Busia, Uganda
Encyclopedia
Busia is a town in Eastern Uganda
. It is the main municipal, administrative and commercial center of Busia District
and the district headquarters are located there. The district is named after the town.
, Eastern Uganda
, at the border with the Republic of Kenya. The town lies approximately 202 kilometres (125.5 mi), by road, east of Kampala
, the capital of Uganda
and the largest city in the country. The coordinates of the town are:00 28 01N, 34 05 24E (Latitude:0.4669; Longitude:34.0900).
across the border, are busy commercial centers with heavy commercial traffic in both directions. Goods from Uganda include cash crops like coffee
, cotton
and timber
destined for the Kenyan port of Mombasa
for export. Foodstuffs like fish
, bananas, pineapples and mangoes, maize
, beans, groundnuts, sorghum
destined for the Kenyan market also come across. In the opposite direction, Uganda
imports petroleum products, manufactured goods and household items like cooking oil
, soap
, clothing
, electronics
and automobiles.
Busia is the busiest border crossing between the two neighboring member countries of the East African Community
. The border town of Malaba
approximately 46 kilometres (28.6 mi) to the north, is the second busiest crossing point between Uganda and Kenya, along their common border. See table below:
Eastern Region, Uganda
Eastern Region is a region of Uganda. It is divided into the following districts:...
. It is the main municipal, administrative and commercial center of Busia District
Busia District, Uganda
Busia District is a district in the Eastern region of Uganda. Like many other Ugandan districts, it is named after its main town, Busia.-Location:...
and the district headquarters are located there. The district is named after the town.
Location
Busia is located in Busia DistrictBusia District, Uganda
Busia District is a district in the Eastern region of Uganda. Like many other Ugandan districts, it is named after its main town, Busia.-Location:...
, Eastern Uganda
Eastern Region, Uganda
Eastern Region is a region of Uganda. It is divided into the following districts:...
, at the border with the Republic of Kenya. The town lies approximately 202 kilometres (125.5 mi), by road, east of Kampala
Kampala
Kampala is the largest city and capital of Uganda. The city is divided into five boroughs that oversee local planning: Kampala Central Division, Kawempe Division, Makindye Division, Nakawa Division and Lubaga Division. The city is coterminous with Kampala District.-History: of Buganda, had chosen...
, the capital of Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
and the largest city in the country. The coordinates of the town are:00 28 01N, 34 05 24E (Latitude:0.4669; Longitude:34.0900).
Population
In 2002, the national census estimated the population of Busia, Uganda at about 36,630 inhabitants. In 2010, the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), estimated the population of the town at about 45,700 people. In 2011, UBOS estimated the population of the town at approximately 47,100.Economic activity
The town, together with its sister city Busia, KenyaBusia, Kenya
Busia is a town in Western Kenya. It is the largest town in Busia District, Kenya and the district headquarters are located there.-Location:Busia, Kenya is located in Busia District, in Kenya's Western Province, approximately , by road, west of Nairobi, Kenya's capital and largest city...
across the border, are busy commercial centers with heavy commercial traffic in both directions. Goods from Uganda include cash crops like coffee
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
, cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
and timber
Timber
Timber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
destined for the Kenyan port of Mombasa
Mombasa
Mombasa is the second-largest city in Kenya. Lying next to the Indian Ocean, it has a major port and an international airport. The city also serves as the centre of the coastal tourism industry....
for export. Foodstuffs like fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
, bananas, pineapples and mangoes, maize
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
, beans, groundnuts, sorghum
Sorghum
Sorghum is a genus of numerous species of grasses, one of which is raised for grain and many of which are used as fodder plants either cultivated or as part of pasture. The plants are cultivated in warmer climates worldwide. Species are native to tropical and subtropical regions of all continents...
destined for the Kenyan market also come across. In the opposite direction, Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
imports petroleum products, manufactured goods and household items like cooking oil
Cooking oil
Cooking oil is purified fat of plant origin, which is usually liquid at room temperature ....
, soap
Soap
In chemistry, soap is a salt of a fatty acid.IUPAC. "" Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 2nd ed. . Compiled by A. D. McNaught and A. Wilkinson. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford . XML on-line corrected version: created by M. Nic, J. Jirat, B. Kosata; updates compiled by A. Jenkins. ISBN...
, clothing
Clothing
Clothing refers to any covering for the human body that is worn. The wearing of clothing is exclusively a human characteristic and is a feature of nearly all human societies...
, electronics
Electronics
Electronics is the branch of science, engineering and technology that deals with electrical circuits involving active electrical components such as vacuum tubes, transistors, diodes and integrated circuits, and associated passive interconnection technologies...
and automobiles.
Busia is the busiest border crossing between the two neighboring member countries of the East African Community
East African Community
The East African Community is an intergovernmental organisation comprising the five east African countries Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda. Pierre Nkurunziza, the President of the Republic of Burundi, is the current Chairman of the East African Community. The EAC was originally...
