The Spirit of Uganda
Shirley Aerts — Strathroy, ON
The black of the flag represents their people; the yellow represents their sunshine and savannahs; the red represents brotherhood; the crested crane, Uganda’s national emblem, adorns the center of the flag. The national anthem is in English because English is their national language. Different tribes have their own languages. The population is made up of four ethnic groups and neighbouring migrants.
Uganda is a land-locked country surrounded by the Republic of Congo, Sudan, Rwanda, Kenya, and Tanzania.
There is subsistence farming throughout, with irrigation needed only in the
eastern district. Much land is fertile and has luscious growth. Peasants grow
food crops, cash crops, and livestock. Crops are tobacco, cotton,
millet, cassava, maise, rice, cotton, coffee, fruits, and sugar cane. They
grow many vegetables and fruits in the gardens. Bananas especially are very
plentiful. It is interesting that coffee is exported, but the native Ugandans
drink African tea, to which spices and hot milk are added.
Some more facts about the country:
- Uganda is one of 54 countries in Africa.
- It has a population of about 25 million.
- It has 55 districts within 8 big districts.
- The altitude ranges from below 750 metres in the basin to over 4,000 metres
in the mountain area.
- There are beautiful national parks that attract tourists.
- Those who live near lakes fish for a living.
- Those who live near the border trade with neighbouring countries.
- In the central district, where the capital Kampala is, there is trade, manufacturing and service industries, as well as subsistence farming.
- The Nile River begins in Uganda.
- Rainfall varies from 750 mm to over 2000 mm per year. They have a mixture
of climates from dry tropical, to hot tropical, humid tropical, to semi-tropical
and tropical. We were in the humid tropical climate.
- There is deforestation for settlement and farming. People use wood for firewood and a source of energy for industry. There is commercial logging. Natural occurrences such as floods, storms, and landslides also harm the environment.
- Although Uganda has mineral resources, lack of capital and technology prohibits
its exploitation.
- Transport and communication are improving.
- Tourists enjoy the parks, waterfalls, and cultural areas. There is, unfortunately,
poaching of wild animals.
The children and their community made us feel welcomed as shown by their happy faces and how they constantly waved as we passed by.
