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Uganda Facts
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| Uganda
achieved independence from the UK 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 another 100,000 lives. During the
1990s the government promulgated non-party presidential and
legislative elections. |
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Location:
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Eastern Africa, west of Kenya |
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Geographic coordinates:
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1 00 N, 32 00 E |
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Map references:
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Africa |
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Area:
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total: 236,040 sq km
water: 36,330 sq km
land: 199,710 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller than Oregon |
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Land boundaries:
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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
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Coastline:
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0 km (landlocked) |
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Maritime claims:
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none (landlocked) |
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Climate:
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tropical; generally rainy with two dry seasons (December to
February, June to August); semiarid in northeast |
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Terrain:
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mostly plateau with rim of mountains |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Lake Albert 621 m
highest point: Margherita Peak on Mount Stanley 5,110 m
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Natural resources:
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copper, cobalt, hydropower, limestone, salt, arable land
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Land use:
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arable land: 25%
permanent crops: 9%
other: 66% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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90 sq km (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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NA |
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Environment - current issues:
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draining of wetlands for agricultural use; deforestation;
overgrazing; soil erosion; water hyacinth infestation in Lake
Victoria; poaching is widespread |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of
the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
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Geography - note:
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landlocked; fertile, well-watered country with many lakes and
rivers |
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Population:
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24,699,073
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 and
death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in
the distribution of population by age and sex than would
otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 50.9% (male 6,314,371; female 6,265,681)
15-64 years: 47% (male 5,803,430; female 5,789,713)
65 years and over: 2.1% (male 247,798; female 278,080)
(2002 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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2.94% (2002 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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47.15 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Death rate:
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17.53 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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-0.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: according to the UNHCR, by the end of 2001,
Uganda was host to 178,815 refugees from a number of
neighboring countries, including: Sudan 155,996, Rwanda
14,375, and Democratic Republic of the Congo 7,459 (2002 est.)
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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89.35 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 43.81 years
female: 44.67 years (2002 est.)
male: 42.97 years |
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Total fertility rate:
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6.8 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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6.1% (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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1.1 million (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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110,000 (1999 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun: Ugandan(s)
adjective: Ugandan |
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Ethnic groups:
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Baganda 17%, Ankole 8%, Basoga 8%, Iteso 8%, Bakiga 7%, Langi
6%, Rwanda 6%, Bagisu 5%, Acholi 4%, Lugbara 4%, Batoro 3%,
Bunyoro 3%, Alur 2%, Bagwere 2%, Bakonjo 2%, Jopodhola 2%,
Karamojong 2%, Rundi 2%, non-African (European, Asian, Arab)
1%, other 8% |
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Religions:
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Roman Catholic 33%, Protestant 33%, Muslim 16%, indigenous
beliefs 18% |
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Languages:
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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 |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 62.7%
male: 74%
female: 54% (2000 est.) |
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Republic of Uganda
conventional short form: Uganda |
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Government type:
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Rrepublic |
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Capital:
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Kampala |
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Administrative divisions:
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45 districts; Adjumani, Apac, Arua, Bugiri, Bundibugyo,
Bushenyi, Busia, Gulu, Hoima, Iganga, Jinja, Kabale, Kabarole,
Kalangala, Kampala, Kamuli, Kapchorwa, Kasese, Katakwi,
Kibale, Kiboga, Kisoro, Kitgum, Kotido, Kumi, Lira, Luwero,
Masaka, Masindi, Mbale, Mbarara, Moroto, Moyo, Mpigi, Mubende,
Mukono, Nakasongola, Nebbi, Ntungamo, Pallisa, Rakai,
Rukungiri, Sembabule, Soroti, Tororo
note: there may be eleven more districts: Kaberamaido,
Kamwenge, Kanungu, Kayunga, Kyenjojo, Mayngc, Nakapiripiti,
Pader, Sironko, Wakiso, Yumbe |
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Independence:
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9 October 1962 (from UK) |
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National holiday:
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Independence Day, 9 October (1962) |
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Constitution:
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8 October 1995; adopted by the interim, 284-member Constituent
Assembly, charged with debating the draft constitution that
had been proposed in May 1993; the Constituent Assembly was
dissolved upon the promulgation of the constitution in October
1995 |
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Legal system:
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in 1995, the government restored the legal system to one based
on English common law and customary law; accepts compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta
MUSEVENI (since seizing power 29 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
election results: Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI
elected president; percent of vote - Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta
MUSEVENI 69.3%, Kizza BESIGYE 27.8%
elections: president reelected by popular vote for a
five-year term; election last held 12 March 2001 (next to be
held NA 2006); note - first popular election for president
since independence in 1962 was held in 1996; prime minister
appointed by the president |
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Legislative branch:
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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)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats
by party - NA; note - election campaigning by party was not
permitted
elections: last held 26 June 2001 (next to be held May
or June 2006); |
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Judicial branch:
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Court of Appeal (judges are appointed by the president and
approved by the legislature); High Court (judges are appointed
by the president) |
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Political parties and leaders:
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only one political organization, the National Resistance
Movement or NRM [President MUSEVENI, chairman] is allowed to
operate unfettered; note - the president maintains that the
NRM is not a political party, but a movement which claims the
loyalty of all Ugandans
note: the new constitution requires the suspension of
political parties while the Movement organization is in
governance; of the political parties that exist but are
prohibited from sponsoring candidates, the most important are
the Ugandan People's Congress or UPC [Milton OBOTE];
Democratic Party or DP [Paul SSEMOGERERE]; Conservative Party
or CP [Joshua S. MAYANJA-NKANGI]; Justice Forum [Muhammad
Kibirige MAYANJA]; and National Democrats Forum [Chapaa
KARUHANGA] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA |
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International organization participation:
