Uganda: landmarks, animals & facts for kids

Uganda is a landlocked country in East Africa, lying across the equator. It borders Kenya, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and Tanzania, and it shares Lake Victoria, Africa's largest lake, with Kenya and Tanzania. The capital, Kampala, is built on a series of hills near the lake's northern shore.

Uganda is often called the 'Pearl of Africa' for its green landscapes, lakes and wildlife, including mountain gorillas and chimpanzees. On the globe you can find Murchison Falls, where the Nile squeezes through a narrow rocky gap, the source of the Nile at Jinja, and the grey crowned crane, Uganda's national bird.

Geography and nature

Much of Uganda is a high plateau with a pleasant climate, plenty of rain and fertile soil. The Rwenzori Mountains on the western border, called the 'Mountains of the Moon', have glaciers even though they are near the equator; Margherita Peak, about 5,109 metres, is the highest point. The White Nile begins where it flows out of Lake Victoria near Jinja. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest is home to about half of the world's mountain gorillas, and savanna parks shelter lions that climb trees, elephants and hippos.

People, languages and culture

Uganda has more than 40 languages. English and Swahili are official, and Luganda is widely spoken around Kampala. Most Ugandans are Christian, and there is a large Muslim community. A favourite meal is matoke, steamed and mashed green bananas, and a popular street snack is the 'rolex', an omelette rolled in a chapati. Bark cloth, made by beating the inner bark of fig trees, is an ancient craft of the Baganda people listed by UNESCO. Drumming and dance are part of every celebration.

History in a nutshell

Powerful kingdoms such as Buganda, Bunyoro, Ankole and Toro grew up here over centuries. In 1894 Britain made the area a protectorate. Uganda became independent on 9 October 1962. In the 1970s the country went through a period of harsh military rule under Idi Amin, followed by years of unrest. Since the late 1980s it has been more stable, and some of the old kingdoms, including Buganda, have been restored as cultural institutions.