Kamwenge District
Encyclopedia
Kamwenge District is a district
in Western Uganda
. Like most other Uganda
n districts, it is named after its 'chief town', Kamwenge
, where the district headquarters are located. Kamwenge District is part of the Kingdom of Toro, one of the ancient traditional monarchies in Uganda. The kingdom is coterminous with Toro sub-region
, home to an estimated 1 million inhabitants in 2002, according to the national population and housing census conducted that year. The districts that constitute the sub-region are:
and Kiruhura District
to the northeast, Ibanda District
to the east and southeast, Rubirizi District
to the southwest, Kasese District
to the west and Kabarole District
to the northwest. Kamwenge
, the district headquarters lies approximately 300 kilometres (186.4 mi), by road, west of Uganda
's capital, Kampala
. The coordinates of the district are:00 11N, 30 27E.
Kamwenge is made up of two (2) counties and one (1) Municipal Council:
The district is endowed with numerous wetlands, tropical forests in the Kashoha/Kitomi region, and Kibaale National Park, which it shares with Kibale District and Kyenjojo District. In Bwizi subcounty, there are pockets of highland tropical forest on the mountain ranges. There are numerous aquatic systems in the district including:
{| style="font-size:100%;"
|-
| width="100%" align="center" | Kamwenge District Population Trends
|- valign="top"
|
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto"
! style="width:2em;" |Year !!Estimated Population
|-
|2002||295,300
|-
|2003||304,200
|-
|2004||313,300
|-
|2005||322,700
|-
|2006||335,000
|-
|2007||332,400
|-
|2008||342,300
|-
|2009||352,600
|-
|2010||363,200
|-
|}
The predominant ethnic group in the district are Batoro. However, there are a sizable number of Bakiga
who have settled in the district. The languages spoken include:
In the Kitagwenda area of the district, there is fishing, some of it for commercial purposes.
Districts of Uganda
Uganda is divided into 111 districts and one city across four administrative regions. Most districts are named after their main commercial and administrative towns....
in Western Uganda
Western Region, Uganda
Western Region is a region of Uganda. It is divided into the following districts:...
. Like most other 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...
n districts, it is named after its 'chief town', Kamwenge
Kamwenge
Kamwenge is a town in Western Uganda. It is the 'chief town' of Kamwenge District and the district headquarters are located there. The district is named after the town.-Location:...
, where the district headquarters are located. Kamwenge District is part of the Kingdom of Toro, one of the ancient traditional monarchies in Uganda. The kingdom is coterminous with Toro sub-region
Toro sub-region
Toro sub-region is a region in Uganda that is coterminous with Toro Kingdom in Western Uganda. The districts that constitute the sub-region include the following:* Kabarole District* Kamwenge District* Kyegegwa District* Kyenjojo District...
, home to an estimated 1 million inhabitants in 2002, according to the national population and housing census conducted that year. The districts that constitute the sub-region are:
- Kabarole DistrictKabarole DistrictKabarole District is a district in Western Uganda. Kabarole District is part of the Kingdom of Toro, one of the traditional monarchies that are constitutionally recognised in modern-day Uganda. The kingdom is coterminus with Toro sub-region...
- Kamwenge District
- Kyegegwa DistrictKyegegwa DistrictKyegegwa District is a district in Western Uganda. It is named after its 'chief town', Kyegegwa, where the district headquarters are located.-Location:...
- Kyenjojo District
Location
Kamwenge District is bordered by Kyenjojo District to the north, Kyegegwa DistrictKyegegwa District
Kyegegwa District is a district in Western Uganda. It is named after its 'chief town', Kyegegwa, where the district headquarters are located.-Location:...
and Kiruhura District
Kiruhura District
Kiruhura District is a district in Western Uganda. It is named after its 'chief town' of Kiruhura, the location of the district headquarters.-Location:...
to the northeast, Ibanda District
Ibanda District
Ibanda District is a district in Western Uganda. As is the case with most Ugandan districts, it is named after its 'chief town' of Ibanda, where the district headquarters are located.-Location:...
to the east and southeast, Rubirizi District
Rubirizi District
Rubirizi District is a district in Western Uganda. Like most Ugandan districts, the district is named after its 'chief town', Rubirizi, where the district headquarters are located.-Location:...
to the southwest, Kasese District
Kasese District
Kasese District is a district in Western Uganda. Like most other Ugandan districts, it is named after its 'chief town', Kasese, where the district headquarters are located.-Location:Kasese District is located along the Equator...
to the west and Kabarole District
Kabarole District
Kabarole District is a district in Western Uganda. Kabarole District is part of the Kingdom of Toro, one of the traditional monarchies that are constitutionally recognised in modern-day Uganda. The kingdom is coterminus with Toro sub-region...
to the northwest. Kamwenge
Kamwenge
Kamwenge is a town in Western Uganda. It is the 'chief town' of Kamwenge District and the district headquarters are located there. The district is named after the town.-Location:...
, the district headquarters lies approximately 300 kilometres (186.4 mi), by road, west 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...
's capital, 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 coordinates of the district are:00 11N, 30 27E.
Overview
The district covers an area of approximately 2304 square kilometre. Of this, 64.1 square kilometre (2.6%) is covered by open water. It is predominantly a rural district with some of the worst poverty levels in the country. The district does not have a hospital.Kamwenge is made up of two (2) counties and one (1) Municipal Council:
- Kitagwenda County
- Kibaale County
- Kamwenge Town CouncilKamwengeKamwenge is a town in Western Uganda. It is the 'chief town' of Kamwenge District and the district headquarters are located there. The district is named after the town.-Location:...
