Background: Founding president and liberation struggle icon Jomo KENYATTA led Kenya from independence in 1963 until his death in 1978 when 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 and 1997 which were marred by violence and fraud but were viewed as having generally reflected the will of the Kenyan people. President MOI stepped down in December 2002 following fair and peaceful elections. Mwai KIBAKI running as the candidate of the multiethnic united opposition group the National Rainbow Coalition (NARC) defeated KANU candidate Uhuru KENYATTA and assumed the presidency following a campaign centered on an anticorruption platform. KIBAKI's NARC coalition splintered in 2005 over a constitutional review process. Government defectors joined with KANU to form a new opposition coalition the Orange Democratic Movement which defeated the government's draft constitution in a popular referendum in November 2005. KIBAKI's reelection in December 2007 brought charges of vote rigging from ODM candidate Raila ODINGA and unleashed two months of violence in which as many as 1500 people died. UN-sponsored talks in late February produced a powersharing accord bringing ODINGA into the government in the restored position of prime minister. Kenya in August 2010 adopted a new constitution that eliminates the role of prime minister after the next presidential election.

Geographic coordinates: 1 00 N 38 00 E

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 580,367 km²
Rank: 49
Land: 569,140 km²
Water: 11,227 km²
Comparative: slightly more than twice the size of Nevada

Land boundaries
Total: 3,477 km
Border countries: (5) Ethiopia 861 km; Somalia 682 km; South Sudan 232 km; Tanzania 769 km; Uganda 933 km

Coastline: 536 km

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

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
Extremes lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: Mount Kenya 5,199 m

Natural resources: limestone soda ash salt gemstones fluorspar zinc diatomite gypsum wildlife hydropower

Land use
Arable land: 8.01%
Permanent crops: 0.97%
Other: 91.02% (2005)

Irrigated land: 1030 km² (2008)

Total renewable water resources: 30.2 km³ (1990)

Natural hazards: recurring drought; flooding during rainy seasons
Volcanism: Kenya experiences limited volcanic activity; the Barrier (elev. 1032 m) last erupted in 1921; South Island is the only other historically active volcano

Geography
Note: the Kenyan Highlands comprise one of the most successful agricultural production regions in Africa; glaciers are found on Mount Kenya Africa's second highest peak; unique physiography supports abundant and varied wildlife of scientific and economic value

Population: 41,070,934 (July 2011 est.)
Rank: 33
Note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy higher infant mortality higher death rates lower population growth rates and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected
Growth rate: 2.462% (2011 est.)
Growth rate rank: 29
Below poverty line: 50% (2000 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Kenyan
Adjective: Kenyan

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

Languages: English (official) Kiswahili (official) numerous indigenous languages

Religions: Protestant 45% Roman Catholic 33% Muslim 10% indigenous beliefs 10% other 2%
Note: a large majority of Kenyans are Christian but estimates for the percentage of the population that adheres to Islam or indigenous beliefs vary widely

Age structure
0-14 years: 42.2%
15-64 years: 55.1% (male 11,373,997/female 11,260,402)
65 years and over: 2.7% (male 497,389/female 605,031) (2011 est.)

Median age
Total: 18.9 years
Male: 18.8 years
Female: 19 years (2011 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.462% (2011 est.)
Rank: 29

Birth rate: 33.54 births/1000 population (2011 est.)
Rank: 34

Death rate: 8.93 deaths/1000 population (July 2011 est.)
Rank: 72

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2011 est.)
Rank: 93

Urbanization
Urban population: 22% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 4.2% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Environment
Current issues: water pollution from urban and industrial wastes; degradation of water quality from increased use of pesticides and fertilizers; water hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; poaching
International agreements party to: Biodiversity Climate Change Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol Desertification Endangered Species Hazardous Wastes Law of the Sea Marine Dumping Marine Life Conservation Ozone Layer Protection Ship Pollution Wetlands Whaling
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.02 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
Total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 52.29 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 44
Male: 55.03 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 49.49 deaths/1000 live births (2011 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 59.48 years
Rank: 188
Male: 58.91 years
Female: 60.07 years (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.19 children born/woman (2011 est.)
Rank: 38

Drinking water source:

Physicians density: 0.14 physicians/1000 population (2002)
Rank: 159

Hospital bed density: 1.4 beds/1000 population (2006)
Rank: 125

Sanitation facility access:

