced a crisis with the Kingdom of Buganda, which was inside its borders, over which there was a great deal of dissension. In dealing with this problem, the prime minister gave his army chief of staff, Idi Amin, a great deal of power. In 1966, Buganda was absorbed into Uganda after a battle in which 2,000 people died.
In 1971, Idi Amin took control of the country in a military coup, and ruled as a dictator for eight years, a time in which he was accused of mass killings throughout the country. As many as 500,000 Ugandans may have lost their lives during his regime. His rule came to an end with the Uganda-Tanzania War of 1979, in which Tanzanian forces were aided by Ugandan exiles.
Since the end of Amin's rule, Uganda has restored rights that had been denied to political parties. However, Uganda invaded and occupied the Democratic Republic of the Congo during the Second Congo War, and has participated in other regional conflicts. The country has struggled for years in a civil war against the Lord's Resistance Army, which has used child slavery, massacres, and mass murders. International groups have rated the Ugandan government as one of the most corrupt.
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Recommended Resources
Institute of Internal Auditors Uganda
The IIAU is affiliated with the Institute of Internal Auditors, with its headquarters in the United States. Its governance, memberships benefits, vision, mission, and values are published to the site, along with a directory of members, certifications, and a calendar of events. Other resources include a gallery of photographs, conference schedules and assessments, and contacts. News and announcements are posted to the site.
http://www.iiauganda.org/
Headquartered in Kampala, Knight Frank offers property valuations and consultant services, residential and commercial real estate and rentals, and property management services in Uganda. A profile of the company, its office location, hours, and contacts are posted to the site, and available properties may be found by searching by city, town or post code, specifying a distance, property types, or floor area. A blog is included, and career opportunities are posted to the site.
http://www.knightfrank.ug/
Mbarara is a town in the Western Region of Uganda, and the chief municipal, administrative and commercial center of Mbarara District. This guide to the town includes photos, information, directions, and contact for lakes and national parks within the district, area wildlife, attractions, and shopping venues, as well as an introduction to the town and district, demographics, and political and administrative units. Advertising opportunities are included.
http://www.mbarara-town.com/
Ministry of Health, Republic of Uganda
The MOH is an official government body charged with the stewardship and leadership of Uganda's health sector, including policy review and development, the supervision of activities within the sector, cooperation with health development partners, strategic planning, the adoption of standards for quality assurance, and advising other ministries, departments and agencies on matters relating to health. Its projects and programs, affiliated institutions, and publications are acknowledged.
http://www.health.go.ug/
Owned by Action Aid Uganda, the site offers information and reports on the social, economic, governance, and environmental impacts of Uganda's oil, gas, and mineral exploitation, and publishes a quarterly print edition. Facts about Uganda's oil and gas resources are set forth, and the key players in its oil and gas industries, civil society, the government, the oil industry, and development partners, are introduced. A timeline on the country's explorations and a glossary of terms are included.
http://www.oilinuganda.org/
The flagship product of The Pepper Publications Limited, which now publishes four other titles, was first circulated in Kampala, Uganda, and is now circulated daily throughout the country. Its web edition offers subscription and advertising opportunities, and publishes news from Uganda, East Africa, as well as news analysis, gossip, business and economic development reports, sports reporting, and celebrity highlights. Featured stories are spotlighted on the index page.
https://www.redpepper.co.ug/
Republic of Uganda Ministry of Education and Sports
The mandate of the MoES is to provide educational and sports services to the people of Uganda, both constitutional obligations of the Ugandan government. The language of its mandate is stated, along with its mission and objectives, management, and contacts. Scholarships, publications, schools and institutions, plans and performances, projects and initiatives, data and statistics, policies and regulations are included.
http://www.education.go.ug/
Republic of Uganda Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The government ministry was established to promote and to protect the Uganda's international interests, through missions abroad, foreign missions, diaspora services, commercial diplomacy, protocol and consular services, which are outlined here, along with planning and policy analysis data, office locations, hours, and contacts, access to various publications, and job opportunities.
http://www.mofa.go.ug/
One of the oldest hotels in Kampala, Uganda, the guest lodging facility was named for the British explorer, John Hannington Speke, who sought the source of the River Nile. Featuring fifty ensuite rooms, themed restaurants, conference venues, a gift shop, fitness and health center, and a garden auditorium, reservations may be made online. A photo gallery, profile of the hotel and facilities, policy information, and contact are posted.
