The Ssese Islands are a group of more than 84 inhabited islands in the northwest of Lake Victoria, Uganda. The islands vary in size from less than 10,000 square metres, to over 40 kilometres in length for the largest island, Bugala. The district headquarters is located in the largest town of Kalangala.
The Ssese Islands are inhabited by the Bantu speaking Bassese tribe, closely related to the Baganda and the Basoga , and speaking a similar, though distinct language. In ancient times the islands were one of the most important spiritual centres of the region.
The principal industry in the Ssese Islands is fishing for the huge Nile Perch, with much of the catch being exported, and resulting in overfishing. Other industries include agriculture, forestry and tourism.
