Facts on Uganda: The Source of the Nile River

Uganda is another stop on the September 2010 World Race.  It has a harsh past marked with cruel dictatorships and destructive disunity.  Most recently the Lord’s Resistance Army has brought Uganda to the attention of human rights groups.  Uganda is working towards recovery and unity but as a country is waiting for the peace of God to fall.

• Country Size: 241,038 sq km, slightly smaller than Oregon
• Population: 32,369,558
• Approximately 940,000 people are living with AIDS/HIV and there are about 77,000 deaths a year, 9th highest in the world.
• About 41.9% of Uganda’s population is Roman Catholic, 42% is Protestant, 12% is Muslim and 4% is other none.
• On October 9, 1962, Uganda got Independence from the United Kingdom.
• Agriculture is the most important part of the economy, employing over
  80% of the work force
• Uganda is hosts to refugees from many other countries. In particular Sudanese (209,860), Congo (27,560), and Rwanda (19,710).
• When Britain ruled Uganda, it created colonial boundaries based off of ethnic groups with different political systems and cultures.  This infrastructure is believed to have led to the fragmented political system and culture once Uganda is won independence in 1962.
• From 1971-1979 Ida Amin Dada was dictator of Uganda and was responsible for about 300,000 deaths of those who opposed him.
• Following Ida Amin, Milton Obote regain Ugandan presidency.  He ruled by harassing and terrorizing the people, and started ethnic persecution. He was responsible for the deaths of about 100,000 civilians and resulted in a civil war called the Ugandan Bush War.
• The Lord Resistance Army is an insurgent group that is led by Joseph Kony.  It asserts itself as a Christian group following God’s will, but it responsible for the massacres of entire villages and abducting children for the purpose of training them in battle.  The LRA has mostly been driven out of Uganda and remnants are in hiding in Congo and Sudan.