Uganda

Radio broadcast stations

AM 10, FM 0, shortwave 0

Radios

2.04 million (1992 est.)

Telephone system

fair system domestic: microwave radio relay and radiotelephone communications stations international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones

54,900 (1989 est.)

Television broadcast stations

9 (1987 est.)

Televisions

193,000 (1992 est.)

Agriculture - products

coffee, tea, cotton, tobacco, cassava (tapioca), potatoes, corn, millet, pulses; beef, goat meat, milk, poultry

Budget

revenues: $766.5 million expenditures : $894.3 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY94/95 est.)

Currency

1 Ugandan shilling (USh) = 100 cents

Debt - external

$3.4 billion (1995 est.)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $NA

Economy - overview

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. In 1990-94, the economy turned in a solid performance based on continued investment in the rehabilitation of infrastructure, improved incentives for production and exports, and gradually improving domestic security. The economy again prospered in 1995 with rapid growth, low inflation, growing foreign investment, a trimmed bureaucracy, and the continued return of exiled Indian-Ugandan entrepreneurs.

Electricity - capacity

155,000 kW (1995)

Electricity - consumption per capita

31 kWh (1995 est.)

Electricity - production

611 million kWh (1995)

Exchange rates

Ugandan shillings (USh) per US$1 - 1,030.3 (December 1996), 1,046.1 (1996), 968.9 (1995), 979.4 (1994), 1,195.0 (1993), 1,133.8 (1992)

Exports

total value: $555 million (f.o.b., FY94/95) commodities : gold, cotton, coffee, tea, corn, fish partners: Spain 23%, France 14%, Germany 14%, Italy 10%, Netherlands 8%

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

GDP

purchasing power parity - $16.8 billion (1995 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 55% industry : 12% services: 33% (1995)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $900 (1995 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

7.1% (1995 est.)

Imports

total value: $1.18 billion (c.i.f., FY94/95) commodities: petroleum products, machinery, metals, transportation equipment, cotton piece goods, food partners: Kenya 26%, UK 12%, Japan 8%, Germany 8%, India 5.5%

Industrial production growth rate

15% (1994)

Industries

sugar, brewing, tobacco, cotton textiles, cement

Inflation rate - consumer price index

7.3% (1996 est.)

Labor force

total: 8.361 million (1993 est.) by occupation: agriculture 86%, industry 4%, services 10% (1980 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Area

total: 236,040 sq km land: 199,710 sq km water: 36,330 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Oregon

Climate

tropical; generally rainy with two dry seasons (December to February, June to August); semiarid in northeast

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Lake Albert 621 m highest point: Margherita (Mount Stanley) 5,110 m

Environment - current issues

draining of wetlands for agricultural use; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; poaching is widespread

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands signed, but not ratified : Desertification, Environmental Modification

Geographic coordinates

1 00 N, 32 00 E

Geography - note

landlocked

Irrigated land

90 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

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

arable land: 25% permanent crops : 9% permanent pastures: 9% forests and woodland: 28% other: 29% (1993 est.)

Location

Eastern Africa, west of Kenya

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

NA

Natural resources

copper, cobalt, limestone, salt

Terrain

mostly plateau with rim of mountains

Administrative divisions

39 districts; Apac, Arua, Bundibugyo, Bushenyi, Gulu, Hoima, Iganga, Jinja, Kabale, Kabarole, Kalangala, Kampala, Kamuli, Kapchorwa, Kasese, Kibale, Kiboga, Kisoro, Kitgum, Kotido, Kumi, Lira, Luwero, Masaka, Masindi, Mbale, Mbarara, Moroto, Moyo, Mpigi, Mubende, Mukono, Nebbi, Ntungamo, Pallisa, Rakai, Rukungiri, Soroti, Tororo

Constitution

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 on promulgation of the constitution in October 1995

Country name

conventional long form: Republic of Uganda conventional short form: Uganda

Data code

UG

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador E. Michael SOUTHWICK embassy : Parliament Avenue, Kampala mailing address: P. O. Box 7007, Kampala telephone: [256] (41) 259792, 259793, 259795

