Arua

For other uses, see Arua (disambiguation).

Arua
Arua Location in Uganda
Coordinates: 03°01′48″N 30°54′36″E / 3.03°N 30.91°E / 3.03; 30.91
Country	Uganda
Region	Northern Uganda
Sub-region	West Nile sub-region
District	Arua District
Government
- Mayor	Charles Asiki
Population (2011 Estimate)
- Total	59,400

Arua is a town in Arua District, Northern Uganda. An important local commercial centre, it is a base for a large refugee population from Southern Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo and is an aid distribution centre for those nations.

Location

Arua is located approximately 430 kilometres (270 mi), by road, northwest of Kampala, the capital city of Uganda, and the largest city in that country.^[1] This location lies approximately 190 kilometres (120 mi), by road, west of Gulu, the largest city in Northern Uganda.^[2] The coordinates of the town are:03 01 48N, 30 54 36E (Latitude:3.0300; Longitude:30.9100).

Overview

Arua was the capital of the former West Nile Province. However, with the breakup of the province in the 1970s into Arua, Nebbi and Moyo districts, Arua town became the capital of Arua District. Arua town was initially slotted as the proposed capital of Lado Enclave. A distinction should however be made between Arua and Arua District.

The dominant tribe in Arua District are the Lugbara, who are divided up into the different dialects of Vurra who come from Vurra county, Ayivu who are from Ayivu county, Madi who are from Madi-Okollo County. The Madi from Madi-Okollo have a variant dialect from those in Moyo District and Adjumani District.

Arua is an important base for NGOs working in the West Nile sub-region or serving Western Equatoria in Southern Sudan or northeastern Congo DRC. It has become increasingly important as a commercial supply centre and transport route^[3] as the Yei–Juba road has opened up and supplies come into Juba from the south rather than through Khartoum.

Transport

Coach lines link Arua to Kampala. Among them :

• Gaa-Gaa
• Nile Coach
• Post Bus
• KKT bus
• California Bus

Arua Airport is the second-busiest airport in Uganda behind Entebbe International Airport

A branch of the Ugandan Railways was extended to Arua sometime after 1964^[4] but there has been no passenger rail service in Uganda for many years^[5]. Freight transport by rail to Arua is also unknown of nowadays.

Population

The 2002 national census estimated the population of Arua town at 43,929. In 2008, the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), estimated the population of the town to be 53,600.^[6] In 2011, UBOS estimated the population of the town at 59,400.^[7]

Activities

Administrative activities

The following administrations are seated in Arua :

• Headquarters of Arua District Administration
• Offices of Arua Town Council
• Headquarters of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Arua

Other buiness and educational activities

• Arua Central Market
• The new "Arua Mall"
• Arua Regional Referral Hospital - 128 bed public hospital administered by the Uganda Ministry of Health.
• West Nile Distilleries - maker of 7 Hills Vodka^[8]
• A campus of the Islamic University in Uganda (IUIU)
• Arua Foam Mattresses Limited
• A branch of Toyota Uganda Limited, a dealership in Toyota automobiles and Yamaha motorcycles.^[9]
• Arua Currency Center - A currency storage and processing facility, owned and operated by the Bank of Uganda, Uganda's Central Bank.^[10]

Financial institutions

Branches of the following financial institutions are present in Arua :

• Bank of Africa
• Barclays Bank
• Centenary Bank
• Crane Bank
• Diamond Trust Bank
• Bank of Africa
• Housing Finance Bank
• Kenya Commercial Bank
• PostBank Uganda
• Stanbic Bank
• DFCU Bank
• Pride Microfinance Limited
• National Social Security Fund

See also

• Lado Enclave
• Lugbara
• Arua District
• Railway stations in Uganda
• West Nile sub-region
• Northern Region, Uganda

References

1. ^ Road Distance Between Kampala And Arua With Map
2. ^ Map Showing Arua And Gulu With Distance Marker
3. ^ BBC News "Uganda's booming border town" Accessed 2006-11-14.
4. ^ "Nairobi Railway Museum". http://www.greywall.demon.co.uk/rail/Kenya/nrm.html. Retrieved 25 January 2010. 
5. ^ "Uganda Travel Advice and Advisories (Government of Canada)". http://www.voyage.gc.ca/countries_pays/report_rapport-eng.asp?id=304000. Retrieved 25 January 2010. 
6. ^ 2002 and 2008 Estimated Populations of Ugandan Cities and Towns
7. ^ 2011 Estimated Populations of Ugandan Cities And Towns
8. ^ Business in Arua is Booming
9. ^ Toyota Uganda Opens Branch in Arua
10. ^ Bank of Uganda Maintains Arua Currency Center

External links

• Website of Arua District

Coordinates: 03°01′48″N 30°54′36″E / 3.03°N 30.91°E / 3.03; 30.91