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 6.3% (2009 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 11
People living with hivaids: 1.5 million (2009 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 4
Deaths: 80,000 (2009 est.)
Deaths rank: 6

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: high
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea hepatitis A and typhoid fever
Vectorborne disease: malaria and Rift Valley fever
Water contact disease: schistosomiasis
Animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 16.5% (2003)
Rank: 50

Education expenditures: 7% of GDP (2006)
Rank: 16

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 85.1%
Male: 90.6%
Female: 79.7% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 11 years
Male: 11 years
Female: 11 years (2009)

Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Kenya
Conventional short form: Kenya
Local long form: Republic of Kenya/Jamhuri ya Kenya
Local short form: Kenya
Former: British East Africa

Government type: republic

Capital
Name: Nairobi
Geographic coordinates: 1 17 S 36 49 E
Time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions: 7 provinces and 1 area*; Central Coast Eastern Nairobi Area* North Eastern Nyanza Rift Valley Western; note - the constitution promulgated in August 2010 designates 47 yet-to-be-defined counties as first-order administrative units

Independence: 12 December 1963 (from the UK)

National holiday: Independence Day 12 December (1963); Madaraka Day 1 June; Mashujaa Day 20 October

Constitution: 27 August 2010; the new constitution abolishes the position of prime minister and establishes a bicameral legislature; many details have yet to be finalized and will require significant legislative action

Legal system: mixed legal system of English common law Islamic law and customary law; judicial review in High Court

International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Mwai KIBAKI ; Vice President Stephen Kalonzo MUSYOKA (since 10 January 2008);
Head of government: President Mwai KIBAKI (since 30 December 2002); Vice President Stephen Kalonzo MUSYOKA (since 10 January 2008); Prime Minister Raila Amolo ODINGA (since 17 April 2008); note - according to the 2008 powersharing agreement the role of the prime minister was not well defined; constitutionally the president remains chief of state and head of government but the prime minister is charged with coordinating government business
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president and chaired by the prime minister who is the leader of the largest party in parliament
Elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); in addition to receiving the largest number of votes in absolute terms the presidential candidate must also win 25% or more of the vote in at least five of Kenya's seven provinces and one area to avoid a runoff; election last held on 27 December 2007 (next to be held in December 2012); vice president appointed by the president; note - the new constitution sets elections for August 2011 but this date is expected to slip
Election results: President Mwai KIBAKI reelected; percent of vote - Mwai KIBAKI 46% Raila ODINGA 44% Kalonzo MUSYOKA 9% other 3.4%

Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly or Bunge usually referred to as Parliament (224 seats; 210 members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms 12 nominated members appointed by the president but selected by the parties in proportion to their parliamentary vote totals 2 ex-officio members); note - the constitution promulgated in August 2010 changes the legislature to a bicameral parliament consisting of a 290 member National Assembly and a 94 member Senate; parliament members will serve five year terms
Elections: last held on 27 December 2007 (next to be held in December 2012)
Election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ODM 99 PNU 46 ODM-K 16 KANU 14 other 35; ex-officio 2; seats appointed by the president - ODM 6 PNU 3 ODM-K 2 KANU 1

Judicial branch: Court of Appeal (chief justice is appointed by the president); High Court; note - the constitution promulgated in August 2010 specifies three superior courts consisting of a Supreme Court Court of Appeals and High Court and three subordinate courts consisting of Magistrate courts Kadhis courts (sentences according to Muslim law) and Courts Martial

Political parties and leaders: Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-Kenya or FORD-Kenya [Musikari KOMBO]; Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-People or FORD-People [Reuben OYONDI]; Kenya African National Union or KANU [Uhuru KENYATTA]; National Rainbow Coalition-Kenya or NARC-Kenya [Martha KARUA]; Orange Democratic Movement or ODM [Raila ODINGA]; Orange Democratic Movement-Kenya or ODM-K [Kalonzo MUSYOKA]; Party of National Unity or PNU [Mwai KIBAKI]; Shirikisho Party of Kenya or SPK [Chirau Ali MWAKWERE]

