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Entebbe

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Overview

Entebbe is a pleasant town built on the shores of Lake Victoria in Uganda. Entebbe offers a relaxed stop-over alternative to Kampala if you're flying into or out of Uganda, as the air is clean, the streets are safe to wa

Facts

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Source

WBP almanac

External sources

Wikivoyage Wikipedia

Media

From Wikipedia1,265 words

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Lake Victoria leisure beyond the shoreline

While most visitors see Entebbe as the gateway to Uganda, its position on the northern tip of Lake Victoria offers a gentle alternative to the usual safari rush. Early mornings are ideal for a short boat ride to the small islands that dot the lake, where anglers showcase the prized Nile perch and locals serve fresh tilapia grilled on banana leaves. The lakeside promenade, peppered with modest cafés, provides a quiet spot for bird‑watchers to spot grey herons and the occasional African fish eagle. Pair a sunrise paddle with a visit to the nearby botanical garden, where you can compare the lake’s riparian flora with Uganda’s inland rainforests, giving a nuanced sense of the country’s ecological breadth.

The market circuit: a taste of everyday Entebbe

Beyond the diplomatic trappings, Entebbe’s central market is a microcosm of Ugandan daily life. Wander the aisles before noon to watch traders arrange rows of matoke plantains, beans, and vibrant okra, then pause at a stall offering freshly roasted roasted maize brushed with a hint of coconut oil—a local twist rarely mentioned in guidebooks. The market’s side streets host artisans weaving bark cloth and crafting wooden bangles, providing an informal workshop environment where conversation with a vendor can reveal the seasonal rhythms of lake fishing and the subtle impacts of urban growth on traditional crafts. Sampling a steaming cup of chai from a roadside tea shop while watching the market’s ebb and flow offers an authentic pulse of the town.

A quiet alternative to the capital’s bustle

Travelers accustomed to Kampala’s traffic and towering high‑rise developments find Entebbe’s slower tempo a refreshing contrast. The city’s modest elevation grants it a slightly cooler climate, making afternoon walks along the tree‑lined streets pleasant even during the wet season. Local cafés often double as informal galleries, displaying works by emerging Ugandan painters whose subjects range from lake vistas to urban street scenes. This artistic undercurrent provides a lens on how Entebbe negotiates its colonial legacy and contemporary growth, offering visitors a subtle narrative of resilience that is absent from the more overt political history surrounding the airport.

Introduction

Place in Central Uganda This article is about the town. For the airport, see Entebbe International Airport. For the incident in 1976, see Entebbe raid. For the 2018 film, see Entebbe (film). Place in Central Uganda, UgandaEntebbeOverview of EntebbeEntebbeLocation in UgandaShow map of UgandaEntebbeEntebbe (Africa)Show map of AfricaCoordinates: 00°03′00″N 32°27′36″E / 0.05000°N 32.46000°E / 0.05000; 32.46000Country UgandaRegionCentral UgandaDistrictWakiso DistrictGovernment • MayorVincent KayanjaArea • Total56.2 km2 (21.7 sq mi) • Water20 km2 (7.7 sq mi)Elevation1,180 m (3,870 ft)Population (2024 Census) • Total81,160 Entebbe Street Sign post of European Cemetery in Entebbe, Uganda Entebbe is a city in Central Uganda which is located on Lake Victoria peninsula, approximately 36 kilometres (22 mi) southwest of the Ugandan capital city, Kampala. Entebbe was once the seat of government for the Protectorate of Uganda prior to independence, in 1962. The city is the location of Entebbe International Airport, Uganda's largest commercial and military airport, which gained worldwide attention in a 1976 Israeli rescue of 100 hostages kidnapped by the militant group of the PFLP-EO and Revolutionary Cells (RZ) organizations. Entebbe is also the location of State House, the official office and residence of the President of Uganda.

Etymology

[edit] The word came from Luganda language e ntebe which means 'seat' / 'chair'. Entebbe was a cultural site for the Mamba clan and it was called "entebbe za Mugula" - Mugula was the title of a chief of a subdivision of the Mamba clan - and is now the location of the official office and residence of the President of Uganda, as it was for British governors before independence. Entebbe was the former seat of power in the country, but has now been replaced by Kampala.

Location

[edit] Entebbe sits on the northern shores of Lake Victoria, Africa's largest lake. The town is situated in Wakiso District, approximately 34 kilometres (21 mi) south of Kampala, Uganda's capital and largest city. The metropolis is located on a peninsula into Lake Victoria, covering a total area of 56.2 square kilometres (21.7 mi2), out of which 20 km2 (7.7 mi2) is water. The coordinates of Entebbe are:0°03'00.0"N, 32°27'36.0"E (Latitude:0.0500; Longitude:32.4600). Neighborhoods within Entebbe City include Bugonga, Katabi, Nakiwogo, Nsamizi, Kitooro, Lunnyo and Lugonjo. Entebbe Airport

Population

[edit] During the 2002 national census, Entebbe's population was estimated at 55,100 people. In 2010, the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) estimated the population of the town at 76,500. In 2011, UBOS estimated the population of Entebbe at approximately 79,700. On 27 August 2014, the national population census put Entebbe's population at 69,958.Historical populationYearPop.±%196921,096—    198021,289+0.9%199142,763+100.9%200255,086+28.8%201470,219+27.5%source:

History

[edit] "Entebbe", in the local Luganda language, means a "seat" and was probably named that because it was the place where a Baganda chief sat to adjudicate legal cases. It first became a British colonial administrative and commercial centre in 1893 when Sir Gerald Portal, a colonial Commissioner, used it as a base. Port Bell went on to become Kampala's harbour. Although no ships dock there now, there is still a jetty, which was used by Lake Victoria ferries. Entebbe International Airport, the main international airport of Uganda, has been the site of some well known events, making it famous in Europe and abroad. It was from this airport that Queen Elizabeth II departed Africa to return to England in 1952 when she learned of her father's death and that she had become Queen. The airport was the scene of Operation Entebbe, a hostage rescue on 4 July 1976, when soldiers from the Sayeret Matkal, Paratroopers Brigade and Golani Brigade units of the Israeli Army freed over 100 hostages following a hijacking by a group of Palestinian and German militia. The city of Entebbe also hosted final resolution talks to end the M23 rebellion.

