Uganda

 

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Political Conditions in Uganda

Since assuming power, Museveni and his government have largely put an end to the human rights abuses of earlier governments, initiated substantial economic liberalization and general press freedom, and instituted economic reforms in accord with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank, and donor governments.

Uganda’s macroeconomic policies contributed to a seven percent growth rate in fiscal year 2006-2007

The vicious and cult-like Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), which seeks to overthrow the Ugandan Government, has murdered and kidnapped civilians in the north and east since 1986. Although the LRA does not threaten the stability of the government, LRA violence at one time displaced up to 1.7 million people, creating a humanitarian catastrophe, particularly when they were forced into camps for their own protection. The Uganda Army launched “Operation Iron Fist” against LRA rebels in northern Uganda in 2002 and conducted operations against LRA sanctuaries in southern Sudan with the permission of the Sudanese Government. The Sudanese Government had previously supported the LRA. The peace process is ongoing. Many northern Ugandans are leaving the camps and returning to their villages.

Economy in Uganda

Uganda’s economy has great potential. Endowed with significant natural resources, including:

  • Ample fertile land

  • Regular Rainfall

  • Mineral Deposites

  • Recently Discovered Oil

It appeared poised for rapid economic growth and development at independence. However, chronic political instability and erratic economic management produced a record of persistent economic decline that left Uganda among the world’s poorest and least-developed countries.

Since assuming power in early 1986, Museveni’s government has taken important steps toward economic rehabilitation:

  • The country’s infrastructure, notably its transportation and communications systems that were destroyed by war and neglect, is being rebuilt.

  • Recognizing the need for increased external support, Uganda negotiated a policy framework paper with the IMF and the World Bank in 1987. It subsequently began implementing economic policies designed to restore price stability and sustainable balance of payments, improve capacity utilization, rehabilitate infrastructure, restore producer incentives through proper price policies, and improve resource mobilization and allocation in the public sector.

  • Uganda’s macroeconomic policies are sound and contributed to a 7% growth rate in fiscal year 2006-2007, compared to 5.1% in FY 2005-2006.

  • Inflation, which ran at 240% in 1987 and 42% in June 1992, was 5.1% in 2003, but bounced up to 7.7% in 2007, well above the government’s annual target average of 5%, as food prices rose.

Agricultural products supply nearly all of Uganda’s foreign exchange earnings, with coffee (of which Uganda is Africa’s second leading producer) accounting for about 19% and fish 15.5% of the country’s exports in 2002. Exports of non-traditional products, including apparel, hides, skins, vanilla, vegetables, fruits, cut flowers, and fish are growing, while traditional exports such as cotton, tea, and tobacco continue to be mainstays.

Most industry is related to agriculture. The industrial sector is being rehabilitated to resume production of building and construction materials, such as cement, reinforcing rods, corrugated roofing sheets, and paint. Domestically produced consumer goods include plastics, soap, cork, beer, and soft drinks.

Uganda has about 28,000 miles of roads, of which 6,213 miles are main roads and 21,747 miles are feeder roads.  Only 1,864 miles are paved, and most roads radiate from Kampala. The country has about 800 miles of rail lines, but most of it is not currently in use. Uganda’s important road and rail links to Mombasa serve its transport needs and also those of its neighbors-Rwanda, Burundi, and parts of Congo and Sudan. An international airport is at Entebbe on the shore of Lake Victoria, some 20 miles south of Kampala.

Geography in Uganda

Being a fertile, well-watered country with many lakes and rivers and located in eastern Africa, west of Kenya and east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda’s climate is tropical and generally rainy with two dry seasons from December to February and June to August. It’s terrain consists of mostly plateau but has a rim of mountains. It’s lowest point is Lake Albert at 621 miles above sea level and it’s highest point is Margherita Peak on Mount Stanley at 5,110 miles above sea level. Below are a few more facts about Uganda’s geography:

Geographic coordinates:

Area:

Area Comprehensive:

Land boundaries:
 1 00 N, 32 00 E
total: 241,038 sq km
country comparison to the world: 81
land: 197,100 sq km
water: 43,938 sq km
 slightly smaller than Oregon total: 2,698 km

Natural resources:

Land use:

Irrigated land:

Total renewable water resources:
copper, cobalt, hydropower, limestone, salt, arable land, gold
arable land: 21.57%
permanent crops: 8.92%
other: 69.51% (2005)
 90 sq km (2008)
total: 0.3 cu km/yr (43%/17%/40%)
per capita: 10 cu m/yr (2002)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

Environment – current issues:

Environment – international agreements:
total: 0.3 cu km/yr (43%/17%/40%)
per capita: 10 cu m/yr (2002)
 Draining of wetlands for agricultural use; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; water hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria; widespread poaching
Party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification