Uganda
POPULATION
PEOPLE LIVING BELOW THE POVERTY LINE
GDP PER CAPITA (PPP)
Life expectancy at birth: 58.5 years (2014)
Uganda is a landlocked country in Eastern Africa, sitting astride the equator. The capital is Kampala. Previously a British Colony, Uganda has had a turbulent political/military history, with both Idi Amin and Joseph Kony at different times contributing to unrest and insecurity in the country. Yoweri Museveni is the current President, having been in power since 1986.
Five main languages are recognized in Uganda, including English and Swahili, and the country consists of multiple tribal groupings which can be broken into four main ethnic or linguistic groups.
Economically Uganda has been growing strongly over the last two decades, but given that GDP per capita is currently $705, there is still a long way to go. Productivity in the agricultural and non-agricultural sectors must improve to make a marked difference to growth.
While poverty rates have declined, due to a high fertility rate the absolute number of poor has not decreased, and many of those who do not fall under the poverty line (which is set very low) remain vulnerable to poverty. Job creation is required, in order to move people from reliance on subsistence agriculture and begin to economically empower the poor. With the youngest population in the world, job creation is necessary just to keep labour market entrants out of employment. 700,000 jobs per year are required just for this purpose.
HIV/AIDS has been a major challenge in Uganda. While the Government and donors have worked hard to control the pandemic recent signs are that progress may be lost unless prompt action is taken.
All information sourced from World Bank and UNDP data accessed December 2016