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PHYSICAL FEATURES Despite its small area, Uganda has a remarkable physical and biological diversity. This diversity is due to the fact that Uganda's altitude and its distance from the sea modify the temperature and humidity associated with equatorial-Africa. The equator literally slices the country into two from east to west. Although Uganda is a land-locked country, around 20% of the country consists of lakes, rivers and swamps and boggy areas. These expanses of water also help to moderate the equatorial climate and explain why Uganda exports thousands of tonnes of fish. Much of Uganda is a plateau, approximately 1000metres above sea level. To the east, near the border with Kenya are volcanic mountains such as Mount Elgon, Mount Moroto and Mount Napak, where equatorial mountain forests survive in sharp contrast to the vast and semi-arid plains that stretch northwards to the Sudan. The western borders are even more spectacular, with the high and rugged peaks of the Ruwenzori Mountains towering over glaciers and snowfields and, at lower altitudes, dense forest. The most important physical feature of the country is the River Nile. For centuries the Nile has been a natural meeting point for different political systems, ecological zones and ethnic groups. Physical features and the climate are the principal determinants of the most important element of the country's economy, agriculture. Generally, the soils to the south and west of the Nile are fertile and well watered. These lands lie between the Kenyan border to the east, Mount Elgon, the River Nile, and Lake Kyoga to the north, and the spectacular Rift Valley to the west. This is what is generally referred to as the 'fertile crescent'.This area is relatively more densely populated because it provides the right conditions for agricultural activity. |
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Last
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