To put it in the words of the Lonely Planet, “With a tapestry of landscapes, excellent wildlife watching and welcoming locals, Uganda packs a lot into one small country.”
A landlocked East African nation, Uganda was named as “The Pearl of Africa” by Sir Winston Churchill due to its magnificent natural and well as human diversity. The locals are famous for their warm and welcoming nature and in spite of the fact that a major population still survives in poverty, you’ll always find them to be happy. While thousands of people travel to Kenya & Tanzania as well as South Africa, not many prefer to explore this country that has so much in store for travelers.
No matter whether you are looking for an offbeat wildlife encounter or wish to volunteer and contribute towards the Ugandan society, your journey to this land will surely make a mark in your life.
Here are 10 amazing & lesser-known facts about Uganda that one must know:
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1. More than 50% of the Ugandan population comprises of people below the age of 14. It’s the youngest country in the world having the maximum number of youth, with the average age of the people going up till 50-60 years.
2. According to reports, more than a million tourists visit Uganda every year. In 2012, the Lonely Planet selected Uganda as the Best Tourist Location. It’s also among the Top 16 Holiday Destinations for 2016 by CNN.
3. The world’s smallest church which stands at a width of approximately 2.5m and a height of 8ft lies near the Biku hill, 18km drive from the town of Nebbi in the northwest of Uganda. The tiny worshipping place accommodates just three people including the priest, at a time.
4. Mountain gorillas are becoming extinct and there are only around 750 of them left in the world, a majority of whom resides in the national parks of Uganda. Bwindi National Park and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park are the two places where one can surely find the mountain gorillas – and there are special treks organized for the animal lovers. These mountain gorillas are not found anywhere in the world, except the neighboring areas of Parc de Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, and Virunga in Congo.
5. Uganda is also home to 11% of the world’s bird population with nearly 1,061 different bird species. It’s a paradise for bird watchers.
6. Uganda is one of the poorest nations in the world, with more than 50% of the population surviving on less than a dollar per day. Due to poverty, there’s slow growth in the literacy rate as well as inadequate healthcare facilities. Thus, volunteers can play an effective role in Ugandan society, helping the locals in order to live a better life.
7. Football is not only the favorite sport of the locals but also the National Sport. Ugandans are extremely enthusiastic about the game and take it quite seriously. Although they rank as low as 93 in the world, parents in the country send their kids to learn the sport and you can volunteer for football coaching in Uganda and help the little ones learn the tricks of the game.
8. If you are served with a plateful of pan-fried grasshoppers, then consider yourself as a special guest! It’s a famous local delicacy that’s loved by them and offered to the guests for a delightful treat!
9. Uganda ranks number 1 in Africa and number 8 in the world in alcohol consumption! Although people have a very low earning rate, Ugandans love their share of alcohol and top the chart when it comes to drinking!
10. The imaginary line termed as ‘Equator’, which divided the Earth into the Northern and the Southern Hemisphere, runs through Uganda, as well as several other African countries. The line has been marked at 72 km along the Kampala-Masaka Road and another equator mark is located in Kasese District within the Queen Elizabeth National Park.
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