lu

Disputes - international:
none

This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005

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@Uganda

Introduction Uganda

Background:
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 at least another 100,000 lives.
During the 1990s, the government promulgated non-party presidential
and legislative elections.

Geography Uganda

Location:
Eastern Africa, west of Kenya

Geographic coordinates:
1 00 N, 32 00 E

Map references:
Africa

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

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Oregon

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

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

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

Terrain:
mostly plateau with rim of mountains

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Lake Albert 621 m
highest point: Margherita Peak on Mount Stanley 5,110 m

Natural resources:
copper, cobalt, hydropower, limestone, salt, arable land

Land use:
arable land: 25.88%
permanent crops: 10.65%
other: 63.47% (2001)

Irrigated land:
90 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards:
NA

Environment - current issues:
draining of wetlands for agricultural use; deforestation;
overgrazing; soil erosion; water hyacinth infestation in Lake
Victoria; poaching is widespread

Environment - international agreements:
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

Geography - note:
landlocked; fertile, well-watered country with many lakes and rivers

People Uganda

Population:
26,404,543
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 rat