International organization participation: ACP AfDB AU C COMESA EAC EADB FAO G-15 G-77 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICRM IDA IFAD IFC IFRCS IGAD ILO IMF IMO IMSO Interpol IOC IOM IPU ISO ITSO ITU ITUC MIGA MONUSCO NAM OPCW PCA UN UNAMID UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO UNMISS UNWTO UPU WCO WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Elkanah ODEMBO Absalom
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 consulate general: Los Angeles
In the us consulate: New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador J. Scott GRATION
From the us embassy: US Embassy United Nations Avenue Nairobi; P. O. Box 606 Village Market Nairobi 00621
From the us mailing address: Box 21A Unit 64,100 APO AE 9,831
From the us telephone: [254] (20) 363-6,000
From the us fax: [254] (20) 363-410

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of black (top) red and green; the red band is edged in white; a large Maasai warrior's shield covering crossed spears is superimposed at the center; black symbolizes the majority population red the blood shed in the struggle for freedom green stands for natural wealth and white for peace; the shield and crossed spears symbolize the defense of freedom

National symbols: lion

National anthem
Name: 'Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu'
Lyricsmusic: Graham HYSLOP Thomas KALUME Peter KIBUKOSYA Washington OMONDI and George W. SENOGA-ZAKE/traditional adapted by Graham HYSLOP Thomas KALUME Peter KIBUKOSYA Washington OMONDI and George W. SENOGA-ZAKE
Note: adopted 1963; the anthem is based on a traditional Kenyan folk song

Economy overview: Although the regional hub for trade and finance in East Africa Kenya has been hampered by corruption and by reliance upon several primary goods whose prices have remained low. In 1997 the IMF suspended Kenya's Enhanced Structural Adjustment Program due to the government's failure to maintain reforms and curb corruption. The IMF which had resumed loans in 2000 to help Kenya through a drought again halted lending in 2001 when the government failed to institute several anticorruption measures. In the key December 2002 elections Daniel Arap MOI's 24-year-old reign ended and a new opposition government took on the formidable economic problems facing the nation. After some early progress in rooting out corruption and encouraging donor support the KIBAKI government was rocked by high-level graft scandals in 2005 and 2006. In 2006 the World Bank and IMF delayed loans pending action by the government on corruption. The international financial institutions and donors have since resumed lending despite little action on the government's part to deal with corruption. Post-election violence in early 2008 coupled with the effects of the global financial crisis on remittance and exports reduced GDP growth to 1.7 in 2008 but the economy rebounded in 2009-10.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 83
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 73

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 197
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 22%
Industry: 16%
Services: 62% (2010 est.)

Agriculture products: tea coffee corn wheat sugarcane fruit vegetables; dairy products beef pork poultry eggs

Industries: small-scale consumer goods (plastic furniture batteries textiles clothing soap cigarettes flour) agricultural products horticulture oil refining; aluminum steel lead; cement commercial ship repair tourism

Industrial production growth rate: 4% (2010 est.)
Rank: 104

Labor force: 17.9 million (2010 est.)
Rank: 33
By occupation agriculture: 75%
By occupation industry and services: 25% (2007 est.)

Unemployment rate: 40% (2001 est.)
Rank: 184

Population below poverty line: 50% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 1.8%
Highest 10: 37.8% (2005)

Distribution of family income gini index: 44.9 (1997)
Rank: 49

Budget
Revenues: $7.016 billion
Expenditures: $9.043 billion (2010 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -6.3% of GDP (2010 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 167

Taxes and other revenues: 21.8% of GDP (2010 est.)
Rank: 142

Public debt: 47.1% of GDP (2009 est.)
Rank: 56

Inflation rate consumer prices: 9.2% (2009 est.)
Rank: 131

Central bank discount rate:

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 14.8% (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 59

Stock of narrow money: $5.833 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 79

Stock of broad money: $13.77 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 90

Stock of domestic credit: $13.44 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 87

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 68

Current account balance: -$1.661 billion (2009 est.)
Rank: 159

Exports: $4.502 billion (2009 est.)
Rank: 109
Commodities: tea horticultural products coffee petroleum products fish cement
Partners: Uganda 10.1% Tanzania 9.8% UK 8.8% Netherlands 8.2% US 5.8% Egypt 4.7% Democratic Republic of the Congo 4.3% (2010)

