Mbale | |
|---|---|
 Near the grounds of Mbale Pentecostal Theological College | |
  Mbale Location in Uganda | |
| Coordinates: 01°04′50″N 34°10′30″E / 1.08056°N 34.17500°E | |
| Country |  Uganda |
| Regions | Eastern Uganda |
| Subregion | Bugisu sub-region |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Mutwalibi Mafabi Zandya[2] |
| Elevation | 1,156 m (3,793 ft) |
| Population (2014 Census) | |
| • Total | 96,189[1] |
Mbale is a city in the Eastern Region of Uganda. It is the main municipal, administrative, and commercial center of Mbale District and the surrounding sub-region.[3]
Mbale is approximately 225 kilometres (140 mi) northeast of Kampala, Uganda's capital city, on an all-weather tarmac highway.[4] The city lies at an average elevation of 1,156 metres (3,793 ft) above sea level.[5]
The coordinates of the city are 1°04'50.0"N, 34°10'30.0"E (Latitude:1.080556; Longitude:34.175000).[6] The city is on the railway from Tororo to Pakwach. Mount Elgon, one of the highest peaks in East Africa, is approximately 48 kilometres (30 mi), north-east of Mbale, by road.[7]
According to the 2002 census, the population of Mbale was about 71,130. In 2010, the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) estimated the population at 81,900. In 2011, UBOS estimated the mid-year population at 91,800.[8] The 2014 population census put the population at 96,189.[1]
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 71,130 | — |
| 2010 | 81,900 | +15.1% |
| 2011 | 91,800 | +12.1% |
| 2014 | 96,189 | +4.8% |
| source:[1][8] | ||
Mbale was formally linked with the town of Pontypridd, Wales through local and regional twinning ceremonies in 2005. The link was intended to associate professionals and organizations in Pontypridd with their counterparts in Africa, under the auspices of the charity known as the Partnerships Overseas Networking Trust.[9]
The following points of interest lie within the city limits or close to its borders:
In 2019 the Cabinet of Uganda, resolved to award Mbale, city status effective July 2021.[11] In November of the same year, Cabinet revised the date of city status to 1 July 2020.[12]
