ampala telephone: [256] (41) 259791 through 259795 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

Economy Uganda

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. 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.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $29 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 5.1% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $1,200 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 44% industry: 18% services:
38% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: 35% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4%
highest 10%: 21% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 37.4 (1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.5% (2001 est.)

Labor force: 12