Capital and largest city of Uganda
About Kampala
Kampala is the capital and largest city of Uganda. The city proper has a population of 1,797,722 and is divided into the five political divisions of Kampala Central, Kawempe, Makindye, Nakawa, and Rubaga.
Etymology
Kampala originally referred to only the present-day Old Kampala hill, on whose summit Fort Lugard was located, and the initial headquarters of the British colonial authorities in the soon to be Uganda Protectorate. Before the British construction of Fort Lugard, the hill was a hunting reserve of the Kabaka (King) of Buganda and had several species of antelope, especially the impala. As a result, when the British colonial officials were allocated this hill by the then Kabaka of Buganda, they referred to it as "The Hill of the Impala". The natives, in whose territory this British settlement was located, then translated "Hill of the Impala" as Akasozi k’empala. This was then shortened to k'empala and finally, the name ‘Kampala’ was brought to life. Kasozi means "hill", ke "of", and empala the plural of "impala". …
History
This area of numerous hills and swamps that later become known as Kampala was part of the core of the highly centralised Buganda Kingdom. It was also the site of the shifting Kibuga (capital) of the different Bassekabaka (kings) of the Buganda Kingdom, with each Kabaka (king) upon coronation, or subsequently during their reign, setting up their Kibuga (capital) on a new or different hill as they wished or desired. The first written description of this Kibuga (capital) was by the explorer Sir Richard Burton in his book, The Lake Region of East Africa, published in 1860. In the book, Burton, relying on the information collected by Snay Bin Amir, an Arab trader, described the Kibuga as: …the settlement is not less than a day's journey in length, the buildings are of cane and rattan. …
Geography
The City of Kampala covers a total area of 189 km2 (73 square miles), comprising 176 km2 (68 square miles) of land and 13 km2 (5.0 square miles) of water. Kampala is a hilly place with its valleys filled with sluggish rivers/ swamps. The highest point in the city proper is the summit of Kololo hill at 1,311 metres (4,301 ft), located in the centre of the city and the lowest point at the shores of Lake Victoria south of the city centre at altitude of 1,135 metres (3,724 ft). Kampala was originally built on seven hills, but it has expanded to cover more than the original seven hills. The original seven hills are: Old Kampala Hill on which Fort Lugard was located, the first seat of the British colonial authorities in colonial Uganda. The second is Mengo Hill which was the then Kibuga (capital) of Buganda kingdom at the start of British colonial rule. …
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