Communications
Internet country code [time series]
.ug
Internet users (Internet hosts) [time series]
6,757 (2009) country comparison to the world: 131
Internet users [time series]
2.5 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 64
Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]
AM 7, FM 33, shortwave 2 (2001)
Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]
general assessment: seriously inadequate; mobile cellular service is increasing rapidly, but the number of main lines is still deficient; 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
Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]
168,500 (2008) country comparison to the world: 128
Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]
8.555 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 68
Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]
8 (plus 1 repeater) (2001)
Economy
Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]
coffee, tea, cotton, tobacco, cassava (tapioca), potatoes, corn, millet, pulses, cut flowers; beef, goat meat, milk, poultry
Budget [time series]
revenues: $2.621 billion expenditures: $2.939 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2008 est.)
Central bank discount rate [time series]
19.42% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 16 14.68% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate [time series]
20.45% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 20 19.11% (31 December 2007)
Current account balance [time series]
-$1.088 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 123 -$744.7 million (2007 est.)
Debt - external [time series]
$1.835 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 137 $1.498 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income (Distribution of family income - Gini index) [time series]
45.7 (2002) country comparison to the world: 41 37.4 (1996)
Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]
Uganda has substantial natural resources, including fertile soils, regular rainfall, sizable mineral deposits of copper, cobalt, gold, and other minerals, and recently discovered oil. 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. Growth continues to be solid, despite variability in the price of coffee, Uganda's principal export, and a consistent upturn in Uganda's export markets. 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.
Electricity - consumption [time series]
2.068 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 134
Electricity - exports [time series]
30 million kWh (2007)
Electricity - imports [time series]
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - production [time series]
2.256 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 132
Exchange rates [time series]
Ugandan shillings (UGX) per US dollar - 1,658.1 (2008 est.), 1,685.8 (2007), 1,834.9 (2006), 1,780.7 (2005), 1,810.3 (2004)
Exports [time series]
$2.688 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 123 $1.686 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities [time series]
coffee, fish and fish products, tea, cotton, flowers, horticultural products; gold
Exports - partners [time series]
Sudan 14.3%, Kenya 9.5%, Switzerland 9%, Rwanda 7.9%, UAE 7.4%, Democratic Republic of the Congo 7.3%, UK 6.9%, Netherlands 4.7%, Germany 4.4% (2008)
GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]
$14.57 billion (2008 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP (purchasing power parity)) [time series]
$40.08 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 95 $37 billion (2007 est.) $34.21 billion (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]
agriculture: 21.5% industry: 24.6% services: 53.9% (2008 est.)
Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita (PPP)) [time series]
$1,300 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 204 $1,200 (2007 est.) $1,200 (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars
Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]
8.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 22 8.2% (2007 est.) 7.1% (2006 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]
lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 34.1% (2005)
Imports [time series]
$3.98 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 126 $2.983 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities [time series]
capital equipment, vehicles, petroleum, medical supplies; cereals
Imports - partners [time series]
UAE 11.4%, Kenya 11.3%, India 10.4%, China 8.1%, South Africa 6.7%, Japan 5.9% (2008)
Industrial production growth rate [time series]
7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 30
Industries [time series]
sugar, brewing, tobacco, cotton textiles; cement, steel production
Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]
12.1% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 170 6.1% (2007 est.)
Investment (gross fixed) [time series]
23.2% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 67
Labor force [time series]
14.54 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 40
Labor force - by occupation [time series]
agriculture: 82% industry: 5% services: 13% (1999 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares [time series]
$NA (31 December 2008) $NA (31 December 2007) $116.3 million (31 December 2006)
Natural gas - consumption [time series]
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 127
Natural gas - exports [time series]
0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 97
Natural gas - imports [time series]
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 121
Natural gas - production [time series]
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 120
Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 127
Oil - consumption [time series]
13,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 144
Oil - exports [time series]
0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 160
Oil - imports [time series]
13,090 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 133
Oil - production [time series]
bbl/day NA
Oil - proved reserves [time series]
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 122
Population below poverty line [time series]
35% (2001 est.)
