ARUA CITY TRAVEL GUIDE

LOCATION OF ARUA CITY, UGANDA

Arua is a city and commercial center within the Arua District in the Northern Region of Uganda. It’s approximately 475 kilometers (295 miles) North-West of Kampala, the capital and largest city of Uganda. Arua is also about 228 kilometers (142 miles) West of Gulu, the largest city in Uganda’s Northern Region. The geographical coordinates of Arua are 3.035278°N, 30.910833°E.

Arua is situated at an average elevation of 1,310 meters (4,298 feet) above sea level, it shares borders with the Democratic Republic of Congo to the West and South Sudan to the North, making it a strategic location for business between Uganda and its neighboring countries. Due to this strategic position, Arua hosts up to 20% of the refugees entering Uganda annually.

The city serves as an important base for non-governmental organizations working in the West Nile sub-region and neighboring areas in South Sudan and the North-Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Arua is connected to other towns in West Nile by road, and it has an airport with scheduled air service.

POPULATION OF ARUA CITY, UGANDA

As of 2024, the population of Arua City, Uganda is approximately 70,933 people as estimated by the UBOS.

SOME HISTORY OF ARUA CITY, UGANDA

Arua City, located in the North Western Corner of Uganda, has a fascinating historical background. Here is some history about Arua City:

Origins and Colonial Era: Arua traces its origins back to the beginnings of West Nile as a region. It was part of King Leopold II’s Congo Free State and had been leased to him by the British in 1894. After Leopold’s death, it passed back to Anglo-Egyptian Sudan. British Colonial Official Chauncy Stigand advised that the southern part of the enclave (West Nile) be handed over to the administration of the Uganda Protectorate. Thus, the protectorate government set up their administrative center in Arua.

Municipality and City Status: In 1939, R. Thomson declared Arua Township as a Town Board, and later, in 1974, President Idi Amin Dada declared Arua a Municipality. Fast forward to April 2020, when His Excellency Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the President of Uganda, elevated Arua Municipality to a City Status. The former Ayivu County (comprising 7 Sub Counties) in Arua District was annexed to form Ayivu Division in Arua City. With this transformation, the administrative jurisdiction expanded significantly.

Trade and Commerce Hub: Located at the confluence of trade routes between Uganda, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, Arua City is a hub of trade and commerce. It offers vast investment and tourism opportunities.

Geographical Context: Arua City lies between latitude 030 10’N and 300 50’N and longitude 300 30’E and 310 30’E. It shares borders with the Democratic Republic of Congo (West), Maracha District (North), Terego District (East), and Arua District and Madi Okollo District (South and South-East). It’s also 75 km from South Sudan to the North and 520 km North of Kampala, Uganda’s capital city.