Uganda Facts

Official Name: Republic of Uganda
Capitol: Kampala
National Anthem: Oh Uganda, Land of Beauty
Motto: "For God and My Country"
Official Nickname: dubbed "The Pearl of Africa" by Sir Winston Churchill
Official Languages: English and Swahili
- English in Uganda is referred to as Uglish due to the heavy Ugandan dialect
Other Languages: Luganda, Bantu, Nilotic
Major religions: Christianity, Islam
Population: almost 38 million
Area: over 93,000 sq miles

Landlocked by 5 countries: Rwanda, Tanzania, Kenya, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo
Around a quarter of Uganda's surface is made up of lakes and rivers.
- One of the largest lakes in the world, Lake Victoria, is along the southern border or the country and aids the country is transportation, vegetation and tourism.
The climate is tropical with two dry season that run from December - February and June - August
There are 60 protected areas in Uganda, ten of which are national parks
The Equator runs through Uganda
Natural Resources: copper, cobalt, hydropower, limestone, salt, arable land, gold
Land Use: agricultural land 71%, arable land 34%, permanent crops 11%, pasture 25%, forest 14%, other 14%
Natural Hazards: droughts, floods, earthquakes, landslides, hailstorms

There are an estimated 52 practicing tribes in Uganda
Women in Uganda are the ones who traditionally construct and build the walls of the houses while the men construct the roof
About half of Uganda's population is under the age of 14. It is the youngest country in the world
Average life expectancy is 55 years
Approximately one third of people in Uganda own a mobile phone
22% of the total population have electricity
Ugandans are known for their warmth and hospitality, the African Economist called Uganda one of Africa's friendliest countries

Ugandans refer to foreigners as “mzungu”
When greeting a Ugandan, it is impolite to say "Hi", rather one should as "How are you?"
When crossing the street, pedestrians do not have the right of way
The primary mode of transportation is bicycle
Punctuality is not very important in Uganda - it is customary for someone to arrive maybe 30 minutes or even two hours after they were expected
Ugandan woman are expected to dress modestly and should cover their legs
Uganda man should always wear pants, even in hotter temperature. Only boys and foreigners wear shorts
Pointing at a Ugandan with an index finger in an insult, when pointing one should extend the whole arm
Public displays of affection are frowned upon in Uganda
"I need to make a short call" is what someone may say to excuse themselves to go to the restroom

About 66% of the population works in the farming industry
Agriculture is responsible for about a quarter of the country's GDP
The main export in Uganda is coffee
- coffee from Uganda rarely makes it to America, most of it is sent to other countries in Africa
Uganda is the second largest producer of bananas in the world producing about 11 million tons annually
Agriculture products: avocado, pineapple, coffee, tea, cotton, tobacco, cassava (manioc, tapioca), potatoes, corn, millet, pulses, cut flowers, beef, goat meat, milk, poultry and fish
Industries: sugar processing, brewing, tobacco, cotton textiles, cement, steel production

The national animal: Grey Crowned Crane, this bird is featured on the flag
Home to many endangered species such as mountain gorillas and hippos
Current Environmental Issues: draining of wetland for agriculture, deforestation, overgrazing, soil erosion, water pollution from industrial discharge, widespread poaching
Malaria carrying mosquitoes can be found in Uganda. They are typically active from midnight to 5am
There are about 5,000 chimpanzees that call Uganda home - more than any other African nation
Uganda is a tree loving nation and has a rule that states if you cut down a tree you must plant three more

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