Eastern Africa profiles : Uganda

This document profiles Uganda"s economic and agricultural conditions, as well as issues such as soil erosion, deforestation, game park deterioration, and environmentally related diseases. In the Lake Victoria region in southeast Uganda, population pressure, heavy rainfall, and intensive cultivation have combined to make erosion a growing concern. In the arid and semi-arid areas of Karamoja and Ankole in the north, soils have lost much of their humus content and vegetation cover; as a result, sedimentation in small dams and reservoirs is becoming a serious problem. depletion of vegetation for fuel is of significant proportions in much of central and northern Uganda, and a major problem in the eastern part of the country. Wildlife populations in national game parks were one of the many casualties of the Amin regime, as larger game were devastated first by poachers and then by soldiers. The environment also plays a large role in determining health conditions in many parts of Uganda. Nutritional deficiencies are a problem in semi-arid areas, while water-borne pests and diseases are problems in areas with swamps and lakes. Other topics discussed in the report include, inter alia: drought and famine; the black market economy; skilled personnel shortages; and regional/tribal disparities in economic development. A 24-item bibliography is included.