Uganda , [ b ] officially the Republic of Uganda , [ c ] is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered to the east by Kenya , to the north by South Sudan , to the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo , to the south-west by Rwanda , and to the south by Tanzania. The southern part includes a substantial portion of Lake Victoria , shared with Kenya and Tanzania. Uganda is in the African Great Lakes region, it lies within the Nile basin, and has a varied equatorial climate. As of [update] , it has a population of over 49 million, of which 8.
Uganda is named after the Buganda kingdom, which encompasses a large portion of the south, including Kampala, and whose language Luganda is widely spoken; the official language is English. The region was populated by various ethnic groups, before Bantu and Nilotic groups arrived around 3, years ago. These groups established influential kingdoms such as the Empire of Kitara.
The arrival of Arab traders in the s and British explorers in the late 19th century, marked the beginning of foreign influence. The British established the Protectorate of Uganda in , incorporating various kingdoms and setting the stage for future political dynamics. Uganda gained independence in , with Milton Obote as the first prime minister. The Mengo Crisis marked a significant conflict with the Buganda kingdom, as well as the country's conversion from a parliamentary system to a presidential system.
Idi Amin 's military coup in led to a brutal regime characterized by mass killings and economic decline, until his overthrow in This brought stability and growth, but authoritarian practices and human rights abuses continued.
The abolition of presidential term limits, allegations of electoral fraud and repression, have raised concerns about Uganda's democratic future.
