Soroti

Soroti
Solot
Soroti
Soroti Main Street
Soroti Main Street
Soroti is located in Uganda
Soroti
Soroti
Location in Uganda
Coordinates: 01°42′54″N 33°36′40″E / 1.71500°N 33.61111°E / 1.71500; 33.61111
Country Uganda
RegionEastern Region of Uganda
Sub-regionTeso sub-region
DistrictSoroti District
Government
 • TypeCity Council
 • MayorMr. Paul Omer
 • Chief Administrative OfficerMr. Moses Otimong
Elevation
3,710 ft (1,130 m)
Population
 (2020 Estimates)
 • Total60,900[1]
Websitesoroticity.go.ug
View of central Soroti City from the Rock

Soroti is a city in Eastern Region of Uganda. It is the main city, commercial, and administrative center in Soroti District, one of the nine administrative districts in the Teso sub-region.[2][3] Soroti city was immediately approved for operationalization ahead of schedule by the Parliament of Uganda in the Financial Year 2020/2021.[4]

Geography

Soroti City is surrounded by Soroti District, of the Teso sub-region, in the Eastern Region of Uganda, lying north of Lake Kyoga. Soroti is approximately 103 kilometres (64 mi), by road, northwest of the city of Mbale, the largest urban centre in Uganda's Eastern Region.[5] Soroti lies on the Tororo–Mbale–Soroti Road or Lira-Mbale route, approximately 326 kilometres (203 mi), by road, northeast of Kampala, Uganda's capital and largest city.[6] The coordinates of Soroti are 1°42'54.0"N, 33°36'40.0"E (Latitude:1.715000; Longitude:33.611111).[7] Soroti lies at an average elevation of 1,130 metres (3,707 ft) above mean sea level.[8]

Climate

Climate data for Soroti (1961–1990)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 32.0
(89.6) 		32.0
(89.6) 		31.2
(88.2) 		29.7
(85.5) 		29.4
(84.9) 		28.9
(84.0) 		28.4
(83.1) 		28.6
(83.5) 		29.8
(85.6) 		29.8
(85.6) 		29.6
(85.3) 		30.7
(87.3) 		30.0
(86.0)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 17.8
(64.0) 		18.6
(65.5) 		18.9
(66.0) 		18.7
(65.7) 		18.3
(64.9) 		18.1
(64.6) 		17.9
(64.2) 		17.7
(63.9) 		17.7
(63.9) 		17.8
(64.0) 		17.9
(64.2) 		17.8
(64.0) 		18.1
(64.6)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 68.4
(2.69) 		63.0
(2.48) 		131.5
(5.18) 		169.3
(6.67) 		117.5
(4.63) 		69.2
(2.72) 		63.1
(2.48) 		95.7
(3.77) 		108.4
(4.27) 		138.0
(5.43) 		148.7
(5.85) 		91.5
(3.60) 		1,264.3
(49.77)
Source: World Meteorological Organization[9]

Population

The 1969 national population census enumerated the population of Soroti at 12,398. In 1980, the population had increased to 15,048. During the 1991 national census, Soroti's population was 40,970. In August 2014, the national population census put Soroti's population at 49,685. The Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) estimated the mid-year population of Soroti in 2020, at 60,900. The table below illustrates the data in tabular format.[1]

Historical population
YearPop.±%
196912,398—    
198015,048+21.4%
199140,970+172.3%
201449,685+21.3%
202060,900+22.6%
source:[1]

Education

Soroti hosts the main campus of Soroti University, a public institution of higher education, located in the suburb of Arapai.[10] Soroti is also home to secondary campuses of Kumi University,[11] and Kyambogo University.[12] Soroti Secondary School is one of the biggest day school in Teso.[13]

Transport

A street in Soroti Town.
A street in Soroti Town.

Soroti is connected to Mbale and Lira via the tarmacked Tororo–Mbale–Soroti Road and Soroti–Dokolo–Lira Road. The recently completed Soroti–Katakwi–Moroto–Lokitanyala Road connects the town to Moroto, in extreme northeastern Uganda.[14] The Soroti–Amuria–Abim–Kotido Road, remains gravel surfaced, as of July 2020.[15]

Soroti is also served by Soroti Airport, lying approximately 3.5 kilometres (2 mi), by road, northeast of the central business district of the town.[16]

Points of interest

Soroti rock
Soroti rock

The following points of interest are located in Soroti or near the town limits: 1. The headquarters of Soroti District Administration 2. The offices of Soroti Town Council 3. A branch of the National Social Security Fund 4. Soroti Regional Referral Hospital, a 275-bed public hospital administered by the Uganda Ministry of Health 5. The main campus of Soroti University, a public institution of higher education 6. Teso College Aloet, an all-boys boarding secondary school 7. Lwala Soroti Hospital, a 135-bed, non-governmental hospital, administered by the Uganda Catholic Medical Bureau 8. Soroti Solar Power Station, a privately owned solar power plant with generation capacity of 10 megawatts 9. Soroti Rock, a volcanic rock formation. 10. Soroti central market 11. The headquarters of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Soroti and 12. Tororo-Lira-Kamdini Highway, which passes through the center of town in a north-west/south-east direction.[17]

Soroti is also home to Soroti Fruit Processing Factory, a joint venture between Uganda Development Corporation and Teso Tropical Fruit Growers Cooperative Union, built with assistance from Korea International Cooperation Agency and was opened in April 2019.[18]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Uganda Bureau of Statistics (14 June 2020). "The Population of The Regions of the Republic of Uganda And All Cities And Towns of More Than 15,000 Inhabitants". Citypopulation.de. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  2. ^ Xanthia Leni (24 May 2019). "Itesots Demand Soroti City Status". Kampala: PML Daily. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  3. ^ Nile Post (11 August 2020). "Speaker Opens Soroti City". Kampala: Nile Post Uganda. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
  4. ^ Daily Monitor (31 July 2020). "Hoima, Soroti now cities as MPs rise to 531". Daily Monitor.
  5. ^ "Road Distance Between Mbale And Soroti" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  6. ^ "Road Distance Between Kampala And Soroti" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  7. ^ "Location of Soroti City, Uganda" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  8. ^ Flood Map (19 July 2020). "Elevation of Soroti". Floodmap.net. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  9. ^ "World Weather Information Service". World Meteorological Organization. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  10. ^ Simon Naulele (26 March 2019). "Soroti University to open in August". Daily Monitor. Kampala. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  11. ^ Schoolnet Uganda (19 July 2020). "Campuses of Kumi University". Kampala: Schoolnet Uganda. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  12. ^ Apollo Mubiru (24 September 2019). "Kyambogo Opens Regional Learning Centers". New Vision. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  13. ^ Joseph Elunya (12 July 2006). "Soroti Secondary School Teachers on Strike". Kampala: Uganda Radio Network. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  14. ^ Steven Ariong (18 December 2019). "Joy As Government Completes Soroti–Moroto Highway". Daily Monitor. Kampala. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  15. ^ Daniel Edyegu (6 November 2011). "Floods Hit Eastern Uganda". New Vision. Kampala. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  16. ^ "Road Distance Between Soroti Downtown And Soroti Airport" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  17. ^ George Muron (2 June 2020). "Tororo-Kamdini Roadworks Delayed Over Contractor Woes". Daily Monitor. Kampala. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  18. ^ Godfrey Ojore (12 April 2019). "New Soroti fruit factory employs hundreds". New Vision. Kampala. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Soroti.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Soroti.