Country Uganda Time zone EAT (UTC+3) | Area 2,393 km² | |
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Website web.archive.org/web/20090411041051/http://www.yumbe.go.ug:80/ | ||
South sudan refugee response update yumbe district
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.
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Bidibidi refugee reception centre yumbe district northern uganda
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 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, BARI, 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).
In 1991, the national population census estimated the district population at about 99,800. The 2002 national census estimated the population of the district at about 251,800 inhabitants. The annual population growth rate in Yumbe District was calculated at 8.2%. It was estimated that the population of Yumbe District in 2012 was approximately 545,500.
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: