Uganda – a Pearl Of Africa

The Republic of Uganda, a country measuring an area of approximately 241,551 sq km (93,263 sq miles), is a politically stable but landlocked country lying on the Equator in East Africa – the African segment that currently embraces Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, and South Sudan (which is yet to be confirmed as a new member). Kenya is Uganda’s neighbor to the east, to the South is Rwanda and Tanzania, to the west is the Democratic Republic of Congo, and South Sudan in the north. The cities in Uganda are inclusive of Entebbe, Masaka, Mbarara, Jinja, Mbale, Gulu, and the largest city – Kampala city as the capital city of Uganda. English (primary official) and Swahili (secondary official) are the country’s official languages beside the many native languages from a small Asian community and the many different local kingdoms of Bantu-speaking people and Nilotic-speaking people each with unique African cultures.

Though the Ugandan economy is largely supported by the food processing and agricultural industries, fishing, mining, raising livestock and the tourism industry are also collectively contributing a good share of income through foreign exchanges. Uganda receives over 821,000 tourists annually as a result of country’s tourism marketing strategies as the Pearl of Africa.

Uganda lies across the equator and is gifted by nature with amazing tourist attractions among which include landscape, climate, diverse cultures of 52 tribes with different culture norms and values, flora and fauna most famous are mountain gorillas where by Uganda is among only three countries where the mountain gorillas are in large populations found in Bwindi impenetrable national park, south west of the country, tree climbing lions in Queen Elizabeth National Park, there are also other Africa’s big five namely leopards, elephants, rhinos, buffalos found in different national parks like Kidepo Valley National Park, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park, Kibale Forest National Park, Lake Mburo National Park among other Ugandan national parks. National parks in Uganda are also home to over 1,061 bird species such as Pelican, Hammerkop birds, Ostriches, Eagles, Kites, Uganda shoebill birds, Parrots, Broadbill, the Crested Crane and other birds in Uganda which could make any birding tours every memorable. Uganda is endowed with rivers and lakes such as Lake Victoria – the most economically important and the largest lake of the Ugandan fisheries, Lake Edward, Lake George, Lake Bunyonyi, Lake Nabugabo, the Albert Nile, Victoria Nile, Semliki, Murchison Nile, Kyoga Nile and most highly Uganda being the source of river Nile which provide opportunities for sightseeing, exploration and adventure. Due to faulting and volcanicity processes, there was a formation of block and volcanic mountains for example Rwenzori Mountains (with the Margherita Peak at 5,119m / 16,795 ft), Mountain Elgon, Mgahinga Mountains, Baker, Speke, and Moroto among mountains in Uganda.