Public debt [time series]
18.8% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 99 73.9% of GDP (2004 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]
$2.301 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 105 $2.56 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad [time series]
$NA
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home [time series]
$NA
Stock of domestic credit [time series]
$1.464 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 98 $640.3 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of narrow money (Stock of money) [time series]
$1.488 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 78 $1.347 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of narrow money (Stock of quasi money) [time series]
$1.485 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 90 $1.258 billion (31 December 2007)
Unemployment rate [time series]
NA%
Geography
total: 241,038 sq km country comparison to the world: 80 land: 197,100 sq km water: 43,938 sq km
Area - comparative [time series]
slightly smaller than Oregon
Climate [time series]
tropical; generally rainy with two dry seasons (December to February, June to August); semiarid in northeast
Coastline [time series]
0 km (landlocked)
Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]
lowest point: Lake Albert 621 m highest point: Margherita Peak on Mount Stanley 5,110 m
Environment - current issues [time series]
draining of wetlands for agricultural use; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; water hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria; widespread poaching
International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]
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
Total water withdrawal (Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)) [time series]
total: 0.3 cu km/yr (43%/17%/40%) per capita: 10 cu m/yr (2002)
Geographic coordinates [time series]
1 00 N, 32 00 E
Geography - note [time series]
landlocked; fertile, well-watered country with many lakes and rivers
Irrigated land [time series]
90 sq km (2003)
Land boundaries [time series]
total: 2,698 km border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 765 km, Kenya 933 km, Rwanda 169 km, Sudan 435 km, Tanzania 396 km
Land use [time series]
arable land: 21.57% permanent crops: 8.92% other: 69.51% (2005)
Location [time series]
Eastern Africa, west of Kenya
Map references [time series]
Africa
Maritime claims [time series]
none (landlocked)
Natural hazards [time series]
NA
Natural resources [time series]
copper, cobalt, hydropower, limestone, salt, arable land, gold
Terrain [time series]
mostly plateau with rim of mountains
Total renewable water resources [time series]
66 cu km (1970)
Government
Administrative divisions [time series]
80 districts; Abim, Adjumani, Amolatar, Amuria, Amuru, Apac, Arua, Budaka, Bududa, Bugiri, Bukedea, Bukwa, Bulisa, Bundibugyo, Bushenyi, Busia, Butaleja, Dokolo, Gulu, Hoima, Ibanda, Iganga, Isingiro, Jinja, Kaabong, Kabale, Kabarole, Kaberamaido, Kalangala, Kaliro, Kampala, Kamuli, Kamwenge, Kanungu, Kapchorwa, Kasese, Katakwi, Kayunga, Kibale, Kiboga, Kiruhara, Kisoro, Kitgum, Koboko, Kotido, Kumi, Kyenjojo, Lira, Luwero, Lyantonde, Manafwa, Maracha, Masaka, Masindi, Mayuge, Mbale, Mbarara, Mityana, Moroto, Moyo, Mpigi, Mubende, Mukono, Nakapiripirit, Nakaseke, Nakasongola, Namutumba, Nebbi, Ntungamo, Oyam, Pader, Pallisa, Rakai, Rukungiri, Sembabule, Sironko, Soroti, Tororo, Wakiso, Yumbe
Capital [time series]
name: Kampala geographic coordinates: 0 19 N, 32 25 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Constitution [time series]
8 October 1995; amended in 2005 note: the amendments in 2005 removed presidential term limits and legalized a multiparty political system
Country name [time series]
conventional long form: Republic of Uganda conventional short form: Uganda
Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador Steven BROWNING embassy: 1577 Ggaba Road, Kampala mailing address: P. O. Box 7007, Kampala telephone: [256] (414) 259 791 through 93, 95 FAX: [256] (414) 258-794
Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]
chief of mission: Ambassador Perezi Karukubiro KAMUNANWIRE chancery: 5911 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011 telephone: [1] (202) 726-7100 through 7102, 0416 FAX: [1] (202) 726-1727
Executive branch [time series]
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 26 January 1986); Prime Minister Apolo NSIBAMBI (since 5 April 1999); note - 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 February 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%
Flag (Flag description) [time series]
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
Government type [time series]
republic
Independence [time series]
9 October 1962 (from the UK)
International organization participation [time series]
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, EAC, EADB, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, NAM, OIC, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Judicial branch [time series]
Court of Appeal (judges are appointed by the president and approved by the legislature); High Court (judges are appointed by the president)
Legal system [time series]
in 1995, the government restored the legal system to one based on English common law and customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Legislative branch [time series]
unicameral National Assembly (332 seats; 215 members elected by popular vote, 104 nominated by legally established special interest groups [women 79, army 10, disabled 5, youth 5, labor 5], 13 ex officio members; serve five-year terms) elections: last held 23 February 2006 (next to be held in February 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NRM 191, FDC 37, UPC 9, DP 8, CP 1, JEEMA 1, independents 36, other 49
National holiday [time series]
Independence Day, 9 October (1962)
Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]
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 Resistance Movement or NRM [Yoweri MUSEVENI]; Peoples Progressive Party or PPP [Bidandi SSALI]; 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
Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]
Lord's Resistance Army or LRA [Joseph KONY]; Young Parliamentary Association [Henry BANYENZAKI]; Parliamentary Advocacy Forum or PAFO; National Association of Women Organizations in Uganda or NAWOU [Florence NEKYON]; The Ugandan Coalition for Political Accountability to Women or COPAW
Suffrage [time series]
18 years of age; universal
Introduction
Background [time series]
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. In January 2009, Uganda assumed a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2009-10 term.
