Demographics of Uganda - Ethnic Diversity

Ethnic Diversity

Africans mainly speaking languages of three families—Bantu, Nilotic, and Central Sudanic—constitute most of the population.

Bantu peoples are the most numerous and include the Baganda in the central area (17%), Basoga in the south-eastern area (8%), Banyankole in the south-western area (8%), Bakiga in the most south-western area (8%), Banyoro in the mid-western area (3%), Batooro in the mid-western area (3%), Bagisu in the eastern area, Bahima in the south-western area (2%), Bafumbira in the south-western area (6%), and other much smaller ethnic groups.

Nilotic peoples, mainly in the north, are the next largest, including the Langi, 6%, and the Acholi, 4%. In the northwest are the Lugbara, 4%. The Karamojong, 2%, occupy the considerably drier, largely pastoral territory in the northeast. Europeans, Asians, and Arabs make up about 1% of the population with other groups accounting for the remainder.

More than half of the population is under the age of 15 – more than any other country in the world. Uganda's population is predominantly rural, and its density population highest in the southern regions.