Entebbe

Etymology

The word came from Luganda language e ntebe which means 'seat' / 'chair'. Entebbe was the seat of the colonial governor in the early 1900s, when the country was a British protectorate, and is now the location of the official office and residence of the President of Uganda, hence the name. Entebbe is the seat of power in the country.

Location

Entebbe sits on the northern shores of Lake Victoria, Africa's largest lake. The town is situated in Wakiso District, approximately 37 kilometres (23 mi) southwest of Kampala, Uganda's capital and largest city. The municipality is located on a peninsula into Lake Victoria, covering a total area of 56.2 square kilometres (21.7 sq mi), out of which 20 km² (7.7 sq mi) is water. The coordinates of Entebbe are:0°03'00.0"N, 32°27'36.0"E (Latitude:0.0500; Longitude:32.4600).

Population

During the 2002 national census, Entebbe's population was estimated at about 55,100 people. In 2010, the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) estimated the population of the town at 76,500. In 2011, UBOS estimated the population of Entebbe at approximately 79,700. On 27 August 2014, the national population census put Entebbe's population at 69,958.

History

"Entebbe", in the local Luganda language, means a "seat" and was probably named that because it was the place where a Baganda chief sat to adjudicate legal cases. It first became a British colonial administrative and commercial centre in 1893 when Sir Gerald Portal, a colonial Commissioner, used it as a base. Port Bell went on to become Kampala's harbour. Although no ships dock there now, there is still a jetty, which was used by Lake Victoria ferries. Entebbe is perhaps best known to Europeans as the home of Entebbe International Airport, the main international airport of Uganda, which was first opened in 1929. Entebbe airport was the scene of a hostage situation and a rescue operation in 4 July 1976, when soldiers from an elite unit of the Israeli army freed over 100 hostages following a hijacking by a group of Palestinian and German militia. It was also from this airport that Queen Elizabeth II departed Africa to return to England in 1952 when she learned of her father's death and that she had become Queen. The city of Entebbe also hosted final resolution talks to end the M23 rebellion.

Tourist attractions

Government and infrastructure

The head office of the Ministry of Works and Transport is in Entebbe.

The head office of the Ugandan Civil Aviation Authority is on the property of Entebbe International Airport.

Other points of interest

Other points of interest within the city limits or close to its edges include the offices of Entebbe City Council and several branches of foreign and indigenous commercial banks. The supermarket chain, Nakumatt, planned to open a store in Entebbe in 2012. In 2014, the American fast-food chain KFC opened a franchise in the town.

Climate

Entebbe experiences tropical rainforest climate (Af) according to the Köppen climate classification as the city has no real dry season throughout the year. The driest season is January with precipitation total 65 millimetres (2.6 in), while the wettest season is April with precipitation total 256 millimetres (10.1 in). The temperature is moderated by the altitude. The hottest month is February with average temperature 22.8 °C (73.0 °F), while the coolest month is July with average temperature 20.6 °C (69.1 °F).