Sironko District
Encyclopedia
Sironko District is a district
in Eastern Uganda
. The district was created in 2000 and had previously been part of Mbale District
. Like most Uganda
n districts, it is named after its main commercial town, Sironko
.
to the north, Kapchorwa District
and Kween District
to the northeast, the Republic of Kenya to the east, Bududa District
to the southeast, Mbale District
to southwest and Bukedea District
to the west. Its 'chief town', Sironko
, is located approximately 22 kilometres (13.7 mi), by road, northeast of Mbale
, the largest city in the sub-region. The coordinates of the district are:01 14N, 34 15E.
{| style="font-size:100%;"
|-
| width="100%" align="center" | Sironko District Population Trends
|- valign="top"
|
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto"
! style="width:2em;" |Year!! Estimated Population
|-
|2002||291,900
|-
|2003||296,300
|-
|2004||300,700
|-
|2005||305,200
|-
|2006||309,800
|-
|2007||314,500
|-
|2008||319,200
|-
|2009||324,000
|-
|}
The majority of the people in Sironko District belong to the Bagisu
ethnic group and Lugisu is the most widely spoken language.
is the largest town and the administrative headquarters. Mafuni, Nakaloke, Mutufu and Budadiri
are the main trading centers within the district.
and Budadiri
. The counties are further subdivided into 18 sub-counties:
s, groundnuts
, sorghum
, millet
, cassava
, potato
es and sweet potato
es. Coffee
and cotton
are the main cash crops. Fruits and vegetables grown in the district include passion fruit, tomato
es, onion
s and cabbage
.
National Park lies within Sironko district. One of the two main trails in the park, Sasa trail, starts near the Budadiri trading center located within the district.
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 Eastern Uganda
Eastern Region, Uganda
Eastern Region is a region of Uganda. It is divided into the following districts:...
. The district was created in 2000 and had previously been part of Mbale District
Mbale District
Mbale District is a district in Eastern Uganda. It is named after the largest city in the district, Mbale, which also servess as the main administrative and commercial center in the sub-region.-Location:...
. Like most 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 main commercial town, Sironko
Sironko
Sironko is a town in Eastern Uganda. It the largest metropolitan area in Sironko District and is the location of the district headquarters. The district is named after the town.-Location:...
.
Location
Sironko District is bordered by Bulambuli DistrictBulambuli District
Bulambuli District is a district in Eastern Uganda. The district is named after 'chief town', Bulambuli, where the district headquarters are located.-Location:...
to the north, Kapchorwa District
Kapchorwa District
Kapchorwa District is a district in Eastern Uganda. It is named after Kapchorwa, the main municipal, administrative and commercial center of the district, where the district headquarters are located.-Location:...
and Kween District
Kween District
Kween District is a district in Eastern Uganda. The district headquarters are located at Binyiny, one of the two municipalities in the district.-Location:...
to the northeast, the Republic of Kenya to the east, Bududa District
Bududa District
Bududa District is a district in Eastern Uganda. Like most other Ugandan districts, it is named after its 'chief town', Bududa.-Location:Bududa District is bordered by Sironko District to the north, the Republic of Kenya to the east, Manafwa District to the south and Mbale District to the west...
to the southeast, Mbale District
Mbale District
Mbale District is a district in Eastern Uganda. It is named after the largest city in the district, Mbale, which also servess as the main administrative and commercial center in the sub-region.-Location:...
to southwest and Bukedea District
Bukedea District
Bukedea District is a district in Eastern Uganda. It's named after its 'chief town', Bukedea, where the district headquarters are located.-Location:...
to the west. Its 'chief town', Sironko
Sironko
Sironko is a town in Eastern Uganda. It the largest metropolitan area in Sironko District and is the location of the district headquarters. The district is named after the town.-Location:...
, is located approximately 22 kilometres (13.7 mi), by road, northeast of Mbale
Mbale
Mbale is a city in Eastern Uganda. It is the main municiplal, administrative and commercial center of Mbale District and the surrounding sub-region. The district is named after the town.-Location:...
, the largest city in the sub-region. The coordinates of the district are:01 14N, 34 15E.
Population
The national census in 2002 estimated the population of the district at about 291,900, with an annual population growth rate of 1.5%. It is estimated that the population of the district in 2009 is approximately 324,000. See table below:{| style="font-size:100%;"
|-
| width="100%" align="center" | Sironko District Population Trends
|- valign="top"
|
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto"
! style="width:2em;" |Year!! Estimated Population
|-
|2002||291,900
|-
|2003||296,300
|-
|2004||300,700
|-
|2005||305,200
|-
|2006||309,800
|-
|2007||314,500
|-
|2008||319,200
|-
|2009||324,000
|-
|}
The majority of the people in Sironko District belong to the Bagisu
Bagisu
The Gisu people, or Bagisu , alternately Gishu, Masaba, or Sokwia, are a tribe of the Masaba nation of eastern Uganda, closely related to the Bukusu people of Kenya...
ethnic group and Lugisu is the most widely spoken language.
