It is the chief municipal, administrative, and commercial center of Amuria District, in the Teso sub-region.

[2] Amuria is located 36.5 kilometres (23 mi), by road, north of Soroti, the largest city in the Teso sub-region.

[4] Amuria is 327 kilometres (203 mi), by road, northeast of Kampala, the capital and largest city of Uganda.

The activities of the Lord's Resistance Army forced the population out of the villages into the town due to better security in urban areas.

The Karamojong attack the villages in Amuria District to steal cattle and harm anyone who attempts to stop them.

In mid-2007, the LRA ceased activity in Uganda and moved away to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but the Karamojong have continued with their cattle raids.