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Edith Grace SSEMPALA chancery: 5911 16th Street NW, Washington, DC 20011 telephone: [1] (202) 726-7100 through 7102, 0416

Executive branch

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 Kintu MUSOKE (since 18 November 1994) 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 elections: president elected by popular vote; election last held 9 May 1996 (next to be held by 31 May 2001); note - first popular election for president since independence in 1962; prime minister appointed by the president election results: Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI elected president; percent of vote - Lt. Gen. Yoweri Kaguta MUSEVENI 74%, Paul Kawanga SSEMOGERERE 24%, Muhammad MAYANJA 2%

FAX

[1] (202) 726-1727

FAX

[256] (41) 259794

Flag description

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

republic

Independence

9 October 1962 (from UK)

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, EADB, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGADD, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Judicial branch

Court of Appeal; High Court

Legal system

in 1995, the government restored the legal system to one based on English common law and customary law and reinstituted a normal judicial system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly (276 members serve five-year terms; 214 directly elected by universal suffrage, but 62 are nominated by legally established special interest groups and approved by the president - women 39, army 10, disabled 5, youth 5, labor 3) elections: elections to the National Assembly (formerly the National Resistance Council) took place on 27 June 1996 (next election to be held in 2001); election results: NA; note - election campaigning by party was not permitted

National capital

Kampala

National holiday

Independence Day, 9 October (1962)

Political parties and leaders

only one political organization, the National Resistance Movement or NRM [Dr. Samson KISEKKA, chairman] is recognized; note - this is the party of President MUSEVENI; the president maintains that the NRM is not a political party, but a movement which claims the loyalty of all Ugandans note: of the political parties which 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], and Conservative Party or CP [Joshua S. MAYANJA-NKANGI]; the new constitution confirms the suspension of political party activity until 2000

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Military branches

Army, Navy, Air Wing

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$56 million (FY93/94)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.7% (FY93/94)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 4,466,851 (1997 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males: 2,423,556 (1997 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 50% (male 5,126,249; female 5,092,583) 15-64 years : 48% (male 4,948,859; female 4,963,718) 65 years and over: 2% (male 234,351; female 239,114) (July 1997 est.)

Birth rate

45.08 births/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate

20.98 deaths/1,000 population (1997 est.)

Ethnic groups

Baganda 17%, Karamojong 12%, Basogo 8%, Iteso 8%, Langi 6%, Rwanda 6%, Bagisu 5%, Acholi 4%, Lugbara 4%, Bunyoro 3%, Batobo 3%, non-African (European, Asian, Arab) 1%, other 23%

Infant mortality rate

98.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Languages

English (official), Luganda, Swahili, Bantu languages, Nilotic languages

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 39.69 years male: 39.3 years female: 40.1 years (1997 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 61.8% male: 73.7% female: 50.2% (1995 est.)

Nationality

noun: Ugandan(s) adjective: Ugandan

Net migration rate

-2.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1997 est.) note : Uganda is host to refugees from a number of neighboring countries, including Sudan, Rwanda, and Democratic Republic of the Congo, formerly Zaire; probably in excess of 100,000 southern Sudanese fled to Uganda during the past year; many of the 10,000 Rwandans who took refuge in Uganda have returned home

Population

20,604,874 (July 1997 est.)

Population growth rate

2.14% (1997 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 33%, Protestant 33%, Muslim 16%, indigenous beliefs 18%

Sex ratio

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: 0.98 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.52 children born/woman (1997 est.)

Disputes - international

none UKRAINE

Airports

21 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 10 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m : 1 under 914 m: 7 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m : 5 914 to 1,523 m: 5 (1996 est.)

Highways

total: 27,000 km paved: 1,800 km unpaved: 25,200 km (of which about 4,800 km are all-weather roads) (1990 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 3 roll-on/roll-off cargo ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 5,091 GRT/5,943 DWT (1996 est.)

Ports and harbors

Entebbe, Jinja, Port Bell

Railways

total: 1,241 km narrow gauge: 1,241 km 1.000-m gauge note : a program to rehabilitate the railroad is underway (1995)

Waterways

Lake Victoria, Lake Albert, Lake Kyoga, Lake George, Lake Edward; Victoria Nile, Albert Nile