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Uganda Facts

Base City: Kampala and Gulu

Ministry Summary:  Abstinence Program, Drama (Freedom or Everything), Children’s Ministry, and Servant Evangelism (Hut-to-Hut)

Peoples & Culture

Uganda's people are complex and diverse. Bantu speakers, widespread in east, central and southern Africa, include the Baganda and a few other tribes. In the north, the Acholi and Lango are Nilotic speakers and have much in common with natives of southern Sudan. The Teso and Karamojong found in the east are related to the Maasai found in Kenya and Tanzania. In the west, the Ankole and Toro are culturally close to the natives of Rwanda. The famous Pygmies are found in the forests of the west.

Swahili, the language originating from the east African coast is widely spoken though not as well as in Kenya or Tanzania. Luganda, the language of the Kabaka, is also widely spoken. English is understood by good numbers though only in urban areas. For the most part, local cuisine consists of matoke (a staple based on green bananas), millet bread, cassava, sweet potatoes, chicken, goat and beef stews and freshwater fish. Ugali, the maize meal based filler popular in east Africa is used as an accompaniment for meat or vegetable dishes.

Language:  English (official); Luganda and numerous other local languages. Swahili is generally spoken only among the Ugandan military.                      

Time Zone: E.A.T – 7 to 11hrs. ahead of US. (account for East and West Coast)

Electricity:  Electrical current is 220 volts, 50Hz. Three-pin, rectangular blade plugs are in use.      

Religion:     Nominal Christianity / Many involved with Witchcraft                                                 

Currency:   The official currency is the Ugandan Shilling (UGX), which is divided into 100 cents. There are  approximately 1,700 UGS to 1 US dollar.                        

Life expectancy: 51 yrs

Random Facts:

  • Uganda is slightly smaller than Oregon
  • Kampala, Uganda's capital is sometimes called the "city of seven hills" although it now covers more than twenty.
  • Uganda is famous for gorillas that live in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and the Mgahinga National Park.
  • English is the official language with a significant number of native Swahili dialects spoken
  • The biggest tribe is the Baganda, who make up 17.3% of the population
  • The smallest tribe is the Vonoma with only 128 people by the time of the census, 60 males and 48 females.
  • You won’t be expected to tip in Uganda. Bargaining is the norm when buying things from a market, street stall, or craft shop.
  • The crested crane is the national bird
  • Uganda lies astride the Equator right in the heart of Africa.
  • Casual dress is usual for most occasions in the daytime or evening
  • The official currency is the Ugandan Shilling (UGX), which is divided into 100 cents
  • The Ishango Bone, a mathematical instrument dated around 6500 BC, was discovered close to the Congo's border with Uganda.
  • 11% of the worlds birds are in Uganda(Country with the most birds in the world)
  • Uganda has no National Flower
  • There is no such thing as ketchup, only a gel like “Tomato sauce”.
  • Uganda’s largest export is coffee

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