Eastern Africa · AfricaUganda
Discover Uganda - the Pearl of Africa, home to mountain gorillas, the source of the Nile, Lake Victoria, and some of the most biodiverse landscapes on the planet.
Where Is Uganda?
Uganda is a country in Eastern Africa. Its capital is Kampala.
- Capital Kampala
- Population 51.4M
- Area 241,550 km²
Winston Churchill called Uganda the Pearl of Africa, and for once the colonial-era superlative was not an exaggeration. This landlocked country straddling the equator has an almost unfair concentration of natural wonders: half of the world's remaining mountain gorillas live in its misty volcanic forests, the Nile begins its 6,650-kilometer journey to the Mediterranean from the shores of Lake Victoria here, and the Rwenzori Mountains - the legendary Mountains of the Moon - rise to over 5,000 meters with glaciers on the equator.
Uganda's biodiversity is staggering. With around 1,000 bird species, it is one of the best birding destinations in Africa, packed into a territory smaller than the UK. The country has also undergone a remarkable transformation from the dark years of Idi Amin's dictatorship in the 1970s, rebuilding into one of East Africa's most dynamic economies. Kampala is chaotic, entrepreneurial, and growing at breakneck speed, while the countryside remains lush and green in a way that makes the name Pearl of Africa feel entirely earned.
At a glance
Largest cities in Uganda
Kampala
Entebbe
Gulu
Mbarara
Jinja
Famous people from Uganda
Idi Amin
PoliticsMilitary dictator who ruled Uganda from 1971-1979, whose brutal regime is estimated to have killed up to 500,000 people
Stephen Kiprotich
SportWon the Olympic marathon gold medal at London 2012, bringing Uganda its first Olympic gold in 40 years
Joshua Cheptegei
SportWorld record holder in the 5,000m and 10,000m, multiple Olympic and World Championship gold medalist who redefined distance running
Okot p'Bitek
LiteratureAuthor of Song of Lawino, the most celebrated poem in East African literature, a witty critique of cultural displacement
Phiona Mutesi
SportChess prodigy from the slums of Katwe whose story became the Disney film Queen of Katwe, a symbol of triumph against the odds
Traditional cuisine of Uganda
- Matoke
- Steamed green bananas mashed into a thick, savory paste - Uganda's national staple and the food most Ugandans cannot live without
- Rolex
- Not the watch - a rolled egg chapati filled with vegetables and sometimes meat, Uganda's most beloved street food invented in Kampala
- Luwombo
- Meat, chicken, or groundnuts steamed in banana leaves with a rich sauce, a royal Buganda dish reserved for special occasions
- Posho
- Thick cornmeal porridge that is the everyday staple across Uganda, served with beans and any available sauce
- Muchomo
- Grilled meat on sticks sold at roadsides across the country, best enjoyed with a cold Bell beer at an evening barbecue spot
Nature and landmarks in Uganda
- Bwindi Impenetrable ForestNational Park
- UNESCO World Heritage Site sheltering roughly half of the world's remaining mountain gorillas in ancient, mist-shrouded rainforest
- Rwenzori MountainsMountain
- The legendary Mountains of the Moon rising to 5,109 meters with equatorial glaciers, a UNESCO site and Africa's third highest range
- Murchison FallsNational Park
- The entire Nile forces through a 7-meter gap in the rocks before plunging 43 meters, one of the most powerful waterfalls on Earth
- Source of the NileRiver
- The spot in Jinja where the White Nile begins its 6,650-kilometer journey from Lake Victoria to the Mediterranean Sea
- Queen Elizabeth National ParkNational Park
- Diverse park with tree-climbing lions, hippo-filled channels, and the Kazinga Channel connecting two great lakes
Sports in Uganda
- Athletics
- Joshua Cheptegei holds world records in the 5,000m and 10,000m, and Uganda has become a distance-running powerhouse
- Football
- The Uganda Cranes qualified for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, with a passionate domestic league and growing talent pipeline
- Cricket
- Uganda's cricket team has competed in ICC qualification events and is one of the stronger associate nations in Africa
Did you know?
Uganda has around 1,000 bird species, among the most in Africa, despite being smaller than the United Kingdom
The Rolex - a rolled chapati with egg - was invented by Ugandan street vendors and has become the country's iconic fast food
About half of all surviving mountain gorillas live in Uganda's Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, one of the oldest rainforests in Africa
The source of the Nile at Jinja was identified by British explorer John Hanning Speke in 1862 after years of European speculation
Uganda has one of the youngest populations in the world, with a median age of about 15 years
The Rwenzori Mountains on the Uganda-DR Congo border have glaciers on the equator, though they are rapidly retreating
Phiona Mutesi learned chess in the slums of Katwe and became a Woman Candidate Master, inspiring the Disney film Queen of Katwe
Read more about Uganda
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Can you find Uganda on a map?
Drop a pin where you think it is and see how close you got. A few rounds and you will place Uganda and its neighbours without a second thought.
