Travellers are flocking to Uganda's beautiful mountains, trekking opportunities and communities of mountain gorillas. Kampala is now the modern, bustling capital of a new Uganda, a country with one of the fastest growing economies in Africa.
Uganda's long string of tragedies since independence has been a staple of the Western media, so most people still regard the country as an unstable place to be avoided. However, it's getting back on its feet and the transformation is little short of astounding.
Before independence, Uganda was a prosperous and cohesive country. Its great beauty led Winston Churchill to refer to it as the 'Pearl of Africa', but by the mid-1980s it lay shattered and bankrupt, broken by tribal animosity, nepotism, insanely corrupt politics, mass murder and military tyranny. Despite the killings and brutality, Ugandans appear to have weathered the storm remarkably well. However, even rose-coloured glasses won't hide the country's huge debt, AIDS crisis and wonky human rights record.
Parts of Uganda should be considered off-limits due to a highly volatile security situation. Rebels in the north are responsible for many crimes against civilians. Ethnic conflict and banditry are common irritants in the northeastern Karamoja region and in neighbouring Katakwi district.
Sections of the country's mountainous west bordering the Democratic Republic of the Congo - including the Ruwenzori mountains and the Bwindi National Park - previously considered insecure have been secured by the government, Nebbi district being the exception.
Much of southern and western Uganda is safe. Areas in the north to avoid include Gulu (including Murchison Falls National Park), Kitgum, Pader, Adjumani, Apac and Lira districts. Kidepo National Park should be visited by air, not by road.
Full country name: Republic of Uganda
Area: 237,000 sq km
Population: 24.6 million
People: Baganda, Lango, Acholi, Pygmy, European, Asian, Arab
Language: Swahili, English, Ganda
Religion: Roman Catholic (33%), Protestant (33%), indigenous beliefs (18%), Muslim (16%)
Government: republic
Head of State: President Yoweri Museveni
GDP: US$22.7 billion
GDP per capita: US$1,020
Inflation: 2.6%
Major Industries: Coffee, sugar, brewing, cotton, tea, textiles, tobacco
Major Trading Partners: Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Italy, Kenya, UK., Japan, India, South Africa
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