Butiaba

{{EngvarB|date=August 2021}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}} {{Infobox settlement |official_name = Butiaba |image_skyline = |nickname= |image_flag = |image_caption = Butiaba |image_seal = |image_map = |mapsize = 150px |pushpin_map_caption = Map of Uganda showing the location of Butiaba<br/>'''Placement on map is approximate'''. |pushpin_map = Uganda |subdivision_type = Country |subdivision_name = {{flag|Uganda}} |subdivision_type1 = [[Regions of Uganda|Region]] |subdivision_name1 = [[Western Region, Uganda|Western Uganda]] |subdivision_type2 = [[Sub-region]] |subdivision_name2 = [[Bunyoro sub-region]] |subdivision_type3 = [[Districts of Uganda|District]] |subdivision_name3 = [[Buliisa District]] |subdivision_type4 = |subdivision_name4 = |leader_title = |leader_name = |area_magnitude = |area_total_km2 = |area_land_km2 = |area_water_km2 = |population_as_of = 2020 Estimate |population_urban = |population_note = |population_total = |population_metro = |timezone = [[East Africa Time|EAT]] |utc_offset = +3 |coordinates = {{coord|01|49|08|N|31|19|33|E|region:UG|display=inline, title}} |elevation_m =622 |latitude = |longitude = |website = |footnotes = }}

'''Butiaba''', is a town in the [[Western Region, Uganda|Western Region]] of Uganda. It is a fishing town and landing site on the shores of Lake Albert, in Uganda.<ref name="1R">{{cite web| url=http://www.fao.org/africa/news/detail-news/en/c/388348/ | title=ASTF Project helping Lake Albert youth through cage fish farming |work=FAO Regional Office for Africa |date=2018 | author=FAO News |access-date=9 August 2021 |place=Accra, Ghana}}</ref>

==Location== Butiaba is located on the eastern shores of [[Lake Albert (Africa)|Lake Albert]], in [[Buliisa District]], in the [[Bunyoro sub-region]] of Western Uganda. Butiaba is approximately {{convert|47.5|km|0}}, by road, southwest of the district headquarters at [[Buliisa]].<ref name="2R">{{google maps|url=https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Bulisa+District+Headquaters,+Bulisa/Butiaba/@1.9483214,31.1209241,10z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x176ff7dea497c391:0xf6e3e48bb4cd678b!2m2!1d31.4180662!2d2.1037984!1m5!1m1!1s0x17653f16d02b1f05:0xeb5151d886c848c!2m2!1d31.324287!2d1.815151!3e0 |title=Road Distance Between Buliisa District Headquarters, Buliisa, Uganda And Butiaba, Uganda With Map |access-date=9 August 2021}}</ref> Butiaba is located about {{convert|58|km|0}} north of [[Hoima]], the largest city in the Bunyoro sub-region.<ref name="3R">{{google maps| url=https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Hoima/Butiaba/@1.6222772,31.2105788,11z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x1764c4a7b499f725:0x8745fcdfa38aa3ed!2m2!1d31.3484448!2d1.4273554!1m5!1m1!1s0x17653f16d02b1f05:0xeb5151d886c848c!2m2!1d31.324287!2d1.815151!3e0 | title=Road Distance Between Hoima City, Uganda And Butiaba, Uganda With Map |access-date=9 August 2021}}</ref>

This location is approximately {{convert|257|km|0}}, by road, northwest of [[Kampala]], Uganda's capital and largest city.<ref name="4R">{{google maps| url=https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Kampala+Road,+Kampala/Butiaba/@0.3304373,31.4668263,8.5z/data=!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x177db905c213a709:0x65794ed5c349e23e!2m2!1d32.5809105!2d0.3133012!1m5!1m1!1s0x17653f16d02b1f05:0xeb5151d886c848c!2m2!1d31.324287!2d1.815151!3e0 |title=Road Distance Between Kampala Road, Kampala, Uganda And Butiaba, Uganda With Interactive Map |access-date=9 August 2021}}</ref> The coordinates of Butiaba are:1°49'08.0"N, 31°19'33.0"E (Latitude:1.818889; Longitude:31.325833).<ref name="5R">{{google maps| url=https://www.google.com/maps/place/1%C2%B049'08.0%22N+31%C2%B019'33.0%22E/@1.7900113,31.2945191,11690m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x0!8m2!3d1.8188889!4d31.3258333 |title=Location of Butiaba Town Council, Buliisa District, Western Region, Uganda | access-date=9 August 2021}}</ref> Butiaba is situated at an average altitude of {{convert|622|m|0}} above [[mean sea level]].<ref name="6R">{{cite web| work=Fallingrain.com |date=9 August 2021 |url=http://www.fallingrain.com/world/UG/C5/Butiaba.html | title=Elevation of Butiaba, Uganda |author=Fallingrain | access-date=9 August 2021}}</ref>

==Overview== During the first half of the 20th century, Butiaba was an important transportation hub, where merchandise from eastern [[Democratic Republic of the Congo]] (DRC) and from [[South Sudan]] was transported by boat across [[Lake Albert (Africa)|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 [[barge]]s, ferried across [[Lake Kyoga]] to [[Soroti]]. At Soroti, it would be loaded onto railway wagons for transportation by rail to [[Mombasa]], [[Kenya]], on the [[Indian Ocean]], for export. Imported goods and merchandise were transported along the same route, in reverse.<ref name="7R"/><ref name="8R"/>

When the East African Railways Corporation was dissolved in the 1970s, Butiaba's prominence declined and the harbour became dormant. A significant amount of [[petroleum]] deposits has since been discovered in the ground and under the lake near Butiaba. Reviving Butiaba Harbour to play a role in the transportation of equipment, manpower, and petroleum is being considered.<ref name="7R">{{cite web |title=Butiaba Port To Be Redeveloped As Route For Oil Transportation |date=22 April 2008 | url=http://allafrica.com/stories/200804211980.html | work=[[Daily Monitor]] via [[AllAfrica.com]] |author=Andrew Bagala |access-date=18 July 2014}}</ref><ref name="8R">{{cite web |url=https://www.newvision.co.ug/news/1530086/uganda-inches-closer-oil-revenue |title=Uganda inches closer to oil revenue | work=[[New Vision]] |date=October 2020 | author= New Vision | access-date=9 August 2021 |location=Kampala, Uganda}}</ref>

==Population== As of July 2014, the exact population of Butiaba was not known. The national population census in Uganda took place in August 2014 but results are yet to come out.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.observer.ug/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=26402:uganda-census-planned-for-2014-title=Uganda|title=Uganda Census Planned for 2014| last=Ninsiima|first=Racheal|date=14 July 2013|accessdate=18 July 2014|publisher=[[The Observer (Uganda)]]}}</ref>

==Point of interest== Lake Albert - One of the lakes in the [[Western Rift Valley]]. The international border between the DRC and Uganda runs through it.<ref name="5R"/>

==See also== *[[Uganda Oil Refinery]] *[[Buliisa District]] *[[East African Crude Oil Pipeline]]

==References== {{reflist}}

[[Category:Populated places in Western Region, Uganda]] [[Category:Cities in the Great Rift Valley]] [[Category:Masindi District]] [[Category:Ports and harbours of Uganda]] [[Category:Bunyoro sub-region]]