http://www.spekehotel.com/
The official government site of the Republic of Uganda presents a succinct profile of the East African country, and introduces the nation's president, First Lady, Vice President, prime minister, and cabinet, lists the past presidents of Uganda, and offers administrative and departmental contacts. Presidential initiatives are posted, along with statements of national priorities, presidential statements, photographs, video, audio, and a blog.
http://www.statehouse.go.ug/
The web edition of the Weekly Observer, headquartered in Kampala, Uganda, the site offers news stories from Uganda and the surrounding countries and region of Africa, along with business and economic features, educational issues, sports, and political opinion and editorials. Its content may be found through its feature headlines or through a site search. Contact information and subscription data are included.
http://www.observer.ug/
With the objective to show the positive side of Uganda, while acknowledging its dark history, the site posts stories of hope, of young people defying the odds to succeed or to make a difference, of heroes and heroines, and others who have helped to improve the way of life in Uganda. Biographies, interviews, and profiles of some of these people are featured, and the Ugandan lifestyle, culture, and society are demonstrated.
http://thisisuganda.org/
UBOS is the governmental body responsible for data collection, processing, analysis, and dissemination of official statistics. Previously known as the Statistics Department, UBOS became a semi-autonomous body in 1998. Its statistical activities are discussed here, and a library of reports and documents are available for downloading from the site, and census and other statistical data is posted to the site, including graphs and raw numbers.
http://www.ubos.org/
Uganda Hotel Owners Association
The UHOA is a trade and lobbying organization whose membership includes most of the hotels, guest lodges, and camps in Uganda. General information about the hospitality industry in Uganda is given, along with the organization's work in active advocacy, communications, and other member benefits. Member policies, a member directory, and a guide to travel in Uganda is set forth.
http://www.ugandahotelsassociation.com/
Serving thousands of children throughout the country, the ULLB began in 2002. The story of its formation within the country is told here, along with its current affiliations, goals, and membership levels, with information and appeals for those interested in joining as coaches, as coach trainers, umpires, or sponsors. Its organizational structure, boards, officers, and advisors are featured, along with galleries of photographs, video, and a means of contributing online.
http://www.ugandalittleleaguebaseball.org/
The organizational structure, legal mandate, and data statistics for the Ugandan law enforcement agency are set forth, along with its directorate and community policing programs, an overview of cyber-crimes, including downloadable presentations and papers on online child safety, a barometer of cybercrime, and fraud alert information. A gallery of photographs, and an online complaint form are posted to the site.
http://www.upf.go.ug/
The URA is a Ugandan government agency mandated to assess, to collect, and to account for government tax revenue, and to advice the government on matters of policy relating to revenue sources. Its strategic direction, mission, vision, and values are stated, and its site includes notices and revenue guides, legal and policy information, performance data, evasion alerts, a service catalog, and career information.
https://www.ura.go.ug/
The tour operators, based in Uganda, specialize in private tours and safaris, with a focus on traveling parties of from one to twelve clients. Offering a variety of packaged tours and safaris, which are featured here, along with photographs, prices, and other details, its clients can tour Ngamba Island, the City of Kampala, various national parks, as well as wildlife tours. Car hires are also available, with experienced drivers and guides, with options for self-driving for qualified drivers.
http://www.uganda-tours.com/
UWA is a semi-autonomous agency within the Republic of Uganda that is charged with managing the wildlife of the country. Established in 1996, when the Uganda National Parks and the Game Department merged, the Authority supervise wildlife activities in Uganda, both within and outside of its established protected areas. A guide to the Uganda National Park system is presented, along with its wildlife and conservation issues. Trips to its national parks may be planned within the site.
http://www.ugandawildlife.org/
Created and maintained by the Uganda Tourism Board, the site offers general information about the organization, its offices, and contacts, as well as a guide to applying for a travel visa to visit Uganda, and answers questions about gorillas and chimpanzees in Uganda, and things to do or see in Uganda, popular Ugandan destinations, several photographs, and an online trip planner.
http://www.visituganda.com/
