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Uganda the pearl of Africa lies across the Equator right in the heart of Africa in East Africa. The country is bordered by Congo in the west, Kenya in the East, Rwanda in the South West, Tanzania in the South and Sudan in the north making Uganda a land locked country in east Africa.Uganda is roughly the size of England, covering a total area of 236,040 sq km's, with a population of about 27 million people.

Summary of Uganda country Facts with figures:

Country: Uganda

Capital City: Kampala

Total Area: 236,040 sq km's.

Area under water: 36,330 sq km's.

Area (land):199,710 sq km's.

Population: 27 million people.

Languages: English (official) Luganda, Bantu Languages, and Nilotic languages and Swahili.

Religions: Roman Catholics;33% Protestants 33%, Moslems 16% Others 17 (including Pentecostal which has gained a lot of follower.

Average Family Income; about US $ 200 per annum

Independence Date: 9th of October 1962.

Industry: Sugar factories, Cotton, Tobacco, Cement, Coffee, etc.
Agriculture: Coffee, Tea, Cotton, Millet, Milk, Poultry, Goat Meat, Fruits,

Minerals: Copper, Cobalt, Limestone, Salt, Fish

Climate: Tropical

Physical and Climate features:
Uganda lies across the equator bounded by Kenya in the east, Rwanda in the southwest,  Tanzania in the south, Sudan in the north and Zaire in the west and.

The geography of the country is generally horizontal with a height of 1,000m in most parts of the country; however its location on the great African plateau and across the equator gives it an outstanding biological and physical diversity.

Uganda is naturally gifted with water and fertility, 25% of the area is covered with rivers, swamps and lakes. Lake Victoria is the largest lake in Africa, the starting place of the River Nile the world’s longest river, Lake Kyoga in the center of the country, Lakes Edward, George and Albert close to the border of Congo.

The country is also an invention of the African Continent uplift with the most mountainous part in the southwest that harbors the Rwenzori mountains which form the utmost mountain in Africa, other mountains also include Virunga, Mount Elgon, the Northern Volcanoes of Uganda, Bufumbira Mountains on the southwestern border of Rwanda, and many more of these physical features make Uganda a very interesting geographical part of Africa.

Population, Language and culture:

Uganda’s population is anticipated to be about 27 million people with 87% living in rural areas. The Country’s population can generally be classified along linguistic lines or groups that reside in the country.

The biggest groups of the Bantu-speaking people are the Baganda totaling to about 82.1% of the population and most of them live in Kampala and other parts of the country like Masaka, Mubende, Luwero, Mukono, Mpigi, and several other parts.
Other most important Bantu-speaking groups are Batooro in western Uganda at the base of Rwenzori Mountains, Bakiga in the southwestern part of the country, and the Banyoro of the Bunyoro-Kitala Kingdom.  The Eastern part of the country has a mixture of people with different languages and culture but the most prevailing are Bantu speaking, Basoga speaking Lusoga language and the biggest ethnic group in the East and directly allied to Baganda. The place being at the coast of L.Victoria, its soils are very lush and agriculture is a main activity.

The Biodiversity

Uganda the Pearl of Africa is an exclusive safari destination from other African countries because of its large forested area with Afro-montane forest found mainly on Mount Elgon, Lowland rain forest and their openness gives you a stunning sight of the forest creatures like gorillas, chimpanzees, monkeys, butterflies and birds.

On your journey through the country’s National parks and game reserves, you are likely to encounter safari favorites like Lions, Gorillas, leopard, buffalo, elephant, giraffe and other several varieties of animals not found anywhere in Africa.

Uganda has over 10 protected National Parks and game reserves. These protect plain animals, forest environment, Savannah, and the related animals. Nevertheless the current one with tourist amenities include, Bwindi Impenetrable NP, Murchison falls national park, Semliki, Budongo, Kanyiyo and Pabidi forest reserves, Queen Elizabeth, Lake Mburo, Mgahinga and several others.

Uganda, the pearl of Africa is gifted with water bodies Like Lake Victoria, Albert Kyoga, Edward and several crater lakes. The existence of such water bodies facilitate a moderately wet climate, with the countryside greener and fertile compared to the semi-desert northern side. Around these water bodies are diverse bird species not easily found anywhere in Africa especially the rare shoebill and the papyrus gonolek.

Climate:

For most of the year, Uganda is sunny with temperatures ranging amid 16o and 20o at night and 26o and 30o during the day and with the hottest months being January, February and December. Unlike some parts in the northern Uganda that get typical annual rainfall as low as 100mm, the rest of the country is green all the year with a yearly rainfall between 1,000mm to 2,000mm with the coolest season being March to May and mid-September to November. The average temperature is about 26 degrees, with a maximum of 18-35 degrees and minimum of 8-23 degrees depending on the part of the country. Uganda's weather conditions are ideal, ranging from the warmth of the lowland areas to the coolness of the highlands in the South West Kigezi.

The rain season is April-May and October-November rainfall ranges between 500mm to 2500 mm and the relative humidity is 70% -100%.

The best advisable period to travel to Uganda is the dry season from June to September and from December to March.

Birding

With over a 1000 bird species recorded already, Uganda has almost half the species known on the African Continent and over 12% of those on record throughout the globe.. Uganda's equatorial location, combined with the altitude and great variety of terrain types provide an overwhelming array of opportunities for keen birders! Among the much sought after birds in Uganda include: Shoebill, Africa Green Broadbill, Green-breasted pitta, Nahan's Francolin, Brown-chested Plover, Karamoja Apalis, Black-bee eater, Rwenzori Turaco, Red-fronted Antpecker, Purvell's Illadopsis and many more.