Geography
The Republic of Uganda - a country in eastern Africa, located near the equator, north of Lake Victoria. It bordered on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), in the north - with Sudan, in the east - with Kenya in the south - with Rwanda and Tanzania. Uganda is situated on the East African plateau. A large part of the territory of the country is situated at altitudes from 900 up to 1500 m above sea level m. Almost all parties Uganda edged with mountains. The most majestic block mountains - Rwenzori - rise along the western border. Situated virtually on the equator, they are a chain of snow-covered peaks; many of them exceed the mark of 4550 meters, including the highest point of the mountain Uganda Margherita (5109 m). The capital city is Kampala
Vaccinations
Before a trip worth making vaccinated against yellow fever, as well as malaria prophylaxis is not out of place.
Customs
The country allowed duty-free import 200 cigarettes and one litre of spirits. Importation of fruits, plants and seeds, drugs, explosives, and firearms is banned. Export of gold and diamonds, ivory and animal skins, without a specific license from the Customs authorities is not prohibited. Import of foreign currency is not limited. Export of national currency is prohibited (at least formally: tourists still usually grab a few banknotes as souvenirs).
Currency
International name: UGX
Ugandan shilling equal to 100 cents, Banknotes in circulation: 1000, 5000, 10000, 20000 and 50000 shillings. Coins: 1, 2, 5, 10, 50, 100, 200 and 500 shillings.
Foreign currency can be exchanged at hotels, Bureau "Forex" (in most customs offices, hotels, supermarkets in all major cities) or in commercial banks. Credit cards and travel checks take only in large hotels and restaurants. The main Bank of Uganda is the Bank of Uganda, but according to the number of offices, working with clients and bureaux de change leads Barclays Bank. Exchange offices can be found in any city. There is a "bad tradition": United States dollar exchange rate Undervaluation, if they are issued until the year 2001.
Security
Uganda is safe for tourists. A distinctive feature of towns in Uganda is lack of sticking souvenir traders and unnecessary trivia. You can walk freely as the national parks, and on cities. Still need to be careful outside the cities, since animals (elephants, Lions, hippos, and other) are free in their movements.
Climate
Climate is subequatorial, softened significantly high surface. Daytime temperatures in most areas ranges from +27-29° c to-18° c +16 almost everywhere, the average is about 1000 mm of rain per year, while in the South, in areas adjacent to Lake Victoria, and to the West in the Rwenzori mountains-more than 1500 mm. The strongest rains fall in the South in March and September, and about a month earlier than in the North. Clearly pronounced wet and dry seasons, the abundance of fresh water has led to the country's large number of Woods and flowering fields.
Miscellaneous
Language: official language: English, Swahili.
Although English is the official language, is spoken by only educated Ugandans. More Swahili is widely spoken as the language of inter-ethnic communication, although it is not the mother tongue for some ethnic groups. Local languages are often incomprehensible to other ethnic groups relate to four families: Bantu, nilotic, paranilotskoj and Sudanese. 2/3 of the population speaks Bantu languages.
In Uganda, in the Kingdom of Buganda, headed with his Kabakoj — King of the Baganda people, there is a saying in the language of Luganda. Luganda language feature is that any changes are carried out by change of the front part of the word, and not at the end. For example, in the singular word begins on ... and in the plural it begins to ...: munafu-Slacker, banafu-loafers.
Transport
Most of the main roads are supported in relatively acceptable condition, roughly corresponding to the level of Russian roads district scale. However, a large part of the country roads in a very bad state, not everywhere is asphalted, and in some areas is a “Primer". In some remote areas of the country roads become impassable in the rainy season. Required markings, signs and road signs are absent, except for Kampala and national parks. The average speed of movement around the country does not exceed 50 km/h.
Cuisine
Not the most exquisite cuisine. In the restaurants of a standard set of dishes that can be found worldwide. In this highly popular food are potatoes, which the locals call “the irish pottatos”. Extended use of freshwater fish caught in local lakes. Eat poultry and meat. But the most important food in Uganda is Matoki. Matoki banana is a type that does not have a sweet taste and is used in different variations by locals. The cut pieces as queens replace potatoes in the form of a hammer and scalded - mashed potatoes, baked in the form of - chips, and so on.
