Geography

Uganda occupies a chunk of eastern Africa about the size of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by Sudan to the north, Kenya to the east, Lake Victoria, Tanzania and Rwanda to the south, and Congo (formerly Zaire) to the west. With its relatively low population density and resurgence of wildlife, Uganda lacks many of the environmental pressures faced by other countries in East Africa. The national parks and wilderness areas are generally in good shape, and conditions are ideal for the native animals to re-establish themselves. The highest density of primates in the world live in Kibale National Park, while Bwindi National Park is one of the last remaining habitats of the mountain gorillas.

About 25% of Uganda's land is fertile and arable, making the country quite capable of producing a food surplus. Lake Victoria and the Victoria Nile, which flows through much of the country, create one of the best irrigated areas of Africa.

The land varies from the lush and fertile shores of Lake Victoria in the southeast, to semi-desert in the northeast. Uganda is fairly flat, with mountains only in the extreme east (Mt Elgon), far west (Ruwenzori Mountains) and the beautiful south-west, close to the Rwandan border. Though flat, the country is high, with an average altitude of over 3,280 feet.