The district is endowed with numerous wetlands, tropical forests in the Kashoha/Kitomi region, and Kibaale National Park, which it shares with Kibale District and Kyenjojo District. In Bwizi subcounty, there are pockets of highland tropical forest on the mountain ranges. There are numerous aquatic systems in the district including:
- Parts of Lake GeorgeLake George (Uganda)Lake George or Lake Dweru is a lake in Uganda. It covers a total surface area of 250 km² and is a part of Africa's Great Lakes system but is not itself considered one of the Great Lakes. Like the other lakes in the region it was named after a member of the British royal family, in this case...
- River Mpanga
- River Rushango
- Rwenshama Falls, in Kyambura Game ReserveKyambura Game ReserveKyambura Game Reserve, also known as Kyambura Gorge, is part of the Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda. It is home to a variety of wildlife, including the only primates in the Queen Elizabeth National Park...
- Parts of Katonga Wildlife ReserveKatonga Wildlife ReserveKatonga Wildlife Reserve is a national park in western Uganda, along the banks of River Katonga. The wildlife reserve was established in 1998. It measures approximately...
- Parts of Queen Elizabeth National ParkQueen Elizabeth National Park-Location:The national park is located in western Uganda, spanning the districts of Kasese, Kamwenge, Bushenyi and Rukungiri. Its location is approximately , by road, southwest of Kampala, Uganda's capital and largest city. The town of Kasese lies just outside the northeastern edge of the park,...
Population
The 2002 national census estimated the population of Kamwenge District at about 295,300, of whom 51.5% were female and 48.5% were female. The annual population growth rate of the district was approximately 3%. It is estimated that in 2010, the population of the district was approximately 363,200. See table below:{| style="font-size:100%;"
|-
| width="100%" align="center" | Kamwenge District Population Trends
|- valign="top"
|
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto"
! style="width:2em;" |Year !!Estimated Population
|-
|2002||295,300
|-
|2003||304,200
|-
|2004||313,300
|-
|2005||322,700
|-
|2006||335,000
|-
|2007||332,400
|-
|2008||342,300
|-
|2009||352,600
|-
|2010||363,200
|-
|}
The predominant ethnic group in the district are Batoro. However, there are a sizable number of Bakiga
Bakiga
The Kiga people, or Abakiga , are an ethnic group located in northern Rwanda and southern Uganda. The Kiga speak a Bantu language called Rukiga. They are sometimes referred to as the Chiga or Kiga, while the singular form is Umukiga...
who have settled in the district. The languages spoken include:
- Rutooro
- Rukiga
- Rutagwenda
Economic activities
Agriculture is the mainstay of the district economy. Crops raised include:- SorghumSorghumSorghum 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...
- MaizeMaizeMaize 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...
- MilletMilletThe millets are a group of small-seeded species of cereal crops or grains, widely grown around the world for food and fodder. They do not form a taxonomic group, but rather a functional or agronomic one. Their essential similarities are that they are small-seeded grasses grown in difficult...
- PeasPEASP.E.A.S. is an acronym in artificial intelligence that stands for Performance, Environment, Actuators, Sensors.-Performance:Performance is a function that measures the quality of the actions the agent did....
- Groundnuts
- SunflowerSunflowerSunflower is an annual plant native to the Americas. It possesses a large inflorescence . The sunflower got its name from its huge, fiery blooms, whose shape and image is often used to depict the sun. The sunflower has a rough, hairy stem, broad, coarsely toothed, rough leaves and circular heads...
- Sweet potatoSweet potatoThe sweet potato is a dicotyledonous plant that belongs to the family Convolvulaceae. Its large, starchy, sweet-tasting, tuberous roots are an important root vegetable. The young leaves and shoots are sometimes eaten as greens. Of the approximately 50 genera and more than 1,000 species of...
s - Beans
- TeaTeaTea is an aromatic beverage prepared by adding cured leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant to hot water. The term also refers to the plant itself. After water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world...
- CoffeeCoffeeCoffee 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,...
- CottonCottonCotton 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....
- TomatoTomatoThe word "tomato" may refer to the plant or the edible, typically red, fruit which it bears. Originating in South America, the tomato was spread around the world following the Spanish colonization of the Americas, and its many varieties are now widely grown, often in greenhouses in cooler...
s - CabbageCabbageCabbage is a popular cultivar of the species Brassica oleracea Linne of the Family Brassicaceae and is a leafy green vegetable...
- Onions
- Pineapples
In the Kitagwenda area of the district, there is fishing, some of it for commercial purposes.
External links
See also
- KamwengeKamwengeKamwenge is a town in Western Uganda. It is the 'chief town' of Kamwenge District and the district headquarters are located there. The district is named after the town.-Location:...
- Toro Kingdom
- Toro sub-regionToro sub-regionToro sub-region is a region in Uganda that is coterminous with Toro Kingdom in Western Uganda. The districts that constitute the sub-region include the following:* Kabarole District* Kamwenge District* Kyegegwa District* Kyenjojo District...
- Western Region, UgandaWestern Region, UgandaWestern Region is a region of Uganda. It is divided into the following districts:...
- Districts of UgandaDistricts of UgandaUganda is divided into 111 districts and one city across four administrative regions. Most districts are named after their main commercial and administrative towns....