Uganda has been dubbed the Pearl of Africa and it’s no exaggeration. Located on the Equator and the banks of Lake Victoria, it is a country of spectacular natural beauty with tropical rainforests, stunning mountain ranges and waterfalls on the Nile. There are several national parks for safaris but Uganda specialises in primate wildlife experiences, in particular trekking the mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Trekking in Rwenzori Mountains and adventure sports in Jinja add further diversity to its attractions. Explore in depth highlights of Uganda.
| Tours | Unesco WHS | Guidebooks |
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| groups tours with set departures |
World Heritage Sites | country, regions and cities |
| Time zone: | GMT +3 (Eastern Africa time) | Daylight savings: None |
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| Main languages: | English, Luganda, Swahili |
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| Currency: |
Ugandan shillings (UGX) €1 = USh3820, $1 = USh0.00, £1 = USh4553 (rates as of Sep 2016) |
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| Internet Domain: | .ug | International Dialling Code: 256 |
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For help planning your trip to Uganda including visas, vaccinations, currency exchange, flights, accomodation and insurance, see our Uganda trip planning page.
Further information on Uganda
Discover more about Uganda - the country's geogrpahy and natural features, an assessment of its status on freedom and rights and data on the country's population and economy.
Geography & Natural Features
Total area: 236,040 sq km (36,330 sq km under water)
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Neighbours (border lengths): Democratic Republic of the Congo (765km), Kenya (933km), Rwanda (169km), Tanzania (396km), South Sudan (435km)
Climate: Tropical climate and generally rainy with two dry seasons (December to February and June to September).
Highest mountain: Margherita Peak on Mount Stanley (5,110m) - Climb this mountain!
Freedom & Rights
Summary status and rankings for Uganda from classifications of different organisations measuring political and economic freedom, democracy and civil rights. See more details of these rankings.
| Index | Status | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Freedom in the World | Not Free | - |
 | Democracy Index | Hybrid regime | 96/167 |
 | Economic Freedom | Mostly Unfree | 92/179 |
 | Press Freedom | Noticeable problems | 95/179 |
 | ILGA LGBT rights | No rights | - |
 | Corruption Perceptions | High corruption | 142/174 |
| Overall Ranking: | 147/195 | ||
Other Data & Links
Full name: Republic of Uganda Status: Independent Country
Population: 35,918,915 (rank: 35/196) Density: 152.1 people/sq km (rank: 55/196)
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)
Religions: 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)
GDP (PPP): $54.37 billion GDP per capita: $1,500 (rank: 174/195)
Information derived from the CIA World Factbook. Other country profiles: BBC News.