Economy overview: Uganda has significant natural resources, including fertile soil regularly rained and significant mineral deposits, including copper and cobalt. Agriculture is the most important sector of the economy, employing over 80% of the workforce. Coffee is the main export crop and generates most of the export earnings. Since 1986, the government, with the support of foreign countries and international organizations, has been restoring and stabilizing the economy by carrying out a monetary reform, promoting an increase in purchase prices for export crops, increasing prices for petroleum products, and raising the wages of civil servants. Policy changes are specifically aimed at reducing inflation, increasing the profitability of production and exports. In 1990-2000 the economy has been transformed by continued investment in rehabilitating infrastructure, stimulating manufacturing and exports, reducing inflation, improving domestic security, and the return of exiled Indian entrepreneurs. Uganda’s continued involvement in the war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, government corruption, and the government’s lack of resolve to pursue reforms cast doubt on the prospects for sustaining sustained economic growth. In 2000, the country made provisions for $1.3 billion in debt relief under the Indebted Poor Countries Relief Program and $145 million in debt relief to the Paris Club. In total, taking into account the amounts previously written off under the Assistance to Poor Countries Program, there was a debt relief of $ 2 billion. Growth in 2001. See topb2bwebsites.com to know more about Uganda in 2004. GDP: at purchasing power parity – $26.2 billion (2000 est.). Real GDP growth rate: 6% (2000 est.). GDP per capita: at purchasing power parity – $1,100 (2000 est.). The composition of GDP by sectors of the economy: agriculture: 43%; industry: 17%; services: 40% (1998 est.). Proportion of population below the poverty line: 55% (1993 est.). Percentage distribution of household income or consumption: per 10% of the poorest families: 3%; by the top 10% of families: 33.4% (1992). Inflation rate at consumer prices: 6.5% (2000). Labor force: 8.361 million people (1993 est.). Employment structure: agriculture 82%, industry 5%, services 13% (1999 est.). Unemployment rate: no data. Budget: revenues: $959 million; expenditures: $1.04 billion, including capital expenditures – NA (FY98-99 est.). Spheres of economy: sugar industry, brewing, production of tobacco, cotton fabrics, cement. Growth in industrial production: 7% (1999). Electricity generation: 1.326 billion kWh (1999) Sources of electricity generation: fossil fuels: 0.98%; hydropower: 99.02%; nuclear fuel: 0%; others: 0% (1999). Electricity consumption: 1.06 million kWh (1999) Electricity export: 174 million kWh (1999). Electricity import: 1 million kWh (1999). Agricultural products: coffee, tea, cotton, tobacco, cassava, potatoes, corn, millet, beans; beef, goat meat, milk, poultry. Export: $500.1 million (free on board, 1999) Exports: coffee, fish and fish products, tea; electrical goods, iron, steel. Export partners: Spain, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Kenya (1999). Imports: $1.1 billion (free on board, 1999) Imports: vehicles, petroleum products, medical equipment, grain. Import partners: Kenya 27.5%, US 21.2%, France 19.3%, UK 5%, India 4% (1999). External debt: $3.6 billion (2000 est.). Economic aid recipient: $1.4 million (2000) Economic aid donor: Currency: Ugandan shilling. Currency code: UGX. Exchange rate: UGX/USD – 1,700 (February 2001), 1,830.4 (January 2001), 1,644.5 (2000), 1,454.8 (1999), 1,240.2 (1998), 1,083, 0 (1997), 1046.1 (1996). Fiscal year: July 1-June 30.
Telecommunications
Telecommunications Telephone lines: 50 074; in total, however, 80,868 main lines were drawn (1998). Mobile cell phones: 9,000 (1998). Telephone system: does not meet serious requirements; two cellular networks have been put into operation, but a significant increase in the number of main lines is needed; Internet access and e-mail services are provided; internal: long-distance wire communication, microwave radio relay lines and radiotelephone communication stations; stationary and mobile systems of cellular communication of short ranges; international: satellite earth stations – 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Inmarsat; analog connection to Kenya and Tanzania. Broadcast stations: AM -19, FM – 4, shortwave -5 (1998). Radio receivers: 2.6 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 8 (and 1 low power repeater) (1999). Televisions: 315,000 (1997). Internet country code: ug Internet service providers: 2 (2000). Number of users: 25,000 (2000).
Transport
Transport Railways: total: 1,241 km; narrow gauge (1,000 m): 1,241 km; note: railway rehabilitation program (1995) is underway. Roads: total: 27,000 km; coated: 1,800 km; unpaved: 25,200 km (of which about 4,200 km are usable in all weather) (1990). Waterways: Victoria, Alberta, Kyoga, George, Edward lakes; Victoria Nile, Albert Nile. Ports and harbors: Jinja, Port Bell, Entebbe. Merchant navy: total: 3 vessels (displacement 1,000 tons or more) with a total displacement of 5,091 gross register tons / 8,229 long tons of full load capacity; ships of different types: ferries – 3; note: these vessels carry out cargo and passenger transportation by inland waterways (est. 2000). Airports: 28 (2000 est.). Airports with paved runways: total: 4; over 3,047 m: 3; from 1524 to 2437 m: 1 (2000 est.). Airports with unpaved runways: total: 24; from 2438 to 3047 m:1; from 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6; from 914 to 1523 m: 9; less than 914 m: 8 (2000 est.). Helipads: 1 (2000 est.).
Armed forces
Branches of the armed forces: army, air force, navy. Total military manpower: men 15 to 49: 5,118,755 (2001 est.). Eligible for military service: males aged 15 to 49: 2,778,457 (2001 est.). Number of persons reaching military age each year: Military spending in dollar terms: $95 million (FY98-99). Military spending as part of GDP: 1.9% (FY98-99)
International Issues
International Issues International Disputes: Uganda’s armed forces support rebels in civil war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; reconciliation of the latitudinal border with Tanzania in 2000 revealed a three-hundred-meter discrepancy in opinion about its passage.
