Uganda Geography Profile 2008

Location

Eastern Africa, west of Kenya

Geographic coordinates

1 00 N, 32 00 E

Map references

Africa

Area

total: 236,040 sq km
land: 199,710 sq km
water: 36,330 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Oregon

Land boundaries

total: 2,698 km
border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 765 km, Kenya 933 km, Rwanda 169 km, Sudan 435 km, Tanzania 396 km

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Climate

tropical; generally rainy with two dry seasons (December to February, June to August); semiarid in northeast

Terrain

mostly plateau with rim of mountains

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Lake Albert 621 m
highest point: Margherita Peak on Mount Stanley 5,110 m

Natural resources

copper, cobalt, hydropower, limestone, salt, arable land

Land use

arable land: 21.57%
permanent crops: 8.92%
other: 69.51% (2005)

Irrigated land

90 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources

66 cu km (1970)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 0.3 cu km/yr (43%/17%/40%)
per capita: 10 cu m/yr (2002)

Natural hazards

NA

Environment - current issues

draining of wetlands for agricultural use; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; water hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria; widespread poaching

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geography - note

landlocked; fertile, well-watered country with many lakes and rivers