Entebbe
Entebbe is a municipality in Wakiso District, central Uganda, located on a peninsula extending into Lake Victoria approximately 40 kilometres southwest of Kampala. As of the 2024 census, its population stands at 81,160 residents across an area of 35.09 square kilometres. The town functions as Uganda's primary gateway for international air travel through Entebbe International Airport, the country's sole international airport, which handled a record 2.24 million passengers in 2024 and supports growing cargo and tourism sectors.[1][2][3] Established as the administrative capital of the British Uganda Protectorate in 1894, Entebbe retained this role until Uganda's independence in 1962, when Kampala assumed the position; colonial-era government buildings underscore its historical administrative prominence. Today, it hosts key national institutions, including the State House—residence of the Ugandan president—the Uganda Virus Research Institute, and agencies like the Civil Aviation Authority, contributing to its ongoing role in governance, research, and aviation regulation.[4][5][6][7] Entebbe achieved global notoriety in 1976 during Operation Entebbe, when Israeli special forces executed a long-range commando raid at the airport to liberate over 100 hostages seized by Palestinian and German terrorists who had hijacked an Air France flight and diverted it there with Ugandan government complicity under Idi Amin; the operation rescued 102 hostages, killed all seven hijackers, and demonstrated precision in counter-terrorism despite crossfire casualties among rescuers and three hostages. The event highlighted Entebbe's strategic airport infrastructure while exposing regional vulnerabilities to militant hijackings.[8][9][10]Geography
Location and Topography
Entebbe is situated on a peninsula extending into Lake Victoria in south-central Uganda, approximately 34 kilometers southwest of Kampala by road.[11] Positioned at roughly 0°3′N 32°28′E, the area lies within Wakiso District of the Central Region.[12] This district partially encircles Kampala, placing Entebbe at the district's southwestern extent near the lake's northern shoreline.[13] The site rests at an elevation of approximately 1,135 meters above sea level, aligning with Lake Victoria's surface level.[14] Local topography includes undulating low hills rising slightly above the lakeshore, interspersed with wetlands and papyrus swamps that drain directly into the lake basin.[15] Soils in the Entebbe area are predominantly ferralitic and influenced by volcanic deposits from the broader East African Rift system, contributing to fertility that supports perennial crops like bananas and coffee.[16] The Lake Victoria basin's drainage pattern ensures surface waters flow northward into the lake, shaping the flat to gently sloping terrain conducive to early settlement along the waterfront.[17]Climate
Entebbe experiences an equatorial climate with consistently warm temperatures and high humidity moderated by Lake Victoria. Long-term records from the Entebbe Airport weather station show average highs ranging from 24°C to 26°C and lows from 17°C to 19°C year-round, rarely dipping below 18°C or exceeding 30°C.[18] Relative humidity averages 80-90%, fostering muggy conditions with minimal diurnal or seasonal temperature swings.[18] Precipitation totals approximately 1,500 mm annually, following a bimodal pattern with primary wet seasons from March to May and a secondary one from September to November.[19] April is the wettest month, averaging over 250 mm and up to 25 days of rain, while June to August form the drier period with monthly totals around 70-100 mm.[20] This distribution results from the Intertropical Convergence Zone's seasonal migration, with overcast skies prevalent year-round.[18] The climate's stability supports reliable local agriculture, enabling two annual harvests of crops like bananas, maize, and coffee, though intense rains increase erosion risks in the hilly terrain.[21] At Entebbe International Airport, convective thunderstorms during wet peaks reduce visibility and delay flights, underscoring the need for radar-based forecasting to maintain operational reliability.[22]Demographics
Population Trends
The population of Entebbe Municipality has grown steadily over the past two decades, fueled by internal migration from rural areas seeking employment in aviation, tourism, and services, as well as suburban spillover from the nearby capital, Kampala.[23][4] This expansion reflects broader urbanization trends in Uganda, where towns like Entebbe benefit from infrastructure such as Entebbe International Airport, which draws workers and supports ancillary economic activities.[24] Census data from the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) illustrate this trajectory. In the 2002 Population and Housing Census, Entebbe recorded 55,086 residents.[25] The figure rose to 69,958 by the 2014 census, representing an average annual growth rate of approximately 2.0% over the intervening period, moderated by the town's established urban boundaries amid national rural-to-urban migration pressures.[26] The 2024 National Population and Housing Census enumerated 81,160 inhabitants, yielding an overall post-2002 growth rate of about 1.9% annually, lower than Uganda's national average of 2.9% due to Entebbe's saturation as a peri-urban hub rather than a primary rural exodus destination.[1][27]| Census Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2002 | 55,086 |
| 2014 | 69,958 |
| 2024 | 81,160 |