Uganda

Uganda is a landlocked nation in East Africa bordered by Kenya, Sudan, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Tanzania. Lake Victoria occupies a large part of the country’s southern part. Kampala is the capital city.

Until 1,700 to 2,300 years ago when Bantu speakers migrated to the area, the people in Uganda were hunter-gatherers. In 1962, Uganda gained its independence from Britain. Its official languages are Swahili and English, but other languages are used. Uganda belongs to the African Union, the Commonwealth of Nations, the East African Community, and the Organization of the Islamic Conference.
Geography
Uganda has an average height of 1,100 meters above sea level and is on the East African plateau. Lake Kyoga dominates the country’s center. The country is almost all within the Nile basin. The Victoria Nile drains from Lake Victoria to Lake Kyoga and then runs north into Sudan. The Turkwel River drains a small area in Uganda’s eastern edge.

The area of Lake Kyoga is a boundary between Nilotic language speakers in the north and Bantu speakers in the south. The climate is equatorial but not uniform. The southern areas are wetter. A dry season does occur in the northern parts of Uganda.

The Karamoja area in the northeast has the driest climate. In the southwest, Rwenzori receives heavy rain all year. Lake Victoria in the south prevents the area’s temperatures from varying significantly. The south is where the most important cities are located, such as the capital, Kampala, and Entebbe.
Demographics
There are many different ethnic groups in Uganda. Forty languages are used regularly. After independence, English became the official language. Luganda is the most widely spoken language and is mostly used by Baganda people in urban Kampala and the surrounding regions. Runyankore and Lusoga are other commonly used languages. The second official language, approved in 2005, is Swahili. This language is important in the north but not the south. The police and military use it often, which may result from disproportionate recruitment from northern areas.