Uganda
Population facts The population of this African country is somewhere in the region of 42,862,958 people. The majority of Uganda's inhabitants reside in Kampala which is the country's most populous city. Uganda has a high population when compared to most other countries across the world, its overall population density is approximately 132 people per sq km. The estimated population of Africa is approximately 1,186,178,000 inhabitants, making it the continent with the second largest population in the world. The continents in order of population, starting with highest population first, are: Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Europe, Australia (Oceania Region) and Antarctica. The total population of the entire world is in excess of 7.6 billion people.
Capital & major cities The capital city of Uganda is Kampala. Other major cities located in this country include Gulu, Lira, Mbarara, Jinja and Bwizibwera.
National symbol(s): grey crowned crane
National colors: black, yellow and red
National Anthem/Song: Oh Uganda, Land of Beauty!
National Holiday(s): Independence Day, 9 October (1962)
National Motto(s): For God and My Country
Map of Uganda
Geography
Uganda forms part of the continent of Africa, where it has a landlocked position and is bordered by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan and Tanzania. There are seven continents in the world: Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Europe, Antarctica, Australia (Oceania). Africa is the world's second largest continent, it has 54 countries, occupies a total area of 30,370,000 km2 and forms 20.4% of the landmass of the world. Uganda is a landlocked country that spreads over a total area of approximately 241,550 km2. It is a small to medium sized country when compared to other countries on Africa's mainland.
The following details provide a guide to Uganda's approximate border lengths:
Democratic Republic of the Congo 877 km, Kenya 814 km, Rwanda 172 km, South Sudan 475 km, Tanzania 391 km.
Climate
Uganda has a varied climate but can be described as being tropical for the most part, with two seasons of rain which occur from December to February and June to August. The conditions in north-eastern regions can be described as being semiarid. The geography of Uganda is dominated by plateau and mountainous regions. The country is located in the Nile Basin and the African Great Lakes region, and boasts fertile land, numerous lakes and rivers. The names of Uganda's major lakes are Lake Victoria which is located in the south, Lake Kyoga located in the country's central region, Lake Albert, Lake Edward and Lake George. Victoria is the largest lake in Africa by area. The lowest point of Uganda is the Albert Nile at 614m, and the highest point of elevation is Margherita Peak on Mount Stanley at 5,110m.
Culture
The official language of Uganda is English. Other languages that are used as a primary form of communication but on a smaller scale include Ganda, Niger-Congo dialects Nilo-Saharan dialects, Arabic and Swahili.
The primary religion of Uganda is Protestant at approximately 45% of the population, with the main religion being Anglican. Around 39% are Roman Catholic and 13% Muslim. The remaining population either belongs to other religions or no religion at all.
Economy
Natural resources can be defined as materials and substances that occur naturally on Earth. Natural resources are very important across the world, and can be exploited for economic gain. The level of resources that occur naturally in an individual country are influenced by varying factors such as the geography, climate and location of that country. Some countries are very rich in natural resources, where as others have limited to none. Countries that have particularly rich resources include Russia, The United States, Saudi Arabia and Canada. Food, construction and transport are three primary examples of uses of natural resources. The following information provides examples of these uses: fish occurs naturally in streams, rivers, lakes and oceans, and can be caught for food consumption. Wood/timber can be extracted from forests for construction purposes, i.e. to build homes and furniture. Crude oils can be refined into different kinds of fuels in order to power vehicles/cars. The natural resources of Uganda include copper, cobalt, hydropower (water power), limestone, salt, arable land suitable for growing crops and gold.
The flag
Every country has its own unique culture, history and identity. Flags, symbols, emblems, mottos, songs, anthems and colors are used by countries worldwide to represent national pride and identity. These national symbols are formed through the unique history of a nation and are symbolic of both hardship and prosperity, embodying freedom, strength and unity. Flags, emblems, songs, mottos and colors reflect the past, present and future hopes of a country, and create an important image to the rest of the world. National symbols can include a mixture of things that are symbolic to a country such as animals, birds, flowers, trees, geographical features, tools of agriculture, crops, and tools of war. The following facts depict some of the national symbols, songs and colors that are important to Uganda: