Map of Kenya | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: Revered president and liberation struggle icon Jomo KENYATTA led Kenya from independence until his death in 1978 when current President Daniel Toroitich arap MOI took power in a constitutional succession. The country was a de facto one-party state from 1969 until 1982 when the ruling Kenya African National Union (KANU) made itself the sole legal party in Kenya. MOI acceded to internal and external pressure for political liberalization in late 1991. The ethnically fractured opposition failed to dislodge KANU from power in elections in 1992 which were marred by violence and fraud but are viewed as having generally reflected the will of the Kenyan people.


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Location: Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Somalia and Tanzania

Geographic coordinates

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total area total: 582,650 km²
Land: 569,250 km²
Comparative: slightly more than twice the size of Nevada

Land boundaries: total 3,446 km, Ethiopia 830 km, Somalia 682 km, Sudan 232 km, Tanzania 769 km, Uganda 933 km

Coastline: 536 km

Maritime claims
Continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: varies from tropical along coast to arid in interior

Terrain: low plains rise to central highlands bisected by Great Rift Valley; fertile plateau in west

Elevation

Natural resources: gold, limestone, soda ash, salt barytes, rubies, fluorspar, garnets, wildlife

Land use
Arable land: 3%
Permanent crops: 1%
Meadows and pastures: 7%
Forest and woodland: 4%
Other: 85%

Irrigated land: 520 km² (1989)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography
Note: the Kenyan Highlands comprise one of the most successful agricultural production regions in Africa; glaciers on Mt. Kenya; unique physiography supports abundant and varied wildlife of scientific and economic value


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Population: 28,817,227 (July 1995 est.)
Growth rate: 0.99% (1995 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Kenyan(s)
Adjective: Kenyan

Ethnic groups: Kikuyu 22%, Luhya 14%, Luo 13%, Kalenjin 12%, Kamba 11%, Kisii 6%, Meru 6%, Asian, European, and Arab 1%, other 15%

Languages: English (official), Swahili (official), numerous indigenous languages

Religions: Protestant (including Anglican) 38%, Roman Catholic 28%, indigenous beliefs 26%, other 8%

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 48% (female 6,841,235; male 6,957,908)
15-64 years: 50% (female 7,277,061; male 7,085,925)
65 years and over: 2% (female 359,659; male 295,439) (July 1995 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 0.99% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 41.66 births/1000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 12.04 deaths/1000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: -19.69 migrant(s)/1000 population (1995 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: water pollution from urban and industrial wastes; degradation of water quality from increased use of pesticides and fertilizers; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; poaching
Current issues natural hazards: NA
Current issues international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Desertification

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 73.5 deaths/1000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 52.41 years
Male: 50.72 years
Female: 54.16 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.76 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1989)
Total population: 71%
Male: 81%
Female: 62%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Kenya
Conventional short form: Kenya
Former: British East Africa

Government type: republic

Capital: Nairobi

Administrative divisions: 7 provinces and 1 area*; Central, Coast, Eastern, Nairobi Area*, North Eastern, Nyanza, Rift Valley, Western

Dependent areas

Independence: 12 December 1963 (from UK)

National holiday: Independence Day, 12 December (1963)

Constitution: 12 December 1963, amended as a republic 1964; reissued with amendments 1979, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1991, and 1992

Legal system: based on English common law, tribal law, and Islamic law; judicial review in High Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations; constitutional amendment of 1982 making Kenya a de jure one-party state repealed in 1991

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state and head of government: President Daniel Toroitich arap MOI (since 14 October 1978); Vice President George SAITOTI (since 10 May 1989); election last held on 29 December 1992 (next to be held NA 1997); results - President Daniel T. arap MOI was reelected with 37% of the vote; Kenneth Matiba (FORD-ASILI) 26%; Mwai Kibaki (SP) 19%, Oginga Odinga (FORD-Kenya) 17%
Cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the president

Legislative branch: unicameral
National Assembly Bunge: elections last held on 29 December 1992 (next to be held NA); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (188 total) KANU 100, FORD-Kenya 31, FORD-Asili 31, DP 23, smaller parties 3; president nominates 12 additional members
Note: first multiparty election since repeal of one-party state law in 1991

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal, High Court

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: ESCAP, FAO, G-77, ICAO, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMIL, UNU, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Benjamin Edgar KIPKORIR
In the us chancery: 2,249 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 387-6,101
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 462-3,829
In the us consulates general: Los Angeles and New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Aurelia BRAZEAL
From the us embassy: corner of Moi Avenue and Haile Selassie Avenue, Nairobi
From the us mailing address: P. O. Box 30,137, Unit 64,100, Nairobi; APO AE 9,831
From the us telephone: [254] (2) 334,141
From the us FAX: [254] (2) 340,838

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green; the red band is edged in white; a large warrior's shield covering crossed spears is superimposed at the center

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Kenya in recent years has had one of the highest natural rates of growth in population, but the statistics have been complicated by the large-scale movement of nomadic groups and of Somalis back and forth across the border. Population growth has been accompanied by deforestation, deterioration in the road system, the water supply, and other parts of the infrastructure. In industry and services, Nairobi's reluctance to embrace IMF-supported reforms had held back investment and growth in 1991-93. Nairobi's push on economic reform in 1994, however, helped support a 3.3% increase in output.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 3.3% (1994 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $1,170 (1994 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: most important sector, accounting for 27% of GDP and 65% of exports; cash crops - coffee, tea; food products - corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruit, vegetables, dairy products, beef, pork, poultry, eggs

Industries: small-scale consumer goods (plastic, furniture, batteries, textiles, soap, cigarettes, flour), processing agricultural products, oil refining, cement, tourism

Industrial production growth rate: 3.9% (1991 est.), accounts for 14% of GDP

Labor force: by occupation:agriculture 75%-80% (1993 est.), non-agriculture 20%-25% (1993 est.)