Uganda

General country information

Size

239,000 km², of which 42,000 km² water.

Location

In the heart of the African plateau, which extends from Ethiopia in to north to southern Africa.

Geographic information

Capital: Kampala; airport: Entebbe at Lake Victoria; famous lakes: notably Lake Victoria (at the border to Tanzania and Kenya) with its 84 Sese Islands; mountains: Ruwenzori Mountains ("Mountains of the Moon") with Ruwenzori oeak (5,000 m), the highest non-volcanic mountain in Africa, Kigezi Highlands ("Switzerland of Africa"), Mt. Elgon near the Kenyan border.

Vegetation

Thornbush savannah in the west, (rain)forest in the southwest, spring of the river nile in in Jinja; national parks: Muhavura Range, Bwindi Forest, Kibale Forest: home of about 3/4 of the remaining approx. 600 mountain gorillas, Semliki Forest: home of the Pygmies.

Customs & immigration

No visa required for EU citizens, valid passport is sufficient to enter the country; yellow fever and cholera vaccination required; limited import of cigarettes, 1 bottle of alcoholic beverage, 0.5 litres of perfume, camera etc. allowed, caution: it is prohibited to take pictures at the airport (Entebbe), of military facilities and power stations!!!

Currency

Uganda Shilling.

Bank opening hours: weekdays from 9 am to 2 pm.

Language

English as official language; spoken languages: Kiswahili and Luganda.

Time zone

East African Time (UTC +3 hours)

Climate

Generally sunny with temperatures between 15 and 29 degrees Celsius.

Rainy seasons: March-Mayi, October-November; at Lake Viktoria precipitation throughout the year.

Electricity

240 Volt AC; 3-pin plugs (like UK).

Public holidays

Fixed dates: New Year (1.1.), Liberation Day (26.1.), Women's Day (8.3.), Labour Day (1.5.), Martyrs Day (3.6.), National Heroes Day (9.6.), Independence Day (9.10.), Christmas (25. and 26.12.)

Variable dates: Good Friday, Easter Monday, Idd-Al-Duha, Idd-el-Fitr

Addresses

Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Kampala:
15 Philip Road, Kololo, P.O. Box 7016, Kampala
phone +256 (0)414 501111, fax +256 (0)414 501115, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

British High Commission Kampala:
4 Windsor Loop, P. O. Box 7070, Kampala
phone: +256 (0)312 312000, fax: +256(0) 414 25730, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Embassy of Uganda in Berlin:
Axel-Springer-Str. 54a, 10117 Berlin
phone +49 (0)30 2060990, fax +49 (0)30 2404557, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Uganda High Commission in London:
Uganda House, Plot 58-59 Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DX
phone +44 (0)20 7839 5783, fax +44 (0)20 7839 8925, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.