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General Information
Country Name: Republic of Uganda
Government: Uganda is governed under the constitution of
1995 as amended. The president, who is both head of state
and head of government, is elected by popular vote for a fiveyear term. The unicameral legislature consists of the 332-seat
National Assembly, whose members also serve for five years;
215 of the members are directly elected, and the rest are
nominated from women, the army, and other groups. Administratively, the country is
divided into 80 districts, grouped into four regions (Northern, Western, Central, and
Eastern).
Terrain: Most of Uganda consists of a fertile plateau with an average elevation of 4,000
feet. The plateau is bounded on the West by the western branch of the Great Rift
Valley, including lakes Albert and Edward (in each case about half of the lake is in
Uganda) and the Albert Nile River. In the Southwest it is bounded by the Ruwenzori
Range, including Margherita Peak with an elevation of 16,794 feet, which is Uganda's
highest point. To the South is the Virunga Mountains by Lake Victoria, about half of
which is in Uganda. The eastern mountains include Mt. Elgon (14,178 feet), part of
which is in Kenya, and Mt. Moroto (10,114 feet). Altogether, about 18% of Uganda is
made up of water surface and about 7% comprises highland situated at more than
5,000 feet.
Climate: Uganda's equatorial climate provides plentiful sunshine, moderated by the
relatively high altitude of most areas of the country. Mean annual temperatures range
from about 61 F in the southwestern highlands to 77 F in the northwest; but in the
northeast, temperatures exceed 86 F about 254 days per year. Daytime temperatures
average about eight to ten degrees warmer than nighttime temperatures in the Lake
Victoria region, and temperatures are generally about fourteen degrees lower in the
southwest.
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Except in the northeastern corner of the country, rainfall is well distributed. The southern
region has two rainy seasons, usually beginning in early April and again in October.
Little rain falls in June and December. In the north, occasional rains occur between April
and October, while the period from November to March is often very dry. Mean annual
rainfall near Lake Victoria often exceeds 83 inches, and the mountainous regions of the
southeast and southwest receive more than 59 inches of rainfall yearly. The lowest
mean annual rainfall in the northeast measures about 20 inches.
Language: Uganda is a multilingual country. Forty of its living indigenous languages fall
into three main families - Bantu, Nilotic, and Central Sudanic, with another two
languages in the Kuliak family. English, inherited from the colonial period, and Swahili,
which is regionally important, are official languages.
Population: According to the 2014 estimates, the population of Uganda is around
39,234,256, up significantly from 2013s estimate of 33,640,833. The number of ethnic
groups present in Uganda is very large, making it one of the most ethnically diverse
countries in the region. The main ethnic group is called the Ganda, which makes up
16.9% of the population, followed by the Nkole, Soga and Kiga tribes, which make up
9.5%, 8.4% and 6.9% respectively. There are many other tribes; however, they
constitute a very small percentage of the total population.
Religions: The people of Uganda are mainly Roman Catholic, who make up 47.9% of
the total population. Anglican, Muslim and Pentecostal believers represent 35.9%,
12.1% and 4.5% of the total population respectively.
Culture: As a nation, Uganda is an amalgamation of ancient kingdoms and
independent chieftains. Among the indigenous kingdoms are the Baganda, Bunyoro,
Toro, Ankole and Busoga. The Kingdoms were suppressed in the times of the troubles
that razed the country in the two decades after 1967. Today they have been restored
with their ancient privileges shorn and play only a ceremonial role in the life of the
nation. The Baganda king, the Kabaka, whose domicile is Kampala has historically been
the most prominent. His lineage stretches back to the 14th century.
Although there are no castes, there is a relatively high degree of social inequality. In the
mid-1990s, 55 percent of the population lived below the poverty line. The top 10 percent
owned about one-third of the available wealth, while the bottom 10 percent owned 3
percent. Wealth distribution is governed by class position. The richest people live mostly
in the capital, Kampala. Social stratification is governed primarily by level of education
and status derived primarily from employment. Among the elites, English is the
language of communication, and these people dress in a modern Western fashion.
Others tend to wear traditional dress.
