About Uganda
Background
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.
Languages
English is the official national language, taught in schools, used in courts of law and on all official documents. Luganda, the language of the Baganda (see Central) is widely used. Nevertheless, every tribal group has their own mother tongue, which is the heart-language of their given areas, used in conversation, commerce and worship. Swahili is the second national language but it is rarely used in conversation due to its association with the historical perpretrators of human rights abuses under Amin and Obote.
Consequently, it is difficult to select a single language to learn when seeking to reach the nation of Uganda. A good grasp of English and its unique use in East African by style and vocabulary is the greatest linguistic asset. It will take at least 6 months of regular interaction with indigenous people to grasp the cultural innuendo, distinct grammatical structure and archaic vocabulary commonly used in African English. Learning at last one indigenous language according to your location; gaining competence in greetings and language structure will help you to be accepted and to understand the way people use English.
Due to Uganda's historical link with the UK, the British accent is more easily heard by the Ugandan ear. American accents are very hard for African's to define due to the flatness of the intonation and the absense of strongly pronounced Ts and word endings. All English speaking people in East Africa must speak with clear diction, innunciating their words and complete their word endings.
There are around 20 ethnic groups in Uganda, each with their distinctive language shown in majority order: 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%
Literacy (2003 est.): definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 69.9% [male: 79.5%, female: 60.4%
Population
Age structure is very different to Western nations with children constituting over half the population and comparatively few old people as follows:
0-14 years 50%
15-64 years 48%
65+ years 2%
The Median age is 14.9 years [males at 14.8 years and females at 15 years] (2007 est.)
Life expectancy at birth for the total population is 51.75 years [male: 50.78 years female: 52.73 years] (2007 est.)
Population below the poverty line stands around 35% (2001 est.)
Geography
Uganda is land-locked with the following neighbouring countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo or DRC (765km border to the West), Kenya (with 933 km border to the East), Rwanda (with 169 km border to the South-west), Sudan (with 435 km border to the North) and Tanzania (with 396 km border to the South).
Uganda straddles the Equator and is situated on a raised plateau (averaging 1000m or 3300 ft) surrounded by a rim of mountains (Rwenzori to the West and Mount Elgon to the East). The terrain is hilly towards the South West and flat wetlands are more common in the east. The lowest point is at Lake Albert (621 m) and the highest point: is Margherita Peak on Mount Stanley (5,110 m). Both are in the west.
The climate of Uganda is tropical; generally rainy with two dry seasons (December to February, June to August); semiarid in northeast. The average temperatures are around 25 C during the daytime and 18 C at night. Humidity ranging around 40-60%. This is surprisingly low considering its position on the Equator and is moderated by the altitude and the considerable rainfall.
Natural resources: copper, cobalt, hydropower (from Lake Victoria and the River Nile), limestone, salt, arable land.
Land is under-utilized with 22% given to cultivation and 9% to permanent cash crops. 82% of labour is given to intensive, subsistence agriculture in rural areas.
Agriculture products: coffee, tea, cotton, tobacco, cassava (tapioca), potatoes, corn, millet, pulses, cut flowers; beef, goat meat, milk, poultry
Industries: sugar, brewing, tobacco, cotton textiles; cement, steel production
Workforce by main occupation (1999 est.) :
Agriculture: 82%
Industry: 5%
Services: 13%
Current environment issues include
Draining of wetlands for agricultural use such as rice production, small scale agriculture and residential construction;
Deforestation of gazetted areas for industry, large-scale agriculutre such as Sugar, timber production and domestic cooking;
Overgrazing;
Soil erosion due to deforestation and poor land management;
Water hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria;
Poaching of wild animals in national reservations.
Communications & Transportation
1.525 million (2005) people are reputed to have cellular telephone connections. This is the most effective method of personal communication and growing faster than traditional landines.
The most effective mass communication of factual information is FM radio. Television is viewed in public places such as bars and restaurants mostly for sport.
Uganda's Roads (2003) total 70,746 km 23% are paved (16,272 km) and the remaining 54,474 km are in varying qualities of Murrum (compacted and graded sandy soil).
Economy
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 but the land is under-utilized for mass-production due to cultural complications over land ownership. Some co-operatives are springing up between local farmers to improve production. 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.
Government
Independence: 9 October 1962 (from UK)
The constitution of 1962 was an overhang from colonialism and unworkable. A new constitution was introduced on October 8th 1995 with many statutes hurredly written and requiring revision. The constitution was amended in 2005 prior to a general election, removing presidential term limits and legalizing a multiparty political system.
There are currently (2007) 73 administrative divisions known as Districts, each with Local Councils, accommodating Counties (LC3), Sub-counties (LC2) and villages (LC1) as the primary level of governance.
President Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI (since seizing power 26 January 1986); is both chief of state and head of government. He was re-elected by popular vote for a five-year term on 23 February 2006 (next to be held in 2011).
The 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%
The Prime Minister, Apollo NSIBAMBI (since 5 April 1999); assists the president in the supervision of the cabinet. The Cabinet is appointed by the president from among elected legislators.
Legislative branch of Uganda is the unicameral National Assembly, who meet in Parliament (332 members - 215 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; members serve five-year terms).
The Judicial branch of Uganda consists of the Court of Appeal (judges are appointed by the president and approved by the legislature); and the High Court (judges are appointed by the president)
The political parties in Uganda and their leaders have historical roots based upon ethnicity and religion, from which they are trying to extract themselves. The mind of the populous is the biggest obstruction to that transformation.
The above is an interpretation of statistics acquired from the CIA World Factbook.