Sembabule District

Sembabule District
—  District  —
District location in Uganda
Coordinates: 00°06′S 31°30′E
Country	Uganda
Region	Central Uganda
Capital	Sembabule
Area
• Total	2,470.5 km2 (953.9 sq mi)
Elevation	1,200 m (3,900 ft)
Population (2010 Estimate)
• Total	231,500
• Density	93.7/km2 (243/sq mi)
Time zone	EAT (UTC+3)
Website	Homepage

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

Location

Sembabule District is bordered by Mubende District to the north, Gomba District to the northeast, Bukomansimbi District to the east, Lwengo District to the south, Lyantonde District to the southwest and Kiruhura District to the northwest. Sembabule, where the district headquarters are located, lies approximately 48 kilometres (30 mi), by road, northwest of Masaka, the largest town in the sub-region. The coordinates of the district are:00 06S, 31 30E (Latitude:-0.1000; Longitude:31.5000).

Overview

Sembabule District was carved out of Masaka District in 1997. The district is administered by the Sembabule District Administration, with headquarters at Sembabule. In general, Sembabule District is a rural district which receives relatively low rainfall and has long dry spells. This greatly affects agriculture, but cattle keeping is not seriously affected. Some cattle are reared on ranches. Ranching and dairy farming are the backbone of Sembabule’s economy.

Population

The 2002 national census estimated the population of the district at approximately 180,000, with an annual population growth rate of 3.2%. It is estimated that the population of the district in 2010 was about 231,500. See table below:

Sembabule District Population Trends

Year Estimated Population 2002 180,000 2003 185,800 2004 191,700 2005 197,800 2006 204,100 2007 210,600 2008 217,300 2009 224,300 2010 231,500 Economic activities Agriculture is the mainstay of the district economy. Agriculture involves both crop and animal husbandry. Due to the relatively dry nature of the district, cattle ranching for beef and dairy farming are the most important economic activities in Sembabule District. Fish farming is an activity that is increasingly being implemented in the district as well. The district produce finds market in Uganda's larger cities and in area towns including Kampala, Masaka and Rakai. The crops grown for food and sale include: Sweet bananas Matooke Potatos Cassava Yams Maize Millet Cabbage Peas Mangos Pineapples Groundnuts Passion fruits Landmarks In the region around Bwera, there is a site known as Bigo bya Mugenyi, which appears to be the location of human settlement dating back to the late Iron Age (1200 - 1000BC). Excavations at the site have yielded iron blades (most probably used for harvesting grain), pottery with simple decorations, cattle dung and post-holes for fencing. External links Sembabule District Homepage Uganda District Map About Sembabule District See also Sembabule Central Region, Uganda Districts of Uganda References