Imports: $9.492 billion (2009 est.)
Rank: 86
Commodities: machinery and transportation equipment petroleum products motor vehicles iron and steel resins and plastics
Partners: China 13.6% India 13.4% UAE 9.7% South Africa 8.4% Saudi Arabia 6.8% Japan 4.7% (2010)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $3.85 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 91

Debt external: $8.005 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 96

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $2.129 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 88

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $288.4 million (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 77

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Production: 6.79 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Production rank: 103
Consumption: 5.738 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Consumption rank: 110
Exports: 41 million kWh (2008 est.)
Imports: 16 million kWh (2008 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Production rank: 199
Consumption: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Consumption rank: 191
Exports: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Exports rank: 122
Imports: 0 m³ (2009 est.)
Imports rank: 139
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2011 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 151

Telephones
Main lines in use: 460,100 (2010)
Main lines in use rank: 101
Mobile cellular: 24.969 million (2010)
Mobile cellular rank: 36

Telephone system
General assessment: inadequate; fixed-line telephone system is small and inefficient; trunks are primarily microwave radio relay; business data commonly transferred by a very small aperture terminal system
Domestic: sole fixed-line provider Telkom Kenya is slated for privatization; multiple providers in the mobile-cellular segment of the market fostering a boom in mobile-cellular telephone usage with teledensity reaching 50 per 100 persons in 2009
International: country code - 254; The East Africa Marine System (TEAMS) and the SEACOM undersea fiber-optic cable systems; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat

Broadcast media: about a half-dozen privately-owned TV stations and a state-owned television broadcaster that operates 2 channels; satellite and cable TV subscription services are available; state-owned radio broadcaster operates 2 national radio channels and provides regional and local radio services in multiple languages; a large number of private radio broadcasters including provincial stations broadcasting in local languages; transmissions of several international broadcasters are available (2007)

Internet
Country code: .ke
Hosts: 47,676 (2010)
Hosts rank: 90
Users: 3.996 million (2009)
Users rank: 59

Military expenditures: 2.8% of GDP (2006)
Rank: 49

Military service age and obligation: 18-26 years of age for male and female voluntary service (under 18 with parental consent) with a 9-year obligation (7 years for Kenyan Navy); applicants must be Kenyan citizens and provide a national identity card (obtained at age 18) and a school-leaving certificate; women serve under the same terms and conditions as men; mandatory retirement at age 55 (2011)

Airports: 191 (2010)
Rank: 33
With paved runways total: 17
With paved runways over 3047 m: 4
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 4
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 6
With paved runways under 914 m: 1 (2010)
With unpaved runways total: 174
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 12
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 107
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 55 (2010)

Pipelines: oil 4 km; refined products 928 km (2010)

Railways
Total: 2,066 km
Rank: 71
Narrow gauge: 2,066 km 1.000-m gauge (2010)

Roadways
Total: 160,886 km
Rank: 31
Paved: 11,197 km
Unpaved: 149,689 km (2008)

Waterways: (the only significant inland waterway in the country is the part of Lake Victoria within the boundaries of Kenya; Kisumu is the main port and has ferry connections to Uganda and Tanzania) (2010)

Merchant marine
Total: 1
Rank: 156
By type: petroleum tanker 1
Registered in other countries: 5 (Comoros 1 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2 Tuvalu 1 unknown 1) (2010)

Ports and terminals: Kisumu Mombasa

Disputes international: Kenya served as an important mediator in brokering Sudan's north-south separation in February 2005; Kenya provides shelter to almost a quarter of a million refugees including Ugandans who flee across the border periodically to seek protection from Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebels; Kenya works hard to prevent the clan and militia fighting in Somalia from spreading across the border which has long been open to nomadic pastoralists; the boundary that separates Kenya's and Sudan's sovereignty is unclear in the 'Ilemi Triangle' which Kenya has administered since colonial times

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees: 173,702 (Somalia); 73,004 (Sudan); 16,428 (Ethiopia)
Idps: 250,000-400,000 (2007 post-election violence; KANU attacks on opposition tribal groups in 1990s) (2007)

Illicit drugs: widespread harvesting of small plots of marijuana; transit country for South Asian heroin destined for Europe and North America; Indian methaqualone also transits on way to South Africa; significant potential for money-laundering activity given the country's status as a regional financial center; massive corruption and relatively high levels of narcotics-associated activities