. The border town of Malaba
Malaba, Uganda
Malaba, Uganda is a town in Tororo District, Eastern Uganda, on Uganda's eastern border with Kenya.-Location:The town is located on the main highway between Kampala and Nairobi, approximately , by road, east of Kampala, Uganda's capital and largest city...
approximately 46 kilometres (28.6 mi) to the north, is the second busiest crossing point between Uganda and Kenya, along their common border. See table below:
| Rank | Border Town | Share of Exports | Share of Imports |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Busia Busia Busia may refer to the following:Places*Busia District, Kenya*Busia District, Uganda*Busia, Uganda, the Ugandan town on the border with Kenya*Busia, Kenya, the Kenyan town on the border with UgandaPeople... |
42.7% | 54.3% |
| 2 | Mpondwe Mpondwe -Location:Mpondwe is located in the Rwenzori Mountains, in Kasese District, Western Uganda. The town lies at the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Bwera is another settlement to the immediate east of Mpondwe border crossing... |
25.0% | 10.6% |
| 3 | Malaba Malaba, Uganda Malaba, Uganda is a town in Tororo District, Eastern Uganda, on Uganda's eastern border with Kenya.-Location:The town is located on the main highway between Kampala and Nairobi, approximately , by road, east of Kampala, Uganda's capital and largest city... |
7.8% | 19.9% |
| 4 | Paidha Paidha -Location:Paidha is located in Zombo District, West Nile sub region in Northern Uganda. The town lies close to the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is located approximately , by road, south of Arua, the largest city in the sub-region. This location lies approximately , by road,... |
9.3% | 2.2% |
| 5 | Others | 15.2 % | 13.0 % |
| Total | 100.0% | 100.0% |
Landmarks
The landmarks within the town or close to its borders include:- The headquarters of Busia District AdministrationBusia District, UgandaBusia District is a district in the Eastern region of Uganda. Like many other Ugandan districts, it is named after its main town, Busia.-Location:...
- The offices of Busia (Uganda) Town Council
- Busia (Uganda) Central Market
- Masafu General Hospital - A public hospital, located in the town of Masafu, about 8 kilometres (5 mi), by road, south of town.
- A branch of Barclays BankBarclays Bank (Uganda)Barclays Bank Limited, commonly known as Barclays Bank , is a commercial bank in Uganda. It is one of the twenty-three commercial banks licensed by Bank of Uganda, the national banking regulator.-Overview:...
- A branch of Equity BankEquity Bank (Uganda)-Overview:The bank provides banking services to individuals and to small and medium business enterprises. As of December 2009, the bank was the 14th largest commercial bank in Uganda with an estimated asset valuation of approximately US$81.4 million or approximately 2% of all bank assets in the...
- A branch of Stanbic BankStanbic Bank (Uganda) LimitedStanbic Bank Limited is a commercial bank in Uganda. It is one of the commercial banks licensed by Bank of Uganda, the national banking regulator.-Overview:...
- A branch of Uganda Finance Trust LimitedUganda Finance Trust LimitedUganda Finance Trust Limited , commonly called Finance Trust, is a Microfinance Deposit-taking Institution in Uganda.-Location:...
- A Tier III Financial InstitutionBanking in Uganda-The early years:Prior to Uganda’s independence in 1962, Government-owned institutions dominated most banking in Uganda. In 1966 the Bank of Uganda, which controlled the issue of currency and managed foreign exchange reserves, became the Central Bank. Uganda Commercial Bank, which had fifty... - The International border crossing between UgandaUgandaUganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
and KenyaKenyaKenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east... - The Majanji Landing site on Lake VictoriaLake VictoriaLake Victoria is one of the African Great Lakes. The lake was named for Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, by John Hanning Speke, the first European to discover this lake....
for fish, which is one of the main foods in the area. Lake Victoria is Africa’s largest lake by area, and it is the largest tropical lake in the world. Lake Victoria is also the world's second largest freshwater lake(Only Lake Superior in North America is larger.) In terms of its volume, Lake Victoria is the world's eighth largest continental lake. - Busitema Forest is roughly 10 square miles (25.9 km²) bisected by the main highway between Uganda and Kenya in Busia. A pleasant surprise while passing through Busitema Forest is it's resident population of baboons. They are so to say "spoiled", as passersby regularly feed them bananas. In fact, local reports say they occasionally get pretty aggressive with cars in search of food.
External links
See also
- Busia, KenyaBusia, KenyaBusia is a town in Western Kenya. It is the largest town in Busia District, Kenya and the district headquarters are located there.-Location:Busia, Kenya is located in Busia District, in Kenya's Western Province, approximately , by road, west of Nairobi, Kenya's capital and largest city...
- Busia District, UgandaBusia District, UgandaBusia District is a district in the Eastern region of Uganda. Like many other Ugandan districts, it is named after its main town, Busia.-Location:...
- Busia District, KenyaBusia District, KenyaBusia is a district in the Western Province of Kenya. It borders Kakamega District to the east, Bungoma District and Teso district to the north, Busia District, Uganda to the west, and Lake Victoria to the south....
- Eastern Region, UgandaEastern Region, UgandaEastern Region is a region of Uganda. It is divided into the following districts:...