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ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, EADB, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF,
Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC,
OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Edith Grace SSEMPALA
FAX: [1] (202) 726-1727
telephone: [1] (202) 726-7100 through 7102, 0416
chancery: 5911 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Martin G. BRENNAN
embassy: Ggaba, Plot 1577, Kampala
mailing address: P. O. Box 7007, Kampala
telephone: [256] (41) 259791 through 259795
FAX: [256] (41) 259794 |
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Flag description:
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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 |
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Economy - overview:
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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 is
the major export crop and 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. Ongoing Ugandan
involvement in the war in the Democratic Republic of the
Congo, corruption within the government, and slippage in the
government's determination to press reforms raise doubts about
the continuation of strong growth. 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 was held
back because of a continued decline in the price of coffee,
Uganda's principal export. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $29 billion (2001 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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5.1% (2001 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $1,200 (2001 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 44%
industry: 18%
services: 38% (2000 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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35% (2001 est.) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage
share:
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lowest 10%: 4%
highest 10%: 21% (2000) |
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Distribution of family income - Gini index:
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37.4 (1996) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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3.5% (2001 est.) |
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Labor force:
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12 million (2001 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 82%, industry 5%, services 13% (1999 est.)
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Unemployment rate:
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NA% |
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Budget:
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revenues: $959 million
expenditures: $1.04 billion, including capital
expenditures of $NA (FY98/99 est.) |
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Industries:
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sugar, brewing, tobacco, cotton textiles, cement |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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7% (1999) |
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Electricity - production:
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1.599 billion kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: 0.94%
hydro: 99.06%
other: 0% (2000)
nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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1.314 billion kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - exports:
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174 million kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - imports:
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1 million kWh (2000) |
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Agriculture - products:
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coffee, tea, cotton, tobacco, cassava (tapioca), potatoes,
corn, millet, pulses; beef, goat meat, milk, poultry, cut
flowers |
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Exports:
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$367 million (f.o.b., 2001) |
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Exports - commodities:
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coffee, fish and fish products, tea; gold, cotton, flowers,
horticultural products |
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Exports - partners:
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Germany 12.0%, Netherlands 10.2%, US 8.7%, Spain 8.0%, Belgium
7.1% (2000) |
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Imports:
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$1.26 billion (f.o.b., 2001) |
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Imports - commodities:
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capital equipment, vehicles, petroleum, medical supplies;
cereals |
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Imports - partners:
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Kenya 43.1%, US 7.0%, India 6.8%, South Africa 6.1%, Japan
3.4% (2000) |
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Debt - external:
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$3.4 billion (2001 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$1.4 billion (2000) |
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Currency:
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Ugandan shilling (UGX) |
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Currency code:
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UGX |
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Exchange rates:
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Ugandan shillings per US dollar - 1,738.7 (January 2002),
1,755.7 (2001), 1,644.5 (2000), 1,454.8 (1999), 1,240.2
(1998), 1,083.0 (1997) |
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Fiscal year:
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1 July - 30 June |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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50,074; however, 80,868 main lines have been installed (1998)
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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9,000 (1998) |
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Telephone system:
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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: satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat
(Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat; analog links to Kenya and
Tanzania |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 7, FM 33, shortwave 2 (2001) |
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Radios:
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5 million (2001) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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8 (plus one low-power repeater) (2001) |
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Televisions:
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500,000 (2001) |
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Internet country code:
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.ug |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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2 (2000) |
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Internet users:
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5,000 (2000) |
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Railways:
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total: 1,241 km
narrow gauge: 1,241 km 1.000-m gauge
note: a program to rehabilitate the railroad is
underway (2001) |
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Highways:
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total: 27,000 km
paved: 1,800 km
unpaved: 25,200 km (of which about 4,200 km are
all-weather roads) (1990) |
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Waterways:
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Lake Victoria, Lake Albert, Lake Kyoga, Lake George, Lake
Edward, Victoria Nile, Albert Nile |
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Ports and harbors:
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Entebbe, Jinja, Port Bell |
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Merchant marine:
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total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,091
GRT/8,229 DWT
ships by type: roll on/roll off 3
note: these ships are in cargo and passenger (ferry)
service on Uganda's inland waterways (2002 est.) |
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Airports:
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27 (2001) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 4
over 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2001) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 23
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 9
under 914 m: 7 (2001) |
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Military branches:
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Ugandan Peoples' Defense Force (including Army, Marine unit,
Air Wing) |
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Military manpower - availability:
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males age 15-49: 5,302,787 (2002 est.) |
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Military manpower - fit for military service:
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males age 15-49: 2,879,083 (2002 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$121.3 million (FY01) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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2.1% (FY01) |
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Disputes - international:
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Tutsi, Hutu, and other ethnic groups, political rebels, and
various government forces continue fighting in Great Lakes
region, transcending the boundaries of Burundi, Democratic
Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda |
This page was last
updated on 1 January 2002 |
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