Kasese District
Encyclopedia
Kasese District is a district
in Western Uganda
. Like most other Uganda
n districts, it is named after its 'chief town', Kasese
, where the district headquarters are located.
. It is bordered by Kabarole District
to the north, Kamwenge District
to the east, Rubirizi District
to the south and the Democratic Republic of the Congo
to the west. The district headquarters at Kasese
are located approximately 359 kilometres (223.1 mi), by road, west of Kampala
, Uganda
's capital and largest city. The coordinates of the district are:00 11N, 30 05E.
and 652 square kilometre for Rwenzori Mountains National Park
, leaving 1187 square kilometre for human habitation and economic utilization. Kasese District is part of the Rwenzururu Kingdom, which is coterminus with the Rwenzururu sub-region, home to an estimated 750,000 inhabitants in 2002, according to the national census conducted that year. The sub region consists of Bundibugyo District
, Ntoroko District
and Kasese District.
, the languages of the Batooro and the Bakonjo people respectively. However, there are other ethnic groups in the district who include the Banyankole, the Basongora and the Bakiga
. There is also common usage of English
, Swahili
and Luganda. It is estimated that in 2010, the population of the district is approximately 649,400.
Most of the agricultural produce is either sold locally or transported for sale in Kampala
and to other cities and towns in Uganda
. Fish farming is slowly taking root in the district and demand for the fish is high both locally and in neighboring countries. Livestock kept in the district includes: Cattle
, goats, pigs
and poultry
.
Fishing also occurs on Lake George
and on smaller crater lakes in the district. There are two main landing sites on the shores of Lake George, Mahyoro and Kayinja.
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', Kasese
Kasese
Kasese is a town in Western Uganda, lying north of Lake George. It originally grew around the copper mine at Kilembe, while attention later turned to cobalt mining. It is the 'chief town' of Kasese District and the district headquarters are located there...
, where the district headquarters are located.
Location
Kasese District is located along the EquatorEquator
An equator is the intersection of a sphere's surface with the plane perpendicular to the sphere's axis of rotation and containing the sphere's center of mass....
. It is bordered by 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 north, Kamwenge District
Kamwenge District
Kamwenge District is a district in Western Uganda. Like most other Ugandan 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...
to the east, 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 south and the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
to the west. The district headquarters at Kasese
Kasese
Kasese is a town in Western Uganda, lying north of Lake George. It originally grew around the copper mine at Kilembe, while attention later turned to cobalt mining. It is the 'chief town' of Kasese District and the district headquarters are located there...
are located approximately 359 kilometres (223.1 mi), by road, west 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...
, 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 and largest city. The coordinates of the district are:00 11N, 30 05E.
Overview
The district has a total land area of 2724 square kilometre, of which 885 square kilometre is reserved for 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,...
and 652 square kilometre for Rwenzori Mountains National Park
Rwenzori Mountains National Park
Rwenzori Mountains National Park is a Ugandan national park and UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the Rwenzori Mountains. Almost in size, the park has Africa's third highest mountain peak and many waterfalls, lakes, and glaciers. The park is known for its beautiful plant life.-History:Rwenzori...
, leaving 1187 square kilometre for human habitation and economic utilization. Kasese District is part of the Rwenzururu Kingdom, which is coterminus with the Rwenzururu sub-region, home to an estimated 750,000 inhabitants in 2002, according to the national census conducted that year. The sub region consists of Bundibugyo District
Bundibugyo District
Bundibugyo District is a district in Western Uganda, bordering the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Like other Ugandan districts, it is named after its 'chief town', Bundibugyo, where the district headquarters are located.-Location:...
, Ntoroko District
Ntoroko District
Ntoroko District is a district in Western Uganda. The district is named after 'chief town', Ntoroko, where the district headquarters are located.-Location:...
and Kasese District.
Population
The 2002 national census put the population of the district at approximately 533,000. Kasese is a multi-ethnic district with many people of different ethnic backgrounds. The main languages and ethnic groups that dominate the area are Rutooro and RukonjoKonjo people
The Konjo , or Konzo, are a people located in the Rwenzori Mountains of southwest Uganda. Numbering 361,709 in the 1992 census, they live on the plains, hills and mountain slopes up to an altitude 2,200 meters...
, the languages of the Batooro and the Bakonjo people respectively. However, there are other ethnic groups in the district who include the Banyankole, the Basongora and the 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...
. There is also common usage of English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, Swahili
Swahili language
Swahili or Kiswahili is a Bantu language spoken by various ethnic groups that inhabit several large stretches of the Mozambique Channel coastline from northern Kenya to northern Mozambique, including the Comoro Islands. It is also spoken by ethnic minority groups in Somalia...
and Luganda. It is estimated that in 2010, the population of the district is approximately 649,400.
Economic activities
Kasese district is mainly agricultural with over 85 percent of the people being peasant farmers who depend on subsistence farming for their livelihood. It has two rainy seasons that come between March to May and August to November. Temperatures normally range between 23°C and 30°C. Crops grown include:- 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...
- CassavaCassavaCassava , also called yuca or manioc, a woody shrub of the Euphorbiaceae native to South America, is extensively cultivated as an annual crop in tropical and subtropical regions for its edible starchy tuberous root, a major source of carbohydrates...
- 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...
- 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...
- Groundnuts
- Beans
- Irish Potatoes
- Sweet potatoes
- Matooke
- Passion fruit
- Tomatoes
- CabbageCabbageCabbage is a popular cultivar of the species Brassica oleracea Linne of the Family Brassicaceae and is a leafy green vegetable...
- 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....
- 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,...
- Chili peppers
- Mangoes
- Pineapples
- PearPearThe pear is any of several tree species of genus Pyrus and also the name of the pomaceous fruit of these trees. Several species of pear are valued by humans for their edible fruit, but the fruit of other species is small, hard, and astringent....
s - Apples
Most of the agricultural produce is either sold locally or transported for sale in 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...
and to other cities and towns in 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...
. Fish farming is slowly taking root in the district and demand for the fish is high both locally and in neighboring countries. Livestock kept in the district includes: Cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
, goats, pigs
PIGS
PIGS is a four letter acronym that can stand for:* PIGS , Phosphatidylinositol glycan anchor biosynthesis, class S, a human gene* PIGS , the economies of Portugal, Italy , Greece and Spain...
and poultry
Poultry
Poultry are domesticated birds kept by humans for the purpose of producing eggs, meat, and/or feathers. These most typically are members of the superorder Galloanserae , especially the order Galliformes and the family Anatidae , commonly known as "waterfowl"...
.
Fishing also occurs on Lake George
Lake 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...
and on smaller crater lakes in the district. There are two main landing sites on the shores of Lake George, Mahyoro and Kayinja.
External links
See also
- KaseseKaseseKasese is a town in Western Uganda, lying north of Lake George. It originally grew around the copper mine at Kilembe, while attention later turned to cobalt mining. It is the 'chief town' of Kasese District and the district headquarters are located there...
- Kingdom of Rwenzururu
- Rwenzururu sub-region
- Western Region, UgandaWestern Region, UgandaWestern Region is a region of Uganda. It is divided into the following districts:...