Countries, Compared

Uganda

Uganda sits in East Africa, landlocked, with South Sudan to the north, Kenya to the east, Tanzania and Rwanda to the south, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west.

Countries, Compared: country research and comparison

Uganda

Uganda sits in East Africa, landlocked, with South Sudan to the north, Kenya to the east, Tanzania and Rwanda to the south, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west. The United Nations Statistics Division assigns it M49 code 800, ISO alpha-2 UG, and ISO alpha-3 UGA, placing it in the region Africa and subregion Sub-Saharan Africa. It is a UN member state, and the World Bank lists the capital as Kampala.

These identifiers come from the UN M49 overview and the World Bank country API. M49 is a statistical coding scheme, not a political or territorial endorsement. The World Bank capital field is administrative data, not a legal or constitutional definition of a capital city. When you compare Uganda with another territory, confirm that both data points draw from the same classification system. A UN figure and a CIA World Factbook figure may use different territorial definitions and are not interchangeable.

Uganda hosts the world’s largest refugee population, with about 1.5 million refugees recorded by UNHCR in 2023.

Stable identifiers

  • UN M49 code: 800
  • ISO alpha-2: UG
  • ISO alpha-3: UGA
  • UN region: Africa
  • UN subregion: Sub-Saharan Africa
  • UN member state: Yes
  • World Bank capital field: Kampala

Confirmed facts

Use only these data points.

  • Geography: Landlocked nation in East Africa. Neighbours are South Sudan, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
  • Land area: 199,810 sq km (World Bank).
  • Capital: Kampala.
  • Official languages: English and Swahili. Swahili was made an official language by the government in 2022. Luganda and other languages are widely spoken.
  • Currency: Ugandan shilling (UGX).
  • Population: Approximately 47 million (2024, World Bank). The median age is around 16 years.
  • Refugee population: About 1.5 million refugees, the largest hosted population globally (UNHCR, 2023).
  • GDP per capita (PPP): Approximately 3,650 international dollars (World Bank, 2023).
  • Life expectancy at birth: 63.4 years (World Bank, 2022).
  • Literacy rate (age 15+): 76.5% (UNESCO, 2018).
  • Internet penetration: About 30% (ITU, 2023).
  • Government: Presidential republic with a dominant-party system. President Yoweri Museveni has held power since 1986.
  • Major religions: Christianity (Roman Catholic, Anglican, Pentecostal), Islam, and indigenous beliefs.
  • Main exports: Coffee, tea, fish, gold, and increasingly ICT services.
  • IANA country code top-level domain: .ug.
  • Time zone: UTC+3 (East Africa Time, no daylight saving).

How to verify current data

Volatile figures (population, GDP, inflation, exchange rates, and visa rules) change frequently. Do not treat a static page as current. Pull from the primary sources below and always note the reference year.

Population

Use the UN World Population Prospects (population.un.org/wpp) or the World Bank’s population indicator. Both publish annual estimates. Record the year of the estimate you cite.

Economy and income

For GDP, income grouping, and poverty statistics, use the World Bank country page (data.worldbank.org/country/uganda). The World Bank API at https://api.worldbank.org/v2/country/UG?format=json returns metadata including region and income level. When you query a specific series, the response includes the reference year.

Language

Consult Ethnologue or the most recent national census. Distinguish between “official language” and “most spoken language.” The constitution names English and Swahili as official, but Luganda is spoken more widely in daily life.

Currency and exchange rates

Check the Bank of Uganda or a current currency converter. Exchange rates move daily. A rate quoted in a profile from six months ago may be stale.

Government structure

Use the CIA World Factbook or the official Uganda government portal. Note the year of the constitution or the most recent amendment. The current presidential republic framework dates from the 1995 constitution, with amendments since.

Travel and visa requirements

Read your own government’s current official travel advice and the IATA Travel Centre. Never rely on a general country profile for entry rules. Visa policies shift without notice, and a profile cannot substitute for a live consular source.

Health and development indicators

For life expectancy and health data, consult the WHO country page. For literacy and education figures, use the UNESCO country page. For internet penetration, refer to the ITU. For governance and political rights assessments, Freedom House publishes annual reports.

Primary research sources

  • UN M49 overview: https://unstats.un.org/unsd/methodology/m49/overview/ (classification codes, region, and subregion)
  • World Bank country API: https://api.worldbank.org/v2/country/UG?format=json (economic and development indicators)
  • WHO country page: https://www.who.int/countries/uga/en/
  • UNESCO country page: https://uis.unesco.org/en/country/ug
  • IANA root zone database: https://www.iana.org/domains/root/db/ug.html
  • Freedom House: https://freedomhouse.org/country/uganda
  • CIA World Factbook: https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/uganda/
  • IMF: https://www.imf.org/en/Countries/UGA
  • World Bank: https://data.worldbank.org/country/uganda
  • WHO: https://www.who.int/countries/uga/

Adjacent guides

  • /compare/ Compare territories side-by-side
  • /sources/ Source literacy and data provenance
  • /methodology/ How territory comparison works