Local cuisine consists of matoke (a staple based on green bananas), millet bread,
cassava, sweet potatoes, chicken, goat and beef stews and freshwater fish. Ugali, the
maize meal based filler popular in east Africa is used as an accompaniment for meat or
vegetable dishes.
Weather Forecast
Natural- Natural disasters in Uganda do occur, but consist mainly of drought and
periodic flooding. Other natural disasters such as disease outbreaks occur as well.
There are no severe threats to travelers that cannot be avoided with planning and
observation of weather patterns.
Criminal- The U.S. government rates Uganda as critical for crime, which is the
highest rating on the U.S. government scale. Crimes reported include home
invasions, homicides, sexual assault, robberies, and stabbings. As a result, U.S.
citizens traveling to Uganda should exercise the highest level of awareness and
caution when traveling, as crime is indiscriminant and can happen anywhere and at
anytime. Pick pocketing, purse snatching, and thefts from hotels and parked vehicles
or vehicles stalled in traffic jams are common. Financial crime is also common in
Uganda. Wire transfer, check, and credit card fraud is widespread. ATM machines
are tampered with or compromised, and advance fee fraud is perpetrated via email.
It is recommended that travelers use money orders for all fund transfers and
protecting all bank account and personally identifiable information such as social
security numbers and other types of information.
Healthcare- Medical facilities in Uganda, including Kampala, are limited and only
equipped to handle minor medical emergencies. Surgical capabilities are often
inadequate and blood supplies may be insufficient. Outside Kampala, hospitals are
scarce and offer only basic services. Travelers should carry their own supplies of
prescription drugs and preventive medicines.
Diseases of concern in Uganda include past outbreaks of pneumonic plague,
meningitis, yellow fever, polio, tuberculosis and schistosomiasis, which is a parasitic
disease endemic in Uganda. There have also been outbreaks of Ebola in Uganda in
July and October of 2012.
Political- The U.S. government rates Uganda as high threat for terrorism. The
potential for terrorist activity from extremist organizations such as al-Shabaab exists
in Uganda and the region. Uganda contributes troops to the African Union Mission in
Somalia and al-Shabaab has consistently threatened attacks inside Uganda in
retaliation. U.S. citizens are routinely advised to avoid high-density public
gatherings. U.S. citizens traveling to the Karamoja region in northeastern Uganda
should be aware of ongoing conflict and armed banditry in this region.
Vulnerabilities
Training- Training in dealing with a Crisis Situation, Blending In, Cultural Awareness
and First Aid is recommended for travelers going to Uganda. The greatest
vulnerability for travelers to high risk regions is a lack of training and situational
awareness.
Experience- The travelers on this trip do have the experience necessary to react in
an appropriate manner if confronted with a crisis. Traveling in a group also
decreases the risk level and traveling with personnel who have been to Uganda also
decreases risk. Training is still recommended and one should never rely on their
own experiences exclusively.
March 17, 2015 - Typhoid fever Uganda On 24 February 2015, the Ministry of
Health of Uganda notified WHO of a typhoid fever outbreak.
Cultural Etiquette
1. Ugandan Dress Attire
1. DO dress conservatively.
2. DON'T wear shorts. They're not commonly worn in Uganda. Light pants are more
suitable.
3. DON'T walk around town in swim attire.
2. Ugandan Table Manners
1.
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3. Ugandan Tipping
1. DO tip about 10% in restaurants and in taxis.
4. Ugandan Body Gestures
1. DONT show public displays of affection.
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5. Ugandan Greetings
1. DO shake hands upon meeting someone.
6. Ugandan Socializing and Conversation
1. DON'T criticize religion when conversing with a Ugandan.
U. S. Embassy Kampala
Plot 1577 Ggaba Road
P.O. Box 7007,
Kampala, Uganda
Operational hours:
Friday: 08:00-10:45 AM
Confidential
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Disclaimer: The information contained in this report is Open Source information and may not be
accurate. Morton Security Solutions shall not be held liable for how the information contained in this
report is used by the cusomter or how it may affect actions taken or decisions made by the customer. It
is the cusomters responsibility to learn as much as possible about the risks of international travel and to
weigh those risks against the advantages, making a decision on whether to participate.