Gulu
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| Gulu | |
|---|---|
| — Municipality — | |
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|
  Gulu
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| Coordinates: 2°46′N 32°16′E / 2.767°N 32.267°E | |
| Country |  Uganda |
| District | Gulu District |
| Population (2008 (est.)) | |
| - Total | 141,500 |
Gulu is a city in northern Uganda. It is the commercial and administrative centre of Gulu District. The city is located at 2˚46'00N 32˚16'00E, on the metre gauge railway from Tororo to Pakwach. Gulu is located approximately 200 miles (320 km), by road, north of Kampala, Uganda's capital and largest city.[1] The town is served by Gulu Airport.
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[edit] History
The years since 1989 have been war ridden, with many attacks by the LRA. However, since the spring of 2007, there has been relative peace since Joseph Kony, the leader of the LRA, moved to Garamba National Forest, in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo, as reported in the press.
[edit] Demographics
The Acholi people are the main inhabitants of the city of Gulu (80%). The majority are Christians. There are a range of spoken languages including Luo (sometimes spelled Lwo), Swahili, English and Luganda.
During the hostilities between UPDF and LRA there were many Internally Displaced Peoples' (IDPs) camps throughout the area, where at one time,an estimated one million people lived. Effective April 2009, all IDP camps were closed and the people were allowed to return to their villages.[2] In July 2009, an estimated 1,452,000 (80.7%) IDPs out of a total of 1,840,000 had voluntarily left the camps to return home, leaving only 388,000, who are in the process of vacating or permanently settling where they are.[3]
Before the cessation of hostilities between the UPDF and the LRA, up to 15,000 children, known as "night commuters", were fleeing into the city for safety every evening. Since the cessation of hostilities in late 2006, the numbers of "night commuters" has significantly reduced.[4]
The national census in 2002 estimated the population of the city at 119,430. The Uganda Bureau of Statistics estimated the city's population at 141,500 in 2008.[5]
[edit] Economy and education
Gulu is the economic capital of Northern Uganda. The reduced violence since the rebel LRA moved out of Uganda has resulted in an economic revitalization.Peace has also brought a lot of help from the International community in terms of Non-Government Organizations. These NGOs are helping the community in various ways by providing food, medical help and rehabilitation centers for formerly abducted children. The NGOs have also created many jobs.
Gulu is the home of Gulu University, which has a wide range of programs ranging from agriculture to medicine, business management and conflict resolution. It is the only public university in northern Uganda and the parent institution of Gulu University School of Medicine.
The city is home to the headquarters of the 4th Division of the Uganda People's Defense Force, active in operations against the rebel Lord's Resistance Army. There are three hospitals providing services to the city: St. Mary's Hospital Lacor, Gulu Regional Referral Hospital and Gulu Independent Hospital. The headquarters of Gulu District Administration is also located in the city. The city is serviced by Gulu Airport, which has a tarmac runway that measures 10,314 feet (3,144 m).
[edit] Entertainment and sport
Pece Stadium is Gulu's public stadium, and the largest in Northern Uganda with a capacity of 30,000 people. Gulu is the base of several radio stations including Choice FM which broadcasts daily to an estimated 5 million to 6 million listeners each evening. Other radio stations in Gulu include Mega FM 102.1, Radio Four 89.4, King FM 90.2, Childcare International 91.5 & 98.9, Norah Radio 92.1,UBC Radio 102.1 &103.1 and Radio Maria 105.7.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
[edit] External links
Coordinates: 02°46′00″N 32°18′20″E / 2.7666667°N 32.30556°E
