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Uganda

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Uganda is a landlocked country located in East Africa.

Uganda (orthographic projection)
Uganda (orthographic projection)

It sits within the African Great Lakes region and the Nile basin. The nation is surrounded by several neighbors. Kenya lies to the east. South Sudan is to the north. The Democratic Republic of the Congo borders the west. Rwanda is to the southwest. Tanzania is to the south.

Location Uganda AU Africa
Location Uganda AU Africa

A large portion of Lake Victoria sits in the southern part of the country. Lake Victoria is the second-largest freshwater lake in the world.

Rivers and lakes of Uganda
Rivers and lakes of Uganda

The geography is quite diverse. It features volcanic hills, mountains, and many lakes.

Uganda, 2005
Uganda, 2005

The climate is equatorial, which means it stays warm. This environment supports rich biodiversity and many national parks.

The history of the region involves many different groups of people. Long ago, Central Sudanic- and Kuliak-speaking farmers and herders lived there. About 3,000 years ago, Bantu and Nilotic groups arrived.

Drawing showing a caesarean operation taking place in Uganda Wellcome M0001058
Drawing showing a caesarean operation taking place in Uganda Wellcome M0001058

By 1500 AD, many people had assimilated into Bantu-speaking cultures. These groups established powerful kingdoms. One important example was the Empire of Kitara. This empire covered a large area of the Great Lakes region. It stretched from the northern lakes, like Albert and Kyoga, to the southern lakes. Kitara is considered the ancestor of kingdoms like Tooro, Ankole, and Busoga.

Foreign influence began to change the region during the 1800s. Arab traders arrived from the Indian Ocean coast in the 1830s. They came for trade and commerce. In the late 1860s, Egyptian-sponsored agents arrived in Bunyoro. They were looking for conquest rather than just trade. In 1869, the Egyptian leader Khedive Ismail Pasha sent Samuel Baker on a military expedition. Baker's goal was to stop the slave trade and open paths for commerce. Later, British explorers arrived searching for the source of the Nile. British and French missionaries also arrived in the 1870s and 1880s. These arrivals led to religious wars in the kingdom of Buganda.

The British government eventually took control of the area. The Imperial British East Africa Company (IBEAC) managed trade in the region. However, internal religious wars and financial problems led the company to bankruptcy. To protect Nile trade routes, the British government established the Uganda Protectorate in 1894.

Flag of the Uganda Protectorate
Flag of the Uganda Protectorate

This status allowed Uganda some self-government. This was different from neighboring Kenya, which became a full colony. During this time, the British recruited 32,000 laborers from India to build the Uganda Railway.

Uganda railways assessment 2010-2
Uganda railways assessment 2010-2

The protectorate period also saw a sleeping sickness epidemic. Between 1900 and 1920, this disease killed more than 250,000 people near Lake Victoria.

Uganda gained independence from the United Kingdom on October 9, 1962.

Uganda Printers Kampala 1950s
Uganda Printers Kampala 1950s

Milton Obote became the first prime minister. The early years of independence were difficult. There was a major conflict between the central government and the Buganda kingdom. This was known as the 1966 Mengo Crisis. It changed the country from a parliamentary system to a presidential system. In 1971, Obote was overthrown in a military coup by Idi Amin. Amin ruled as a dictator until 1979. He was eventually overthrown during the Uganda–Tanzania War. After some conflict, Yoweri Museveni and his National Resistance Movement took power in 1986.

Today, Uganda has a population of approximately 45.9 million people. The capital city is Kampala. About 1.8 million people live in Kampala.

Makerere University Campus Entrance Road
Makerere University Campus Entrance Road

The economy has changed significantly over time. While agriculture was once the main focus, the service sector now dominates the economy. Uganda has many natural resources. These include fertile land for farming and untapped oil reserves. The country also relies on tourism. National parks attract visitors to see wildlife like the Ugandan kob.

033 Male Ugandan kob trying to seduce a female at Queen Elizabeth National Park Photo by Giles Laurent
033 Male Ugandan kob trying to seduce a female at Queen Elizabeth National Park Photo by Giles Laurent

Tourism is a vital part of the national economy.

Uganda continues to face both successes and challenges. The country has made progress in health and education. Literacy rates have improved. Also, the rate of HIV infection has been reduced. However, issues like corruption and maternal health remain. There are also concerns about political oppression and human rights. Regional conflicts, such as the struggle against the Lord's Resistance Army, have also been a challenge. Despite these issues, Uganda is an active member of the international community. It belongs to the United Nations and the African Union.

SA18157-Crowned Crane - Żuraw Królewski
SA18157-Crowned Crane - Żuraw Królewski
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🖼️ Images & Media (44)
Ugandan national anthem, performed by the...
File:Uganda (orthographic projection).svg
Uganda (orthographic projection).svg
File:Location Uganda AU Africa.svg
Location Uganda AU Africa.svg
File:Drawing showing a caesarean operation taking place in Uganda Wellcome M0001058.jpg
Drawing showing a caesarean operation...
File:Flag of the Uganda Protectorate.svg
Flag of the Uganda Protectorate.svg
File:Owen Falls Dam construction.jpg
Owen Falls Dam construction.jpg
File:Kabaka Muwenda Mutebi II ne Nnaabagereka Sylvia Nagginda.jpg
Kabaka Muwenda Mutebi II ne Nnaabagereka...
File:Uganda Printers Kampala 1950s.jpg
Uganda Printers Kampala 1950s.jpg
File:SA18157-Crowned Crane - Żuraw Królewski.jpg
SA18157-Crowned Crane - Żuraw Królewski.jpg
File:Second Congo War Africa map en.svg
Second Congo War Africa map en.svg
File:Uganda, 2005.jpg
Uganda, 2005.jpg
File:Evening, Nile River, Uganda.jpg
Evening, Nile River, Uganda.jpg

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