According to ejiaxing, Uganda is a republic in eastern Africa, northwest of Lake Victoria, with (2019) 44.3 million residents; The capital is Kampala.
Geography
Most of Uganda consists of a plateau 1,000 to 1,500 m above sea level, which is heavily swamped in its center on Lake Kyoga. In the southeast, Uganda has a share of Lake Victoria, the largest inland lake in Africa. In the west of the country, the plateau is bounded by the Albertsee and the Rutanzigesee. The glaciated high mountains of the Ruwenzori lie between the two lakes and the Virunga volcanoes in the far southwest of the country. The eastern border of Uganda forms the East African threshold, which is crowned by volcanic mountains.
Most of the country receives year-round rainfall with more pronounced rainy seasons roughly from March to May and from September to November. Overall, the tropical temperatures are moderate due to the altitude.
The natural vegetation is dominated by savannahs with individual groups of trees. In the mountains there are species-rich rain, mountain and cloud forests with bamboo thickets and tree ferns in the undergrowth. At higher altitudes, the grasslands merge into the snow-capped peaks from 4200 m above sea level. The open savannah landscapes of the high plateau are the habitat of rhinos, antelopes, buffalo, elephants and lions. There are still some mountain gorillas in the cloud forests. The endangered animal species are protected in several national parks and game reserves.
One of the country’s biggest ecological problems is the spread of water hyacinths on Lake Victoria. They remove a great deal of oxygen from the lake and cause great damage to fisheries.
Climate
Most of the country receives year-round rainfall (1,000–1,500 mm) with more pronounced rainy seasons from March to May and from September to November. The highest amounts of precipitation (up to 2,100 mm) fall on the windward sides of the higher mountains and on the islands in Lake Victoria. The Central African Trench, located in the rain shadow, only receives around 750 mm. The driest area with annual precipitation below 500 mm is in the northeast ( Karamoja ). Overall, the tropical temperatures are moderate due to the altitude.
Culture
As a multi-ethnic state, Uganda has a very diverse cultural life. Traditional crafts, music, dance and theater show the influences of the ancient kingdoms. The folk art promoted by the Buganda king can be found in the spiritual center in the complex with the tombs of the Buganda kings near Kampala, which has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001. The traditional craft of making cloth from tree bark was added to the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage in 2008. The technique of batik, a form of textile painting, pottery and wickerwork such as artistically dyed mats and baskets is widespread. Jewelry is often made from animal parts, stones, wood, etc.
The rich theater tradition has given rise to an active theater life in Kampala and, since 2013, the “International Theater Festival”; There are also a large number of small local theater companies in the country. The ensembles use the performing arts to educate people on topics such as health, sexually transmitted diseases ( HIV ), gender relations and violence (» edutainment «).
Contemporary cultural life is concentrated in the capital Kampala. The fields of painting, film and literature have also developed under Western influence. The writers O. p’Bitek , who primarily thematized the contrasts between modernity and African tradition, and Moses Isegawa ( * 1963 ) with his autobiography »Abyssinian Chronicle« (1990) achieved international fame.
The most popular sport is football, Kampala has the largest stadium on the African continent, but boxing and wrestling are also popular.
World Heritage Sites in Uganda
World Heritage Sites in Uganda
- Bwindi Primeval Forest (1994)
- Ruwenzori Mountains National Park (1994)
- Tombs of the kings of Buganda in Kasubi near Kampala (2001)
Mbarara
Mbarara, city in southwest Uganda, 1,473 m above sea level, (2014) 195,300 residents; Administrative seat of the district of the same name in the western region; catholic archbishop’s seat; University (founded in 1989), health center with four hospitals; Commercial center of an agricultural area, steel mill (owned by the PRC), wood processing, textile, soap and food industry, brewery; Handicrafts; Airfield.
Kampala
Kampala, capital of Uganda,located north of Lake Victoria on several hills, with 1.51 million residents; Seat of a Catholic and an Anglican Archbishop. Kampala is the country’s cultural and economic center. – In pre-colonial times and again since 1993, Kampala was the residence of the Kabaka (king) of Buganda.
Tombs of the Buganda Kings (World Heritage)
The Kingdom of Buganda is the nucleus of today’s Uganda. The graves of the Buganda kings on Kasubi Hill in the capital of Uganda were considered a spiritual center until they were destroyed by fire in March 2010. Four kings and their relatives have been buried here since the 19th century.
Tombs of the Buganda Kings: Facts
| Official title: | Tombs of the Buganda kings in Kasubi |
| Cultural monument: | 0.3 km² total area on a slope within the Kampala district; mostly traditionally managed agricultural landscape; Palace architecture from the »Ganda« culture in the pre-colonial kingdom of Buganda, the nucleus of today’s Uganda; including the former palace of the Kabakas of Buganda (built in 1882), converted into a royal tomb in 1884; almost completely destroyed by fire in March 2010; Attempt at reconstruction |
| Continent: | Africa |
| Country: | Uganda |
| Location: | Kasubi, near the capital Kampala |
| Appointment: | 2001 |
| Meaning: | Spiritual center for Uganda and all of East Africa |