Biomedical research hub

[edit] Entebbe is home to the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI), a Ugandan government organization which provides space to conduct research to the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative HIV vaccine program, the UK Medical Research Centre Laboratories (MRC), the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Most research performed at UVRI is infectious disease-oriented and focuses on HIV, tuberculosis, malaria and helminth infections. It is also home for the headquarters of Uganda National Medical Stores, until the new headquarters and main warehouse building in Kajjansi is completed, then the headquarters will relocate to Kajjansi.

Tourist attractions

[edit] The extensive National Botanical Gardens, laid out in 1898, are located in Entebbe. Entebbe is the location of the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre (UWEC) The centre also serves as the national zoo. Entebbe is the location of Nkumba University, one of the more than thirty licensed institutions of tertiary education in Uganda. State House, the official residence of the President of Uganda, is located in Entebbe. Entebbe is also home to one of the historical site in Kigungu where the first catholic missionaries Brother Amans and Father Mon Maple Lourdel landed to establish the catholic faith in Uganda. Entebbe is home of the oldest golf course in East Africa called Entebbe Golf Club, which was established in 1900. Entebbe Golf Club is surrounded by the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre, (formerly Entebbe Zoo), on its south side. Sunset over Entebbe Entebbe International Airport Bugonga Church in Entebbe Entebbe sits on the northern shores of Lake Victoria Entebbe along Lake Victoria Wildlife Education Centre

Government and infrastructure

[edit] The head office of the Ugandan Civil Aviation Authority is on the property of Entebbe International Airport. The Uganda Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries maintains its headquarters in Entebbe. The Special Forces Command, a specialized unit of the Uganda People's Defense Forces, responsible for the security of the president of Uganda, his immediate family, constitutional monarchs, state guests and vital national assets, including the national oil fields, maintains its headquarters in Entebbe.

Other points of interest

[edit] Other points of interest within the city limits or close to its edges include the offices of Entebbe City Council and several branches of foreign and indigenous commercial banks. The supermarket chain, Shoprite, maintains a branch in Entebbe. Entebbe is home to the Entebbe Children's Surgical Hospital, a children's hospital, center of excellence for pediatric surgery, owned and operated by Emergency, an international NGO that offers "free medical treatment to the victims of war, poverty and landmines".

Geography

[edit] Climate[edit] Entebbe experiences a tropical rainforest climate (Af) according to the Köppen climate classification as the city has no real dry season throughout the year. Its driest month is July with precipitation averaging 72 millimetres or 2.83 inches, while the wettest is April with precipitation averaging 264 millimetres or 10.39 inches. The temperature is moderated by the altitude. The hottest month is February with an average temperature of 22.8 °C (73.0 °F), while the coolest is July with an average temperature of 20.6 °C (69.1 °F). Climate data for Entebbe, Uganda (1961–1990) Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year Record high °C (°F) 31.3(88.3) 31.7(89.1) 30.6(87.1) 30.0(86.0) 28.9(84.0) 27.8(82.0) 28.1(82.6) 28.9(84.0) 29.8(85.6) 29.6(85.3) 31.7(89.1) 29.5(85.1) 31.7(89.1) Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 26.3(79.3) 27.3(81.1) 26.7(80.1) 26.0(78.8) 25.4(77.7) 25.2(77.4) 25.3(77.5) 25.9(78.6) 26.5(79.7) 26.5(79.7) 26.0(78.8) 26.5(79.7) 26.1(79.0) Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 18.0(64.4) 18.3(64.9) 18.5(65.3) 18.4(65.1) 18.0(64.4) 17.8(64.0) 17.2(63.0) 17.4(63.3) 17.4(63.3) 17.7(63.9) 17.9(64.2) 17.8(64.0) 17.9(64.2) Record low °C (°F) 13.0(55.4) 10.7(51.3) 14.4(57.9) 12.2(54.0) 14.3(57.7) 14.0(57.2) 10.0(50.0) 12.0(53.6) 13.2(55.8) 13.9(57.0) 14.3(57.7) 13.8(56.8) 10.0(50.0) Average rainfall mm (inches) 86.7(3.41) 84.4(3.32) 184.5(7.26) 264.4(10.41) 253.8(9.99) 116.2(4.57) 72.1(2.84) 77.8(3.06) 79.0(3.11) 127.6(5.02) 171.7(6.76) 120.6(4.75) 1,638.8(64.52) Average rainy days (≥ 1.0 mm) 7.3 7.3 13.1 16.8 16.2 9.4 6.9 6.3 7.1 10.7 13.6 10.2 124.9 Average relative humidity (%) 76 76 77 79 79 78 77 78 76 75 76 76 77 Mean monthly sunshine hours 234 204 205 181 191 187 197 194 194 205 202 214 2,408 Source 1: World Meteorological Organization Source 2: Deutscher Wetterdienst (extremes and humidity), Danish Meteorological Institute (sun, 1931–1960)