# Uganda (UG) **Capital:** Kampala **Currency:** Ugandan shilling (UGX) (UGX) **Population:** 45,905,417 — Older stored figure; source year not documented. **Area:** 241,038 km² > Uganda is a landlocked East African country and transit hub between the port of Mombasa (Northern Corridor) and Dar es Salaam (Central Corridor). Customs is handled by the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) via ASYCUDA World; the EAC customs union applies with its Common External Tariff (0/10/25 percent, sensitive list up to 35 percent) and 18 percent import VAT. Key cargo includes coffee, tea, gold, fish and flowers for export and machinery, vehicles and petroleum products for import. Entebbe is the main air freight gateway. The EACOP pipeline and a planned SGR are expanding logistics infrastructure. Uganda (ISO code: UG) is a landlocked country in East Africa bordering Kenya, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and Tanzania. It is a presidential republic with a centralised administration. The climate is tropical with two rainy seasons (March to May and September to November). The economy rests on agriculture, mining, energy and services, with coffee, tea, cotton and increasingly crude oil playing central roles. Uganda exports mainly agricultural produce, minerals and gold while relying on imports of machinery, vehicles, petroleum products and consumer goods. As a landlocked EAC member it depends on the ports of Mombasa (Northern Corridor) and Dar es Salaam (Central Corridor), served by road, metre-gauge rail, Lake Victoria inland shipping and Entebbe International Airport. Major infrastructure projects include the EACOP crude oil pipeline to Tanga and a planned standard gauge railway. The currency is the Uganda Shilling (UGX). **Top Import Partners:** CN, KE, IN, AE, TZ **Top Export Partners:** KE, AE, SS, CD, IT **Top Import Goods:** Petroleum products, Machinery, Vehicles, Chemicals, Consumer goods **Top Export Goods:** Gold, Coffee, Fish, Flowers, Agricultural products **Key Airports:** - [Entebbe International Airport (EBB)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/entebbe-international-airport-ebb) - [Arua Airport (RUA)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/arua-airport-rua) - [Gulu Airport (ULU)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/gulu-airport-ulu) - [Soroti Airport (SRT)](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/soroti-airport-srt) - [Adjumani Airport](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/adjumani-airport-huaj) - [Bugungu Airport](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/bugungu-airport-hugg) - [Buhuka Airport](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/buhuka-airport-4712) - [Bukasa Airport](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/bukasa-airport-17553) - [Bulago Airport](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/bulago-airport-22456) - [Bundibugyo Airport](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/airports/bundibugyo-airport-hubu) ## Customs & Import **Import VAT:** 18 percent standard rate (URA) **Customs complexity:** medium to high **Customs system:** ASYCUDA World with Single Administrative Document (SAD) via the URA; EAC customs union with Common External Tariff (bands 0/10/25 percent, sensitive list up to 35 percent). **Customs authority:** [Uganda Revenue Authority (URA)](https://ura.go.ug) ## Logistics & Risk **Logistics role:** Landlocked / East African transit hub **Economic area:** EAC / COMESA **Logistics risk:** medium to high **Dangerous goods relevance:** medium **Pharma/cold chain:** medium ## FAQ ### Is Uganda landlocked and how does cargo reach the country? Yes, Uganda has no seaport of its own. Cargo moves through the ports of Mombasa (northern corridor) and Dar es Salaam (central corridor), as well as by air freight via Entebbe. ### Which customs authority is responsible in Uganda? The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) handles customs clearance through ASYCUDA World with the Single Administrative Document (SAD). ### What is the import VAT rate in Uganda? The standard VAT rate is 18 percent and is levied by the URA on imports. ### What import duties apply in Uganda? As an EAC member, Uganda applies the Common External Tariff: 0 percent on raw materials, 10 percent on intermediate goods, 25 percent on finished goods and up to 35 percent on goods on the sensitive list. ### What free trade benefits does Uganda offer? Uganda is a member of the EAC customs union and of COMESA, and is part of the AfCFTA. As an LDC, it also benefits from EU preferences under Everything But Arms. ### Are there trade sanctions against Uganda? There are no comprehensive trade sanctions. After the Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023, the USA imposed targeted visa sanctions against individual officials, and the World Bank paused new financing. ### Which types of freight are typical for Uganda? Mainly coffee, tea, gold, fish and flowers are exported; machinery, vehicles, petroleum products and consumer goods are imported. ### Which infrastructure projects are changing Uganda's logistics? The EACOP crude oil pipeline to Tanga (first exports expected for October 2026) and the planned Standard Gauge Railway Malaba-Kampala are expected to reduce transport costs and transit times. ## Sources & Last Verified - [https://ura.go.ug](https://ura.go.ug) - [https://ura.go.ug/en/import-export-faqs/](https://ura.go.ug/en/import-export-faqs/) - [https://ura.go.ug/en/value-added-tax-vat/](https://ura.go.ug/en/value-added-tax-vat/) - [https://www.eac.int/customs](https://www.eac.int/customs) - [https://www.eac.int/integration-pillars/customs-union](https://www.eac.int/integration-pillars/customs-union) - [https://www.ubos.org/national-population-and-housing-census-2024/](https://www.ubos.org/national-population-and-housing-census-2024/) - [https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/statement/2023/05/31/world-bank-group-on-uganda](https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/statement/2023/05/31/world-bank-group-on-uganda) - [https://www.ttcanc.org/northern-corridor-transport-network](https://www.ttcanc.org/northern-corridor-transport-network) *Last verified: 2026-07-01* --- *Freight Academy — Country Profile: [https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/ug](https://www.freight-academy.com/en/information/land/ug)* *Markdown mirror: [https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/country/en/ug](https://www.freight-academy.com/api/md/country/en/ug)*