Uganda

 

Quick Facts

• Continental region – East Africa
• Currency symbol of Uganda-Ugandan shilling(USh)
• Capital City –Kampala
• Official languages – Swahili, English
• Population – 42.72 million (2018) World Bank
• Country dialling code  –  (+256 )
• Official website – Uganda
• Top 3 biggest industries  –Sugar processing, brewing, tobacco
• Google Maps link –Uganda
• Where is it? –Uganda is a landlocked country in East Africa whose diverse landscape encompasses the snow-capped Rwenzori Mountains and immense Lake Victoria.

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Uganda In Pictures

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Uganda History

• How did the country get its current name? –The name of independent Uganda comes from the ancient kingdom of Buganda, which rose to prominence in the 18th century in the East African territory that is now the area we call Uganda. … Like many of the people in East Africa, the Ganda is a Bantu ethnic group.
• When and by whom the country was first discovered? – Bantu speaking people have been present in the area for thousands of years. It was also a location known to Arab traders. The explorer John Hanning Speke passed through Buganda in 1862 and claimed he had discovered the source of the Nile. 
• Who were the first Inhabitants? –Between A.D. 500 and 1,500 relatively frequent migration occurred to Uganda from different parts of Africa. The first and largest group of such people was the Bantu. The earliest surviving inhabitants the Bantu found in Uganda are the pygmaean, Batwa and the Bambuti.
• When it was first recognized as a country? – Uganda became independent 9 October 1962. Uganda previously had been under British sovereignty.
• Who was the first leader of the country? –Apollo Milton Obote (28 December 1925 – 10 October 2005) was a Ugandan political leader who led Uganda to independence in 1962 from British colonial administration. Following the nation’s independence, he served as Prime Minister of Uganda from 1962 to 1966 and President of Uganda from 1966 to .Uganda’s second city and home to the 1st Battalion of the Uganda Army.

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Five Significant Events 

1. Buganda 1877 – Members of the British Missionary Society arrive in Buganda. (https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-14112446)
2. Independence 1962 – Uganda becomes independent with Milton Obote as prime minister and with Buganda enjoying considerable autonomy. (https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-14112446)
3. Presidency 1966 – Mhttps://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-14112446ilton Obote ends Buganda’s autonomy and promotes himself to the residency. (https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-14112446)   
4. 1971 – Milton Obote toppled in coup led by Army chief Idi Amin. (https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-14112446)
5. King of Buganda 1993 – Museveni restores the traditional kings, including the king of Buganda, but without political power.(https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-14112446)

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Five Places to Visit in Uganda

1. Kampala: The ancestral capital of the Buganda kingdom is modern day Uganda’s capital too. And for an African first city, it’s got real charm and panache. (https://www.thecrazytourist.com/15-best-places-visit-uganda/5/)
2. Kibale National Park: Pierce into the dense jungles and wetland forests of the great Kibale National Park and you won’t be disappointed! What awaits is one of the world’s most awesome arrays of wild chimpanzee packs, and you can see these majestic simians of Central Africa trawling through the undergrowth and commanding the canopies on game drives and safari excursions of all different types. (https://www.thecrazytourist.com/15-best-places-visit-uganda/5/)
3. Ssese Islands: A cocktail of golden sands worthy of Latin America, sun-kissed beaches and lapping waves, the archipelago of the Ssese Islands is Uganda’s answer to the tropical gems of the East African coast on the Indian Ocean. (https://www.thecrazytourist.com/15-best-places-visit-uganda/5/)
4. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park: The Bwindi Impenetrable National Park really does live up to its name! A land of rocky peaks and endless green, it’s covered in some of Africa’s oldest primeval forestry. (https://www.thecrazytourist.com/15-best-places-visit-uganda/5/)
5. Murchison Falls National Park: Named for the roaring cataracts that carve right through their middle, the wilds of the Murchison Falls National Park are unquestionably some of the most amazing in north-western Uganda. The protected area is actually the largest national park in the country, with a whopping count of nearly 4,000 square kilometers between its borders. (https://www.thecrazytourist.com/15-best-places-visit-uganda/5/)

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References: 

• http://www.ugandatravelguide.com/people-and-cultures-of-uganda.html#:~:text=Between%20A.D.%20500%20and%201%2C500,pygmaean%2C%20Batwa%20and%20the%20Bambuti.
• https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-14112446
• https://www.thecrazytourist.com/15-best-places-visit-uganda/5/