Uganda is a landlocked
country in East Africa with an area of 236,000 square kilometres and an estimated
population of over 21 million people, 88% of whom live in rural areas. With 55% of the
people living below the poverty line, Uganda is considered one of the poorest
countries in the world . Since its independence from Great Britain on October 9, 1962, the
political situation in the country has been characterised by frequent periods of unrest
and repression. However, the recent past indicates a period of relative stability and
economic rehabilitation.
Uganda's telephone
network is at a very low level of development with a current capacity of approximately
65,000 lines and an annual growth rate of 5%. In 1999, there were 57,200 connected lines
resulting in a telephone density of 0.26 lines per hundred population. The development of telecommunications
infrastructure is heavily skewed to the capital region: 47% of the installed lines are in
Kampala City; if the suburban areas around Kampala are included, this number is increased
to 57%. Telephone penetration for the Kampala region is 2.83 per hundred population, and
80% of the digital telephone lines and the most modern switching technology are located
there. The situation is
changing, however, as a result of policy reforms initiated by the government in 1996
to liberalise the telecommunications sector.
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