Military
Manpower available for military service [time series]
males age 16-49: 6,532,894 females age 16-49: 6,352,416 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service [time series]
males age 16-49: 3,996,597 females age 16-49: 3,899,717 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually [time series]
male: 399,134 female: 395,505 (2009 est.)
Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]
Uganda Peoples Defense Force (UPDF): Army (includes Marine Unit), Air Force (2007)
Military expenditures [time series]
2.2% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 76
Military service age and obligation [time series]
18-26 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military duty; 18-30 years of age for professionals; 9-year service obligation; the government has stated that recruitment below 18 years of age could occur with proper consent and that "no person under the apparent age of 13 years shall be enrolled in the armed forces"; Ugandan citizenship and secondary education required (2009)
People
Age structure [time series]
0-14 years: 50% (male 8,152,830/female 8,034,366) 15-64 years: 47.9% (male 7,789,209/female 7,703,143) 65 years and over: 2.1% (male 286,693/female 403,317) (2009 est.)
Birth rate [time series]
47.84 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 3
Death rate [time series]
12.09 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 37
Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]
5.2% of GDP (2004) country comparison to the world: 61
Ethnic groups [time series]
Baganda 16.9%, Banyakole 9.5%, Basoga 8.4%, Bakiga 6.9%, Iteso 6.4%, Langi 6.1%, Acholi 4.7%, Bagisu 4.6%, Lugbara 4.2%, Bunyoro 2.7%, other 29.6% (2002 census)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]
5.4% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 14
HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]
77,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 9
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]
940,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 14
Infant mortality rate [time series]
total: 64.82 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 33 male: 68.46 deaths/1,000 live births female: 61.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Languages [time series]
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
Life expectancy at birth [time series]
total population: 52.72 years country comparison to the world: 200 male: 51.66 years female: 53.81 years (2009 est.)
Literacy [time series]
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 66.8% male: 76.8% female: 57.7% (2002 census)
Major infectious diseases [time series]
degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria, plague, and African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) water contact disease: schistosomiasis animal contact disease: rabies (2009)
Median age [time series]
total: 15 years male: 14.9 years female: 15.1 years (2009 est.)
Nationality [time series]
noun: Ugandan(s) adjective: Ugandan
Net migration rate [time series]
-8.83 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 175
Population [time series]
32,369,558 country comparison to the world: 38 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.)
Population growth rate [time series]
2.692% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 24
Religions [time series]
Roman Catholic 41.9%, Protestant 42% (Anglican 35.9%, Pentecostal 4.6%, Seventh Day Adventist 1.5%), Muslim 12.1%, other 3.1%, none 0.9% (2002 census)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) [time series]
total: 10 years male: 11 years female: 10 years (2004)
Sex ratio [time series]
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: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate [time series]
6.77 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 3
Urbanization [time series]
urban population: 13% of total population (2008) rate of urbanization: 4.4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international [time series]
Uganda is subject to armed fighting among hostile ethnic groups, rebels, armed gangs, militias, and various government forces that extend across its borders; Uganda hosts 209,860 Sudanese, 27,560 Congolese, and 19,710 Rwandan refugees, while Ugandan refugees as well as members of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) seek shelter in southern Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo's Garamba National Park; LRA forces have also attacked Kenyan villages across the border
Refugees and internally displaced persons [time series]
refugees (country of origin): 215,700 (Sudan); 28,880 (Democratic Republic of Congo); 24,900 (Rwanda) IDPs: 1.27 million (350,000 IDPs returned in 2006 following ongoing peace talks between the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) and the Government of Uganda) (2007)
Transportation
Airports [time series]
35 (2009) country comparison to the world: 109
Airports - with paved runways [time series]
total: 5 over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]
total: 30 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 15 under 914 m: 8 (2009)
Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]
Entebbe, Jinja, Port Bell
Railways [time series]
total: 1,244 km country comparison to the world: 84 narrow gauge: 1,244 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)
Roadways [time series]
total: 70,746 km country comparison to the world: 67 paved: 16,272 km unpaved: 54,474 km (2003)
Waterways [time series]
on Lake Victoria, 200 km on Lake Albert, Lake Kyoga, and parts of Albert Nile (2008)