Geography
The district has a total area of 1091 square kilometre The district lies between approximately 1299 metres (4,261.8 ft) and 1524 metres (5,000 ft) above sea level.Major towns
SironkoSironko
Sironko is a town in Eastern Uganda. It the largest metropolitan area in Sironko District and is the location of the district headquarters. The district is named after the town.-Location:...
is the largest town and the administrative headquarters. Mafuni, Nakaloke, Mutufu and Budadiri
Budadiri
Budadiri is a town in eastern Uganda. It is one of the urban centers in Sironko District.-Location:Budadiri is located approximately , by road, southeast of Sironko, the district headquarters. It is located within Mount Elgon National Park...
are the main trading centers within the district.
Counties and sub-counties
Sironko district comprises Budadiri County, Bulambuli County, and two municipalities; SironkoSironko
Sironko is a town in Eastern Uganda. It the largest metropolitan area in Sironko District and is the location of the district headquarters. The district is named after the town.-Location:...
and Budadiri
Budadiri
Budadiri is a town in eastern Uganda. It is one of the urban centers in Sironko District.-Location:Budadiri is located approximately , by road, southeast of Sironko, the district headquarters. It is located within Mount Elgon National Park...
. The counties are further subdivided into 18 sub-counties:
- Budadiri County
- Buhugu
- Buteza
- Buyobo
- Bukhulo
- Bumasifwa
- Busulani
- Butandiga
- Buwalasi
- Zesui
- Bulambuli County
- Bulago
- Bunambutye
- Masira
- Muyembe
- Bukhalu
- Bulegeni
- Bulugunya
- Sisiyi
- Buginyanya
Adjacent districts
- Bulambuli DistrictBulambuli DistrictBulambuli District is a district in Eastern Uganda. The district is named after 'chief town', Bulambuli, where the district headquarters are located.-Location:...
- to the north - Kapchorwa DistrictKapchorwa DistrictKapchorwa District is a district in Eastern Uganda. It is named after Kapchorwa, the main municipal, administrative and commercial center of the district, where the district headquarters are located.-Location:...
- to the northeast - Kween DistrictKween DistrictKween District is a district in Eastern Uganda. The district headquarters are located at Binyiny, one of the two municipalities in the district.-Location:...
- to the northeast - Republic of Kenya - to the east
- Bududa DistrictBududa DistrictBududa District is a district in Eastern Uganda. Like most other Ugandan districts, it is named after its 'chief town', Bududa.-Location:Bududa District is bordered by Sironko District to the north, the Republic of Kenya to the east, Manafwa District to the south and Mbale District to the west...
- to the southeast - Mbale DistrictMbale DistrictMbale District is a district in Eastern Uganda. It is named after the largest city in the district, Mbale, which also servess as the main administrative and commercial center in the sub-region.-Location:...
- to the southwest - Bukedea DistrictBukedea DistrictBukedea District is a district in Eastern Uganda. It's named after its 'chief town', Bukedea, where the district headquarters are located.-Location:...
- to the west
Economy
The primary activity is agriculture with a focus on food crops such as beanBean
Bean is a common name for large plant seeds of several genera of the family Fabaceae used for human food or animal feed....
s, groundnuts
Peanut
The peanut, or groundnut , is a species in the legume or "bean" family , so it is not a nut. The peanut was probably first cultivated in the valleys of Peru. It is an annual herbaceous plant growing tall...
, 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...
, millet
Millet
The 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...
, cassava
Cassava
Cassava , 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...
, potato
Potato
The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species...
es and sweet potato
Sweet potato
The 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...
es. 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,...
and 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....
are the main cash crops. Fruits and vegetables grown in the district include passion fruit, tomato
Tomato
The 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...
es, onion
Onion
The onion , also known as the bulb onion, common onion and garden onion, is the most widely cultivated species of the genus Allium. The genus Allium also contains a number of other species variously referred to as onions and cultivated for food, such as the Japanese bunching onion The onion...
s and cabbage
Cabbage
Cabbage is a popular cultivar of the species Brassica oleracea Linne of the Family Brassicaceae and is a leafy green vegetable...
.
Tourist attractions
Part of Mount ElgonMount Elgon
Mount Elgon is an extinct shield volcano on the border of Uganda and Kenya, north of Kisumu and west of Kitale.- Physical features :It is the oldest and largest solitary volcano in East Africa, covering an area of around 3500 km²....
National Park lies within Sironko district. One of the two main trails in the park, Sasa trail, starts near the Budadiri trading center located within the district.