LAKE VICTORIA BASIN

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The population of the LVB is estimated at 40 million
(World Bank 2016) and constitutes 30 per cent of the total
population of the five countries that share the Basin. The
population is largely rural, with an average of 40 per cent
living in urban areas (World Bank 2016). AsTable 1.3 shows,
the demography varies fromcountry to country – asmuch
as 94 per cent of Uganda’s Basin population live in urban
areas, while only 5 per cent of Burundi’s Basin population
live in urban areas (LakeVictoria Basin Commission 2007a).
Major urban centres in the LVB include Eldoret, Entebbe,
Kigali, Kisumu, Mbarara, Musoma and Mwanza. Large
sections of Kampala lie within the basin. Population
density is highest in the Burundi portion of the Basin and
lowest inTanzania (Lake Victoria Basin Commission 2007a).
The majority of people living in the LVB have their
livelihoods and economic activities rooted in the Bantu,
Nilotic and Cushitic cultures (UNEP 2006). Most of these
cultural groups are farmers and fishers.
Figure 1.5: Population density in the LVB
The people
Table 1.3: Population distribution in the Lake Victoria Basin
Population
Total population (Millions)
Rural population (%)
Urban population (%)
Population density (number of people per km²)
Source: Lake Victoria Basin Commission 2007a
Burundi
3.9
95
5
285
Rwanda
6.9
90
10
323
Uganda
5.6
6
94
180
Kenya
12.5
92
7.8
257
Tanzania
5.6
87
13
66
LV Basin
34.5
60
40
MARA
SONDU
NYANDO
NZOLA SIO
GUCHA-MIGORI
GRUMETI
SIMIYU
NYASHISHI
GEITA-BUKOBA
KAGERA
BUKORA
KATONGA
MOGOGO
-
MOAME
ISANGA
Lake
Albert
Lake
Kyoga
Lake
Baringo
Lake
Bogoria
Lake
Naivasha
Lake
Kivu
Lake
George
Lake
Kyanebalola
Kagera
Lake
Ikimba
Lake
Burigi
Simiyu
Mbalageti
Mara
Nzola
Sondu
Victoria Nile
Katonga
Lake
Kachira
Lake
Wamala
Lake
Edward
Lake Victoria
100 km
Population density in the Lake Victoria basin
Copyright © 2016 GRID-Arendal · LeviWesterveld
Sources: Center for International Earth Science Information Network - CIESIN - Columbia University. 2016. Gridded Population of theWorld,Version 4
(GPWv4): Population Density Adjusted to Match 2015 Revision UNWPP CountryTotals. Palisades, NY: NASA Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC).
Accessed 17/11/2016.
Sub-basins
Lake Victoria basin
Population Density
(pop / km2)
0 to 100
100 to 200
200 to 300
300 to 400
400 to 500
500 to 750
> to 1000
Traditional fishing