click on the map for a larger view

Africa made a great impression on Baden-Powell. He loved the continent and its people. During his army career he made a study of the local languages and as a result got to know the people well.

Many people talk about Africa as a country rather than a continent. This is like calling us Europeans and thinking the United Kingdom is the same as Greece or Norway! Africa consists of over 40 countries, each with its separate identity.

Activity

Most of the names of the countries in Africa are hidden in the wordsquare See how many of the 35 countries listed the Cub Scouts can find. Note this is a pdf document for which you will need a copy of Adobe Acrobat.

UGANDA

Uganda is situated in East Africa and is completely landlocked. Most of the country is a plateau about 1,200m above sea level. Kampala is the capital city with a population of around 500,000. British Airways and Sabena Airlines operate internationally from Entebbe airport with regular flights to London which take eight and a half hours. Entebbe is on the shores of Lake Victoria where watersports of all kinds take place. There are also some botanical gardens in Entebbe.

Uganda is divided into seven regions and in each region there are a number of districts.

Uganda covers an area of 241,139 sq km of which 39,459 sq km are swampland and water. 90°/, of the population live in the countryside on family farms called shambas. People usuallv farm four to five acres in the coffee growing areas and between eight and nine acres in the cotton areas.

The young Winston Churchill called Uganda the loveliest area in Africa and one of the most striking in the world.

Programme Ideas

Look at the maps of Uganda and the United Kingdom. Download maps of Uganda and the UK.

The highest point in Uganda is Magharita Peak at 5,328m which is in the western region. From a map of Uganda try and find the next three highest mountains. The United Kingdom's highest mountain is Ben Nevis. How does this compare with Uganda's highest point?

• Ask the Cub Scouts to compare the size and population of Kampala with that of London and Edinburgh. Think of some of the advantages and disadvantages of living in a city and living in the countryside. Draw a poster to advertise the advantages of each. Draw up a chart and identify activities the Cub Scouts particularly enjoy. Use the results in planning your next Pack holiday or outing. To help the Cub Scouts find out where Uganda is situated, copy the outline map of Uganda and also the surrounding countries onto thin card. (see pages 7 and 8) Have as many maps as there are Sixes.
• Cut out each country separately and see if each Six can put the jigsaw together correctly. Name the countries and mark in the capital Kampala and Entebbe airport.