The Nile River is the longest river in the world. It stretches over 4,100 miles through eastern Africa. And its journey begins in Uganda. Uganda is a landlocked country in East Africa, meaning it has no coastline. But it is rich in water. Lake Victoria, the largest lake in Africa, sits on Uganda's southern border. The Nile River flows north from Lake Victoria all the way to Egypt and the Mediterranean Sea. On October 9, 1962, Uganda gained independence from Britain. Before that, the British had controlled the country for nearly seventy years. Uganda's diverse landscape includes tropical forests, savannas, snow-capped mountains, and wetlands. The Rwenzori Mountains along the western border reach over 16,000 feet, tall enough for glaciers near the equator. Uganda is also famous for its wildlife. Mountain gorillas live in the forests of Bwindi National Park. Only about 1,000 mountain gorillas remain in the wild. Uganda is one of only three countries where they can be found. The capital city is Kampala, a busy city of about two million people located on the shores of Lake Victoria.