Kisoro District

Kisoro District
—  District  —
District location in Uganda
Coordinates: 01°17′S 29°41′E
Country	Uganda
Region	Western Uganda
Sub-region	Kigezi sub-region
Capital	Kisoro
Area
• Total	729.7 km2 (281.7 sq mi)
• Land	672.9 km2 (259.8 sq mi)
• Water	56.8 km2 (21.9 sq mi)
Population (2010 Estimate)
• Total	274,800
• Density	406.7/km2 (1,053.3/sq mi)
Time zone	EAT (UTC+3)
Website	Homepage

Kisoro District is a district in Western Uganda. Like most other Ugandan districts, it is named after its 'chief town', Kisoro, where the district headquarters are located.

Location

Kisoro District is bordered by Kanungu District to the north, Kabale District to the east, the Republic of Rwanda to the south and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west. The district headquarters at Kisoro are located approximately 42 kilometres (26 mi), by road, northwest of Kabale, the largest town in the sub-region. The coordinates of the district are:01 17S, 29 41E.

Overview

Kisoro District is tucked away in the southwestern corner of Uganda, where it borders with Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It covers an area of approximately 729.7 square kilometres (281.7 sq mi). About 3.88% of the district is covered by open water. Another 2.95% is covered by wetlands and national forest reserves cover another 0.96%. The District is mountainous and hilly and rises an average of 1,980 metres (6,500 ft) above sea level. Due to the delicate nature of the environment and the pressure of a rapidly increasing population, the natural environment in Kisoro District is under severe threat of degradation.

The district was formed in 1992. Prior to that it was known as Bufumbira County and was part of Kabale District. Kisoro District has 13 subcounties Kanaba,Nyakabande,Chahi,Murora,Kisoro Town Council,Nyarusiza,Nyakinama,Nyarubuye,Muramba,Busanza,Nyabwishenya,Kirundo,Nyundo and has four (4) parliamentary constituencies:

• Bufumbira South - Hon. Tress Bucyanayandi
• Bufumbira North - Hon. John Nizeyimana Kamara
• Bufumbira East - Hon. Eddie Wagahungu Kwizera
• Bufumbira Women's Representative - Hon. Sarah Mateke Nyirabashitsi

It formerly had chiefs such as Rukeribuga, Semafara Rudovik, Sebukweto, Mizerero,Mikekemo and many others most of whom where appointed by Rukeribuga and Abdullah who was the district commissioner. The last great chief was Ntibiringirwa John Semafara who was the Resident District Commissioner of Oyam district.

Population

The district population was estimated at about 220,300 during the 2002 national census. The annual population growth rate in the district was estimated at 2.8%. It is estimated that the population of Kisoro District in 2010 was approximately 274,800. See table below:

Kisoro District Population Trends

Year Estimated Population 2002 220,300 2003 226,500 2004 232,800 2005 239,300 2006 246,000 2007 252,900 2008 260,000 2009 267,300 2010 274,800 Kisoro District is inhabited by primarily by the Fumbira, comprising Hutu, Tutsi, and Twa tribes. Fumbira dialect, which is similar to Kinyarwanda, is spoken in the district. A section of Kisoro District is inhabited by the Kiga whose dialect is intermediat between Kiga and Fumbira. Ethnicity is not a big issue for the Bafumbira as they freely intermarry, particularly among the Tutsi and Hutu. That relationship between the two ethnicities in Kisoro District partly explains why the 1994 Rwandan genocide did not spread to Kisoro District. There is a general acceptance of these conditions and this has led to harmony in the district. Religion Christianity : 95.8% Islam : 0.8% Other : 1.3% None : 2.2% Note: the category "Other" may include Orthodox Christianity and other Christians. Source: Uganda Bureau of Statistics (2002) Economic activities Like in most of Uganda's districts, agriculture forms the backbone of the economy of Kisoro District. Most of the agriculture is on a subsistence level. Crops grown include: Maize Sorghum Irish potatoes Sweet potatoes Beans Onions Tomatoes Cabbage Livestock is kept by some on a subsistence level. However, a few wealthy individuals in the district have large cattle farms including: Bishop Halem'Imana Tress Bucyanayandi Nkuranga The Semafara Family. Tourist attractions Tourist attractions in the district include: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park - One of only four national parks in the world where the African Mountain Gorilla can be observed in the wild. Mgahinga Gorilla National Park - Besides the Mountain Gorillas, the Park also covers three (3) of the eight (8) Virunga Volcanoes: Muhabura, Gahinga and Sabyinyo, all of which lie on the Uganda/Rwanda border. External links "Kisoro - Home of the Mountain Gorillas" See also Kisoro Kigezi sub-region Western Region, Uganda Districts of Uganda Photos Kisoro - Kabale Road in 2007 References