Quick answerJinja is a city in Uganda, with 300,000 people inside the city limits in 2020. It is best known for the Source of the Nile, the White-water rafting and the Bujagali Falls. Its official languages are English and Swahili, and its currency is the Ugandan shilling.
Jinja is one of Uganda's largest cities, with about 300,000 people in a 2020 estimate. It stands on the northern shore of Lake Victoria at the source of the Nile and is famous for white-water rafting and Bujagali Falls.
Key facts
| Country | Uganda |
|---|---|
| Population (city) | 300,000 (2020) |
| Elevation | 1204 m above sea level |
| Time zone | Africa/Kampala |
| Language | English, Swahili |
| Currency | Ugandan shilling (UGX, USh) |
| Coordinates | 0.423° N, 33.204° E |
Overview
Jinja is one of Uganda's largest cities, on the northern shore of Lake Victoria in the east of the country. It had about 300,000 people in a 2020 estimate, while the 2024 census preliminary results counted 296,384 residents, and it stands at 1,204 metres above sea level.
Jinja was founded in 1906 and grew as the industrial town of eastern Uganda. It is famous as the source of the Nile: in 1862 the explorer John Hanning Speke identified the Ripon Falls, where the river leaves Lake Victoria, as the source of the world's longest river. The Owen Falls Dam, opened in 1954, was Uganda's first hydroelectric dam.
Today Jinja is the adventure capital of East Africa, known for white-water rafting on the Nile, kayaking and bungee jumping, and for Bujagali Falls downstream. Its old colonial buildings, Indian quarter and lakeside setting make it one of Uganda's most visited towns.
What Jinja is known for
- Source of the Nile
- White-water rafting
- Bujagali Falls
- Owen Falls Dam
- Ripon Falls
Landmarks
- Source of the Nile
- Bujagali Falls
- Itanda Falls
- Jinja Railway Bridge
- Ssezibwa Falls
- Ripon Falls
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Jinja?
About 300,000 people live in Jinja (300,000 in a 2020 estimate), while the 2024 census preliminary results counted 296,384 residents. That makes Jinja one of Uganda's largest cities, after Kampala, and the main town of the east, at the source of the Nile.
What is Jinja famous for?
Jinja is famous as the source of the Nile, where the river leaves Lake Victoria at the Ripon Falls. It is known for white-water rafting on the Nile, for Bujagali Falls, for the Owen Falls Dam, and as the old industrial town of eastern Uganda.
Where is Jinja located?
Jinja is in eastern Uganda, on the northern shore of Lake Victoria, about 80 kilometres east of Kampala. It stands at 1,204 metres above sea level, at the point where the Nile leaves the lake. Its coordinates are 0.42° N, 33.20° E.
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Keep exploring
- Uganda — the country Jinja is in
- Kampala — another city in Uganda
- Mbarara — another city in Uganda
- Lira — another city in Uganda
- All cities in Uganda
- All countries — the full list
Sources & last updated
- Wikipedia — Jinja, Uganda
- Uganda Bureau of Statistics — National Population and Housing Census 2024, preliminary results
Last updated: . Figures are shown with their year; where sources disagree, the value is left out rather than estimated.