All About Uganda the Pearl of Africa

Uganda officially known as Republic of Uganda is a landlocked nation in Eastern Africa and is also called Pearl of Africa. It is surrounded on north by South Sudan, on east by Kenya, on west by Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), on southwest by Rwanda and on south by Tanzania. The country’s southern part includes substantial portion of Lake Victoria that is shared by Tanzania and Kenya. The inhabitants of Uganda were hunter gatherers till 1700 to 2300 years ago, when Bantu-speaking peoples migrated to Uganda’s southern regions. It gained independence in the month of October 1962 from Britain. Its official languages include Swahili and English, albeit there are were plenty of other languages spoken in Uganda.

The Ugandans were originally hunter gatherers and these groups developed and bought new ideas and iron working skills of political and social organization. The Empire of Kitara surrounded plenty of great lakes regions from Lake Victoria, Lake Albert and Lake Tanganyika to Lake Kyoga. Bunyoro-Kitara is called precursor of later kingdoms such as Busoga, Buganda, Ankole and Toro. Its Nilotic Luo incursion is considered to have led collapse of Chwezi Empire. The Ateker settled in eastern and north-eastern parts of Uganda and some combined with Luo in Lake Kyoga’s north region. Arab traders moved inland from East Africa’s Indian Ocean Coast in 1830s and were followed in 1860s by British explorers looking for source of Nile.

Uganda gained sovereignty in the year 1962 from Britain, maintaining the Commonwealth membership, and its original post independence was held in 1962 won by association between Kabaka Yekka and Uganda People’s Congress. KY and UPC created first post independence government with Prime Minister, Milton Obote, William Wilberforce Nadiope, Kyabazinga of Busoga as Vice President and Buganda Kabaka Edward Muteesa II holding largely ceremonial position of President. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, President of Uganda at present is both head of government and head of state and appoints Edward Ssekandi as Vice President and Amama Mbabazi as Prime Minister. National Assembly formed the parliament with 332 members, out of which 104 of these members are nominated by interest groups like army and women.

Uganda is situated on East African plateau, lying mainly between longitudes 29° and 35° and latitudes 4°N and 2°S. It averages around 3609 feet above sea level and slopes quite steadily to Sudanese Plain to north. It lies almost fully within Nile basin, while Victoria Nile drains from the pond into Lake Kyoga and then into Lake Albert on Congolese border. The Lake Kyoga serves as rough boundary between Central Sudanic and Nilotic language speakers in north and Bantu speakers in and south. In spite of division between south and north in political affairs, this boundary basically runs roughly from northwest to the southeast, near Nile’s coast. Quite a few sources portray regional variation in terms of mannerisms, physical characteristics, clothing and bodily adornment.

Uganda is separated into different regions, spread transversely four managerial areas such as Western, Northern, Central and Eastern. These regions are further classified in states. All regions are separated into sub regions, villages, counties, parishes and sub-counties. Parallel with state administration, six conventional Bantu kingdoms have attained, liking quite a few degrees of mostly cultural autonomy; these include Toro, Rwenzururu, Ankole, Buganda, Busoga and Bunyoro.

Districts include Buikwe, Bukomansimbi, Butambala, Buvuma, Gomba, Kalangala, Kalungu, Kampala, Kayunga, Kiboga, Kyankwanzi, Luweero, Lwengo, Lyantonde, Masaka, Mityana, Mpigi, Mubende, Mukono, Nakaseke, Nakasongola, Rakai, Sembabule and Wakiso.

Counties of Uganda: Abim, Adjumani, Amolatar, Amuria, Amuru, Apac, Arua, Budaka, Bugiri, Bukwa, Bulisa, Bundibugyo, Bushenyi, Busia, Busiki, Butaleja, Dokolo, Gulu, Hoima, Ibanda, Iganga, Jinja, Kaabong, Kabale, Kabarole, Kaberamaido, Kabingo, Kalangala, Kaliro, Kampala, Kamuli, Kamwenge, Kanungu, Kapchorwa, Kasese, Katakwi, Kayunga, Kibale, Kiboga, Kiruhura, Kisoro, Kitgum, Koboko, Kotido, Kumi, Kyenjojo and more.

For several years, the economy of Uganda suffered from devastating economic instability and policies leaving it one of the poorest nations of the world. It has commenced economic growth and reforms have been robust. It has considerable natural resources such as fertile soils, sizable mineral deposits of cobalt and copper and regular rainfall. Between 1990s and 2001, the economy grew due to continued investment in rehabilitation of infrastructure, enhanced incentives for exports and production, gradually enhanced domestic security and reduced inflation. With securities exchanges of Uganda founded in the year 1996, various equities have been listed. The Capital Markets Authority has licensed investment advisors, 18 brokers and asset managers such as Baroda Capital Markets Uganda Limited, African Alliance Investment Bank, Crested Stocks and Securities Limited, Crane Financial Services Uganda Limited, Equity Stock Brokers Uganda Limited, Dyer & Blair Investment Bank, UAP Financial Services Limited and Renaissance Capital Investment Bank.

Uganda is a home to plenty of different ethnic groups and approximately 40 different languages are at present and regularly used in the nation. One of the official languages of Uganda is English, and the most extensively spoken local language is Luganda in Uganda. The Runyankore-Rukiga and Lusoga languages follow spoken principally in south-western and south-eastern regions of Uganda respectively. Conventional native beliefs are practiced in quite a few rural regions and are at times practiced alongside or merged with Islam or Christianity. Bahá’í Houses of Worship is situated on Kampala’s outskirts.

The cuisine of Uganda comprises of conventional cooking with Arab, English, Indian influences and Asian. Like cuisines of most nations, it varies in complexity from starchy filler with sauce of meat or beans to several-course meals served in high-end restaurants and upper-class homes. The country is Africa condensed with the best of everything the continent has to provide packed into small but striking destination. It is a home to highest peak range in Africa, Mountains of the Moon situated in Rwenzori National Park. It has the highest concentration of primates on planet such as majestic mountain gorilla, one of rarest faunas on Earth.

Places to visit in Uganda include Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Eastern Uganda, Kabale, Kampala, Kasese, Kibale Forest National Park, Lake Mburo National Park, Mbale, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Mount Elgon National Park, Murchison Falls National Park, Northern Uganda, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Rwenzori National Park, Semuliki National Park, Ssese Islands and Western Uganda

Uganda restaurants include Source Café, Fang Fang, Black Lantern, Le Petit Bistro, Fasika, Khana Khazana, Café Pap, Ling Ling, Mamba Point, La Fontaine, Masala Cheat House, La Chateau, Blue Mango, Fez Brasserie, 1000 Cups Coffee House, Haandi, Krua Thai, Luisin Supermarket and Canaan Restaurant.

Mobile phone network coverage is available in most parts of Uganda over 70 percent; however geography can make trouble in the mountainous regions.