Yumbe District

Yumbe District
—  District  —
District location in Uganda
Coordinates: 03°28′N 31°15′E
Country	Uganda
Region	Northern Uganda
Sub-region	West Nile sub-region
Capital	Yumbe
Population (2010 Estimate)
• Total	346,600
Time zone	EAT (UTC+3)
Website	Homepage

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

Location

Yumbe District is one of Uganda's most northern districts. The district is bordered by South Sudan to the north, Moyo District to the east, Adjumani District to the southeast, Arua District to the south, Maracha District to the southwest and Koboko District to the west. The district headquarters at Yumbe are located approximately 75 kilometres (47 mi), by road, north of Arua, the largest town in the sub-region. The coordinates of the district are:03 28N, 31 15E.

Overview

Yumbe District was established in 2006 when Aringa County was split off Arua District and renamed Yumbe District.The people in the district are still suffering from the effects of the civil war, which lasted about twenty (20) years (1980–2000). The peace agreement between UNRF2 and the Government of Uganda was signed in the year 2000 in Yumbe.

The majority (89%) of the people in the district are ethnic Lugbara. The Lugbara in Yumbe District speak a dialect called Aringa, which has no written form; it is only spoken. Other ethnicities include the Kakwa, Madi and the Alur. The Acholi are scattered along River Nile and mainly engage in fishing and hunting, along the river. They account for about 2% of the district's population.

The dialects spoken in the district include: Aringa Lugbara (majority), Kakwa, Kuku, Madi and Alur. The second most-spoken language however is Swahili. In the urban areas, one might encounter individuals who can understand Arabic or English.

Population

The population in Yumbe District is mainly Muslim (76%), which is a big exception for Uganda (80% of Ugandans are Christians). The fertility rate in the district is high (7.5). The 2002 national census estimated the population of the district at about 253,300 inhabitants. The annual population growth rate in Yumbe District was estimated at 7.9%, at one time. It is estimated that the population of the district in 2010 was approximately 300,200. See table below:

Yumbe District Population Trends

Year Estimated Population 2002 253,300 2003 263,400 2004 274,000 2005 284,900 2006 296,300 2007 308,200 2008 320,500 2009 333,300 2010 346,600 Economic activities Subsistence agriculture is the main economic activity in the district, as is the case with most Ugandan districts. Crops grown include the following: Millet Sweet potatoes Beans Cassava Tobacco Tomatoes Papaya Avocado Mangos Oranges Lemons Onions Cabbage External links Yumbe District at Ugandatravelguide.com See also Lugbara Yumbe West Nile sub-region Northern Region, Uganda Districts of Uganda References