Mpondwe
Encyclopedia
Location
Mpondwe is located in the Rwenzori Mountains, in Kasese DistrictKasese 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...
, Western Uganda. The town lies at the border with 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...
. Bwera is another settlement to the immediate east of Mpondwe border crossing. The Mpondwe Town Council incorporates Bwera and in this article Mpondwe refers to the combined Mpondwe-Bwera metropolitan area.
Mpondwe is located approximately 37 kilometres (23 mi), by road, southwest of 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...
, the district headquarters. This location lies approximately 390 kilometres (242.3 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 town are:00 02 28N, 29 43 30E (Latitude:0.0411; Longitude:29.7250).
Overview
Mpondwe is a busy border town in western UgandaUganda
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...
at its border with the DRC
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...
. In 2005, the town was the busiest border crossing between Uganda and DRC, based on volume of exports and imports. See table below:
| Rank | Border Town | Share of Exports | Share of Imports |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Busia Busia, Uganda 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.-Location:... |
42.7% | 54.3% |
| 2 | Mpondwe | 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% | |
The road from Mpondwe all the way to 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...
is all-weather tarmac. On the Congolese
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...
side of the border, the road from the border town of Kasindi to Beni
Beni, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Beni is a town in north eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, lying immediately west of the Virunga National Park and the Rwenzori Mountains, on the edge of the Ituri Forest.-Overview:...
is murram. From Beni, the highway continues south to Bukavu
Bukavu
Bukavu is a city in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo , lying at the extreme south-eastern extent of Lake Kivu, west of Cyangugu in Rwanda, and separated from it by the outlet of the Ruzizi River. It is the capital of the Sud-Kivu province and as of 2009 it had an estimated population of...
and west to Kisangani
Kisangani
Kisangani is the capital of Orientale Province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is the 3rd largest urbanized city in the country and the largest of the cities that lie in the tropical woodlands of the Congo....
.
Population
The Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) estimated the population of Mpondwe at 14,900 in 2008. In 2011, UBOS estimated the mid-year population of the town at 16,700.Landmarks
The landmarks within the town limits or close to the edges of town include:- The offices of Uganda Revenue AuthorityUganda Revenue AuthorityThe Uganda Revenue Authority ' was set up by an Act of Parliament in 1991. The URA has head offices in Kampala and operates over a dozen main branch offices throughout the country...
- Bwera Hospital - A 120 bed public Hospital, administered by the Uganda Ministry of HealthUganda Ministry of HealthThe Uganda Health Ministry, commonly known as the Uganda Ministry of Health, is a government department in Uganda. The ministry is headed by three cabinet members; one Minister of Health and two State Ministers of Health.-Location:...
- Mpondwe Central Market
- The offices of Mpondwe-Bwera Town Council
- 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 the Democratic Republic of the CongoDemocratic Republic of the CongoThe 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...
Photos
- Photo of A Woman in the Rwenzori Mountains
- Photo of A Woman in Mpondwe-Bwera Uganda
- Photo of Mother and Child in Mpondwe-Bwera Uganda
- Photo of A Man in the Rwenzori Mountains
External links
See also
- Kasese DistrictKasese DistrictKasese 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...
- Rwenzururu sub-region
- Rwenzururu Kingdom
- Western Region, UgandaWestern Region, UgandaWestern Region is a region of Uganda. It is divided into the following districts:...