Kenya

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Kenya's Information


Capital	Nairobi
Languages	English (official), Kiswahili (official), numerous indigenous languages
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%
Religion	Christian 83% (Protestant 47.7%, Catholic 23.4%, other Christian 11.9%), Muslim 11.2%, Traditionalists 1.7%, other 1.6%, none 2.4%, unspecified 0.2% (2009 est.)
Government	Presidential republic
Independance	12 December 1963 (from the UK)
Area	580,367.00 km²
Water Area	11,227.00 km²
Land Area	569,140.00 km²
Population	46,790,758.00
Location	Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Somalia and Tanzania
No. Bordering Countries	5
Bordering Countries	Ethiopia 867 km, Somalia 684 km, South Sudan 317 km, Tanzania 775 km, Uganda 814 km
GDP(PPP)	$153,000,000,000.00 (USD)
GDP (Per Capita)	$3,400.00 (USD)
Export Partners	Its major export partners are Uganda, the United States, and Tanzania.
Export Commodities	Its main exports are tea, horticultura products, coffee, petroleum products, fish, and cement.
Import Partners	Its major import partners are China, india, and the United Arab Emirates.
Import Commodities	Its major imports include machinery and transportation equipment, petroleum products, and motor vehicles.
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

Where is Kenya?

Located in Eastern Africa, Kenya has a 3,457.00 km border with Ethiopia (867 km), Somalia (684 km), South Sudan (317 km), Tanzania (775 km) and Uganda (814 km). It has a 536.00 km coastline. Kenya served as an important mediator in brokering Sudan's north-south separation in February 2005.

Nairobi is the capital and the largest city in Kenya. It is centrally located in the country, bordering the Rift Valley and Ngong Hills. It was designated the country’s capital after the country attained independence from the British colonialists in 1963. The city has a population of 3.1 million people. The population is mostly concentrated in shanties and slum areas that is home to low and middle-income earners. The city is a top tourist destination not only in the country but also entire East Africa.

Geography

Kenya has a mean elevation of 762 m above sea level.

It has a tropical climate along its coast and an arid climate in the interior. Its terrain consists of low plains, central highlands, and a fertile plateau.

Population

Kenya has a population of 46,790,758 making it the 30th largest in the world.

English and Kiswahili are official languages; numerous indigenous languages are also spoken. The major ethnic groups are Kikuyu, Luhya, and Luo. The majority of the population identifies as Christian.

Kiswahili is the national, official, and the most widely spoken language in Kenya. It is a Bantu language which came up as a result of the ancient interactions between the Arabs and the indigenous Bantu speakers. At the moment, Kiswahili uses a Latin Script which was introduced by the British. Initially, it used the Arab Script in writing. It has 36 consonant phonemes. Over 90% of Kenyans are conversant with the Kiswahili language while 15% can sustain a conversation in the language. Other than Kiswahili, English is also a national and official language and the second most widely spoken language in Kenya. Over 60% of Kenyans can comfortably sustain a conversation in English. Besides, there are over 60 indigenous languages. These ethnic languages are categorized into Bantu languages which are the majority, Nilotic languages, and Cushitic languages. Examples of these ethnic languages include Kikuyu, Dholuo, Kikamba, Kisii, Luhya among other languages

Government

Kenya is an independent country. It gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1963. Its constitution was last ratified in 2010.

Kenya is a representative parliamentary democratic republic with a multi-party system. The president is both the head of state and government. He also exercises the executive powers. The legislative powers are vested on the bicameral parliament composing of the Senate and the National Assembly. The parliament of Kenya is bicameral. The Senate, which is the Upper House, is composed of 67 Senators (47 elected and 20 nominated senators). The National Assembly consists of 349 members (337 elected and 12 nominated members). The parliament buildings are located just at the Nairobi CBD. The State House, which is the official residence of the president, is also located near the city center. The state house was constructed to serve as the residence of the governor of British East Africa during the onset of the colonial era in Kenya. The elections are held after every five years to elect the president and his deputy, the county governors, county women representatives, senators and members of the National Assembly, with the elections supervised by the Independent Electoral and Boundary Commission.

Economy

Factoring in Purchasing Power Parity, Kenya's GDP is $153,000,000,000.00 (USD) with $3,400.00 (USD) per capita. This makes it the 74th largest economy and its citizens the 179th richest in the world. The currency of Kenya is the Shilling (KES).

Its major export partners are Uganda, the United States, and Tanzania. Its main exports are tea, horticultura products, coffee, petroleum products, fish, and cement. Its major import partners are China, india, and the United Arab Emirates. Its major imports include machinery and transportation equipment, petroleum products, and motor vehicles.

Flag

The flag of Kenya is a tricolor of black, white-edged red, and green from top to bottom respectively. The black-red-green stripes are of equal sizes while the white fabrications are almost six times smaller than the red stripe. The flag is in the proportion of 2:3. Commonly referred to as “Bendera ya Kenya,” the flag of Kenya was adopted on December 12, 1963, following the country’s independence. The black color symbolizes the people of Kenya while red highlights the country’s struggle for independence. The green color represents the rich natural resources and the landscape of Kenya with the white color representing peace. There is also a traditional Maasai shield crossed by two white swords. The shield and the sword represent the country’s readiness to defend itself. The flag of Kenya was designed by the members of KANU, a political party that led the struggle for independence. The difference between the national flag and the party’s flag are the white fimbriations and the shield which was added introduced after independence. Prior to colonization, Kenya had no official flag. The first flag was hoisted by the British East Africa Company in 1893.