| Butiaba | |
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Butiaba
Placement on map is approximate. |
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| Coordinates: | |
| Country | Uganda |
| Region | Western Uganda |
| Sub-region | Bunyoro sub-region |
| District | Masindi District |
| Elevation | 640 m (2,100 ft) |
| Time zone | EAT (UTC+3) |
Butiaba, sometimes spelled as Butyaba, is a town in Western Uganda.
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Butiaba is situated on the eastern shores of Lake Albert, in Masindi District. It is located approximately 57 kilometres (35 mi), by road, west of the district headquarters at Masindi.[1] This location is approximately 270 kilometres (170 mi), by road, northwest of Kampala, Uganda's capital and largest city.[2] The coordinates of Butiaba are:01 48 36N, 31 19 34E (Latitude:1.8100; Longitude:31.3261).
During the first half of the 20th century, Butiaba was an important transportation hub, where merchandise from eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and from South Sudan was transported by boat across Lake Albert to Butiaba Harbour. At Butiaba, merchandise was transported overland, through Masindi to Masindi Port. At Masindi Port, the produce would be loaded on barges, ferried across Lake Kyoga to Soroti. At Soroti, it would be loaded on to railway wagons for transportation by rail to Mombasa, Kenya, on the Indian Ocean, for export.[3] Imported goods and merchandise were transported along the same route, in reverse.
When the East African Railways Corporation was dissolved in the 1970s, Butiaba's prominence declined and the harbour remained dormant until now. Recently, a significant amount of petroleum deposits have been discovered in the ground and under the lake near Butiaba. There are considerations to revive Butiaba Harbour, to play a role in the transportation of equipment, manpower and petroleum, as Uganda develops her nascent oil industry.[4][5]
As of January 2010, the exact population of Butiaba is not known.
The landmarks within the town limits or close to the edges of town include:
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