The country is located in the Eastern part of Africa. Uganda occupies an area of 236580 sq kms and a large area covered by plateaus. The country can be compared to the size of Great Britain or Origon state in the United States of America. The country lies astride the Equator with a mild climate and copious rainfall received three times yearly with sunny months. Uganda is bordered by DRC in the west, Tanzania to the south, and it shares Lake Victoria waters with Uganda and Kenya. In theEast Uganda is bordered by Kenya.
In the north is Sudan which takes in most of waters of the Nile from Uganda. The country is a land locked country with out a sea port so Kenya has been the trading partner for the country since it has got access to the Indian Ocean and to other parts of the world apart from East Africa.
The longest River in the world (River Nile) passes through the heart of Uganda before flowing to the north westwards to Sudan .It begins 4000 miles journey at Jinja 50km East of the Uganda’s capital Kampala at the head waters of Lake Victoria before forming rapids and falls on it’s long journey to the Mediterranean sea.This gives tourists who come to Uganda an amazing Uganda safaris and should not be missed out on a Uganda tour programme. The British explorer, John Hannington Speke saw the source of the Nile in 1862. He looked at the falls and this marked the end of the mystery of the source of the Nile. A well decorated obelisk where Speke stood is now an attraction at the source of Nile in Jinja.
The western part of the country is both mountainous and gently sloping landscape with forested areas. The Snow capped mountain Rwenzori with its ranges in Fort Portal, Kasese and Bundibugyo areas. With the Rift Valley Escapements and Fault Lakes and Rivers like the Mobuku River and River Semiliki.
The north of Rwenzoris is Lake Albert with a slim, rectangular rift lake which divides the border between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. (DRC).AT the top of this lake, the Nile forces its way to a narrow rock barley 20 Feet wide before its way out in a large pool as it flows northwards to Murchison Falls National Park a habitat to diverse Uganda wildlife and it flows northwards towards Sudan and into the Mediterranean Sea.
The south West of the country are extinct volcanic mountains such as Gahinga Muhavura and Sabyinyo being part of the Virunga ranges of DR Congo.Muhabura, the highest among the three.Gahinga is the shortest of the three and known for it’s 300-600 gorillas the only left number in the world which feed on the green luxuriant vegetation found on this mountain. The area is well known for gorilla tracking activity.
The central part of the country is dominated by a down warped mighty Lake Victoria. The country has generated Hydro electric power in Jinja After the formation of the Owen Falls Dam. The dam has supplied the country with power in factories homes for locals and some is imported to the neighboring countries like Kenya.
When the Nile flows north wards, it runs to the palm like Lake Kyoga. The lake is a habitat to thousands of fish folks which leave on the floating Islands of this papyrus vegetation. In the north of the lake, fishing is carried out and the flat savannas are grazing areas for cattle keepers.
The Eastern part of the country has been occupied by a volcanic mountain forming a natural border with Kenya. Mt Elgon is said to be an extinct Volcano. The area is inhabited by the Bagishu who are peasant farmers. They have a unique cultural ritual of circumcision that takes place every even year. Some minerals are also found in this area. Minerals such as asbestos, talc, dolomite and Vermicule. The Tourist activities are all based on Uganda