Uganda country profile – Facts about Uganda
Name – Republic of Uganda – also known as the Perl of Africa
Independence – October 9th 1962 from Britain
Latitude and Logitude – 4 degrees – south latitude 2 degrees, 29-35 degrees east longitude
Area – 242 000 km2
Population – 37.59 one million people (November 2013 currently)
Capital City – Kampala. 40 km from Entebbe International Airport, 45 minutes by car.
President – Yoweri Museveni
Prime minister – Ruhakana Rugunda
Currency – Ugandan Shilling (UGX)
Official languages – English, Swahili
Religion – Roman Catholic (33%), Protestant (33%), Islam (16%), traditional religion (18%)
Climate – Tropical climate, dry season (June-July, January-February), the rainy season (April-May, October-November)
Uganda’s Tourism Today
From the moment you land in Uganda, you will instantly be drowned into her natural beauty right from the fresh cool breeze of lake Victoria, the country’s largest water body. Just like the way Sir Winston Churchill called it the Pearl of Africa, Uganda is a magnificent destinations with welcoming warm smiles of the locales, the tasty local cousins, the variety of wildlife, the snow caped mountains and the wild savannah in her different national parks.
In recent years destination Uganda has seen an era of development with the improvement and reconstruction of infrastructure. New hotels and lodges ranging from budget, deluxe and luxury hotels and its no wonder Lonely planet voted Uganda among Africa’s Top safari destinations in 2012.
According to LonelyPlanet.com, Uganda’s touristic advantage lies in the amazing diversity of tourism attractions the country offers to tourists ranging from the different wildlife species, vegetation, snow caped mountains, cultural diversity, bird species. Uganda’s tourism largely dwells on her national parks, mostly due to the fact that, the small landlocked country is blessed with 11 national parks and quite a number of wildlife reserves.
The Uganda national parks comprise of a variety of attraction ranging from wildlife including the Big five, elephants, tree climbing lions, zebras, antelopes, flowing savannah, tropical rainforest, swamps, the River Nile, lakes, and rivers flooded with high concentration of a number of water animals including hippos, crocodiles and a high number of bird life.
The country has an interesting history which is worth listening to. Uganda historically was governed on the basis of kingdoms and tribes, therefore the people of Uganda generally respect their tribes and customs. However, it should be noted it Ugandans are the most friendly and happiest people.