Uganda is named after the Buganda kingdom, which encompasses a large portion of the south of the country, including the capital Kampala.

FACT FILE :

Formation: 9 October 1962 from the UK

President: Mr Yoweri Kaguta Museveni since 1986 Vice President / PM VP - Mr Edward Sekandi since 2011 / PM - Mr Ruhakana Rugunda since 2014

Major Political Parties: ANT, DP, FDC, JEEMA, NRM, UPC, others

Area/Population: 241,038 sq km / 43.25 million (Jul 2020 est)

GDP: (USD) - PPP 89.19 (2017 est) / 4.8% pa (2017 est)

Currency: Ugandan Shillings (UGX) USD 1: UGX 3667 (2021)

Capital: Kampala

Other Major cities: Mbarara, Entebbe, Masaka, Mbale, Jinja

Major Wildlife Parks: Bwindi, QE, Kidepo Valley, Murchison Falls, Lake Mburo, Kibale, Budongo, Mt Elgon

Highest point: Margherita Peak on Mount Stanley 5,110m

Natural resources: Copper, cobalt, hydropower, limestone, salt, arable land, gold

Major Exports: Coffee, fish and fish products, tea, cotton, flowers, horticultural products; gold

Bordering countries: DRC, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan and Tanzania

Languages: Kiswahili, English and regional languages

Seasons: Tropical; generally rainy with two dry seasons (December to February, June to August); semiarid in northeast

Telephone code: +256

Time: UTC +3

Religion: Christianity 84%, Islam 14%, Others 2% Literacy 77% (2018)

National Flag: Six equal horizontal bands of black (top), yellow, red, black, yellow, and red; a white disk is superimposed at the center and depicts a grey crowned crane (the national symbol) facing the hoist side; black symbolizes the African people, yellow sunshine and vitality, red African brotherhood; the crane was the military badge of Ugandan soldiers under colonial rule