On Wednesday, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed optimism that a major peace agreement among eleven nations in Africa’s Great Lakes region signed in February will provide lasting stability in central Africa. But nine days ago, the M23, a rebel group in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, claimed that it has killed over 400 […]
The colonial boundaries created by Britain to delimit Uganda grouped together a wide range of ethnic groups with different political systems and cultures. These differences prevented the establishment of a working political community after independence was achieved 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. The rule of Yoweri MUSEVENI since 1986 has brought relative stability and economic growth to Uganda. During the 1990s, the government promulgated non-party presidential and legislative elections.
| Exports |
$2.74 billion |
| Export Items |
coffee, fish and fish products, tea, cotton, flowers, horticultural products |
| Export Partners |
Kenya 11.6%, Rwanda 9.7%, UAE 9%, Democratic Republic of the Congo 8.8%, Netherlands 7%, Germany 6.7%, Belgium 4.6%, Italy 4.3% (2011) |
| Imports |
$5.53 billion |
| Import Items |
capital equipment, vehicles, petroleum, medical supplies |
| Import Partners |
Kenya 14.9%, UAE 14%, India 11.1%, China 9.3%, South Africa 5.6%, Japan 4.4% (2011) |
| Population |
34,758,809 |
| Population Growth |
3.32% |
| Ethnic Groups |
Baganda 16.9%, Banyakole 9.5%, Basoga 8.4%, Bakiga 6.9%, Iteso 6.4%, Langi 6.1%, Acholi 4.7%, Bagisu 4.6%, Lugbara 4.2%, Bunyoro 2.7%, other 29.6% (2002 census) |
| Religion |
Roman Catholic 41.9%, Protestant 42% (Anglican 35.9%, Pentecostal 4.6%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1.5%), Muslim 12.1%, other 3.1%, none 0.9% (2002 census) |
| Life Expectancy |
53.98 years |
| Infant Mortality |
0.99 deaths/1,000 live births |
| Maternal Mortality |
4.8 deaths/100,000 live births |
