Uganda was not called by a different country name before independence; it was known as the Uganda Protectorate under British rule before becoming independent in 1962. The name Uganda itself comes from the Buganda kingdom, which influenced the country’s modern name.

Quick context

  • Before 1962, the area was administered as the Uganda Protectorate.
  • It was not fully colonized in the same way as some other African territories.
  • The country’s name was derived from Buganda , a major kingdom in the south.

In one line

If you’re asking what the land was officially called before independence, the answer is the Uganda Protectorate.