Uganda, officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. It covers an area of 236,860 square kilometres and has a population of around 32.7 million, of which about 1.8 million live in Kampala, the country’s capital.
The majority of Uganda’s population is Christian. Muslims make up the religious minority at around ten percent. Uganda’s population consists of over 40 ethnically distinct groups. These ethnic groups can be divided into the two major groups of Nilotes and Bantu. Due to this ethnic diversity, different regional languages are spoken in Uganda. The most important regional languages include Iteso, Luganda, Rwanyankole and Luo. The country’s official languages are English and Swahili.
Sights in Uganda
Many of the country’s attractions can be visited in the capital Kampala. These include, for example, Kampala’s mosques, the Uganda Museum, the tombs of the former kings of Buganda from 1884, the Sikh temple, Rubaga Cathedral or the city’s palaces, which were built in the former Kingdom of Buganda.
Among the country’s special tourist attractions are gorilla safaris. Gorillas can be observed particularly on Mount Mgahinga and Mount Muhavura. Other attractions include the national parks, where the country’s nature is protected. Visitors can take tours through the parks and observe the native animals in their natural habitats. Uganda’s national parks include, for example, Kidepo Valley, Murchison Falls and Queen Elizabeth National Parks. In these parks, visitors can observe elephants, lions, Uganda kobs, buffalo, Rothschild’s giraffes and many other wild animal species.
Location and climate of Uganda
Uganda is a landlocked country in East Africa. To the west, it borders the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the east Kenya, to the southwest Rwanda, to the south Tanzania and to the north South Sudan. Around 18 percent of Rwanda’s land area consists of lakes and swamps. Uganda’s landscape is also covered by extensive savannahs and rainforests.
Uganda has a predominantly tropical highland climate with two dry seasons. The first dry season begins in December and ends in February, and the second runs from June to August. However, rainfall has been decreasing in some parts of the country in recent years, so that only one rainy season now occurs in some regions. Temperatures in Uganda are tropical warm, ranging between 25 and 30 degrees Celsius. Due to the country’s altitude, Uganda does not experience particularly cold or hot temperatures.
Arrival and entry
Uganda’s international airport, Entebbe International Airport, is located about 30 kilometres from the capital Kampala. From Germany, this airport can be reached, for example, via London or Nairobi. From Entebbe Airport, onward travel is possible by taxi or bus. Uganda can also be reached by car via border roads from Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. From South Sudan, there is no possibility for tourists to enter the country by car.
German tourists require a passport and a visa to enter Uganda. The passport must still be valid for at least three months on the day of entry, and the visa can be applied for in advance at the competent embassy. However, a fee-based visa valid for 30 days is also issued to tourists at Entebbe Airport and at some border crossings.
