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Introduction to Uganda
created on:
2001-07-28
Uganda is a landlocked country astride the equator, about 800 kilometers inland from the Indian Ocean. It lies on the northwestern shores of Lake Victoria and is bordered by Tanzania and Rwanda to the south, Congo (former Zaire) to the west, Sudan to the north, and Kenya to the east. With a land surface of 241,139 square kilometers, Uganda occupies most of the Lake Victoria Basin, which was formed by the geological shifts that created the Rift Valley during the Pleistocene era. The Sese Islands and other small islands in Lake Victoria also lie within Uganda's borders.
Nearly one-fifth of the total area, or 44,000 square kilometers, is open water or swampland. Four of East Africa's Great Lakes--Lake Victoria, Lake Kyoga, Lake Albert, and Lake Edward--lie within Uganda or on its borders. Lake Victoria dominates the southeastern corner of the nation, with almost one-half of its 10,200-square-kilometer area lying inside Ugandan territory. It is the second largest inland freshwater lake in the world and it feeds the upper waters of the Nile River, which is referred to in this region as the Victoria Nile.
Southern Uganda lies at an altitude of 1,134 meters above sea level. The plateau that stretches northward from Lake Victoria declines gradually to an altitude of 914 meters on the Sudan border. The gradually sloping terrain is interrupted by a shallow basin dipping toward the center of the country and small areas of tropical forest, which mark the western border with Congo (former Zaire). Both eastern and western borders are marked by mountains. In eastern Uganda, the border with Kenya is marked by volcanic hills. Dominating these, roughly 120 kilometers north of the equator, is Mount Elgon, which rises from the 1,200-meter plains to reach a height of 4,324 meters. Mount Elgon is the cone of an extinct volcano, with ridges radiating thirty kilometers from its crater. Rich soil from its slopes is eroded into the plains below.
Uganda is a beautiful country to visit, with mountains, trekking opportunities and communities of mountain gorillas. Regrettably parts of Uganda are not safe to travel, so check the situation before you plan your trip.
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