Legend:
Definition
Field Listing
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Background:
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Founding 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 and 1997, which were marred by violence and fraud, but are viewed as having generally reflected the will of the Kenyan people. The country faces a period of political uncertainty because MOI is constitutionally required to step down at the next election that has to be held by early 2003.
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Location:
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Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Somalia and Tanzania
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Geographic coordinates:
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1 00 N, 38 00 E
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Map references:
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Africa
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Area:
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total: 582,650 sq km
water: 13,400 sq km
land: 569,250 sq km
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Area - comparative:
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slightly more than twice the size of Nevada
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Land boundaries:
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total: 3,477 km
border countries: Ethiopia 861 km, Somalia 682 km, Sudan 232 km, Tanzania 769 km, Uganda 933 km
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Coastline:
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536 km
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Maritime claims:
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continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
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Climate:
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varies from tropical along coast to arid in interior
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Terrain:
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low plains rise to central highlands bisected by Great Rift Valley; fertile plateau in west
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Kenya 5,199 m
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Natural resources:
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gold, limestone, soda ash, salt barites, rubies, fluorspar, garnets, wildlife, hydropower
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Land use:
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arable land: 7%
permanent crops: 1%
other: 92% (1998 est.)
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Irrigated land:
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670 sq km (1998 est.)
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Natural hazards:
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recurring drought; flooding during rainy seasons
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Environment - current issues:
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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
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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Geography - note:
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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
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Population:
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31,138,735
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 and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.)
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 41.1% (male 6,462,430; female 6,327,457)
15-64 years: 56.1% (male 8,769,546; female 8,694,329)
65 years and over: 2.8% (male 385,361; female 499,612) (2002 est.)
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Population growth rate:
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1.15% (2002 est.)
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Birth rate:
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27.61 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
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Death rate:
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14.68 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
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Net migration rate:
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-1.48 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: according to UNHCR, by the end of 2001 Kenya was host to 220,000 refugees from neighboring countries, including: Somalia 145,000 and Sudan 68,000 (2002 est.)
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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67.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 47.02 years
female: 47.85 years (2002 est.)
male: 46.2 years
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Total fertility rate:
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3.34 children born/woman (2002 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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13.5% (2001 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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2.2 million (2000 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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180,000 (1999 est.)
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Nationality:
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noun: Kenyan(s)
adjective: Kenyan
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Ethnic groups:
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Kikuyu 22%, Luhya 14%, Luo 13%, Kalenjin 12%, Kamba 11%, Kisii 6%, Meru 6%, other African 15%, non-African (Asian, European, and Arab) 1%
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Religions:
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Protestant 45%, Roman Catholic 33%, indigenous beliefs 10%, Muslim 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
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Languages:
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English (official), Kiswahili (official), numerous indigenous languages
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 78.1%
male: 86.3%
female: 70% (1995 est.)
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Republic of Kenya
conventional short form: Kenya
former: British East Africa
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Government type:
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republic
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Capital:
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Nairobi
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Administrative divisions:
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7 provinces and 1 area*; Central, Coast, Eastern, Nairobi Area*, North Eastern, Nyanza, Rift Valley, Western
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Independence:
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12 December 1963 (from UK)
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National holiday:
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Independence Day, 12 December (1963)
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Constitution:
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12 December 1963, amended as a republic 1964; reissued with amendments 1979, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1997, and 2001
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Legal system:
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based on Kenyan statutory law, Kenyan and 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
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: President Daniel Toroitich arap MOI (since 14 October 1978); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Daniel Toroitich arap MOI (since 14 October 1978); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote from among the members of the National Assembly for a five-year 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 29 December 1997 (next to be held by early 2003); vice president appointed by the president
election results: President Daniel Toroitich arap MOI reelected; percent of vote - Daniel T. arap MOI (KANU) 40.6%, Mwai KIBAKI (DP) 31.5%, Raila ODINGA (NDP) 11.1%, Michael WAMALWA (FORD-K) 8.4%, Charity NGILU (SDP) 7.8%
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral National Assembly or Bunge (222 seats; 210 members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms, 12 so-called "nominated" members who are appointed by the president, but selected by the parties in proportion to their parliamentary vote totals)
elections: last held 29 December 1997 (next to be held by early 2003)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - KANU 107, FORD-A 1, FORD-K 17, FORD-People 3, DP 39, NDP 21, SDP 15, SAFINA 5, smaller parties 2; seats appointed by the president - KANU 6, FORD-K 1, DP 2, SDP 1, NDP 1, SAFINA 1
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Judicial branch:
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Court of Appeal (chief justice is appointed by the president); High Court
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Political parties and leaders:
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Democratic Party of Kenya or DP [Mwai KIBAKI]; Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-Asili or FORD-A [Kenneth MATIBA, chairman]; Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-Kenya or FORD-K [Michael Kijana WAMALWA]; Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-People or FORD-People [Kimaniwa NYOIKE, chairman]; Kenya African National Union or KANU [President Daniel Toroitich arap MOI] - the governing party; National Development Party or NDP [Raila ODINGA]; SAFINA [Farah MAALIM, chairman]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [James ORENGO, chairman]
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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human rights groups; labor unions; Muslim organizations; National Convention Executive Council or NCEC, a proreform coalition of political parties and nongovernment organizations [Kivutha KIBWANA]; Protestant National Council of Churches of Kenya or NCCK [Mutava MUSYIMI]; Roman Catholic and other Christian churches; Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims or SUPKEM [Shaykh Abdul Gafur al-BUSAIDY, chairman]
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International organization participation:
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ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, EADB, ECA, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNU, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Yusuf Abdulraham NZIBO
consulate(s) general: offices in Los Angeles and New York are closed; mission to the UN remains open
FAX: [1] (202) 462-3829
telephone: [1] (202) 387-6101
chancery: 2249 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Johnnie CARSON
embassy: US Embassy, Mombasa Road, Nairobi
mailing address: Box 21A, Unit 64100, APO AE 09831
telephone: [254] (2) 537-800
FAX: [254] (2) 537-810
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Flag description:
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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
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Economy - overview:
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Kenya, the regional hub for trade and finance in East Africa, is hampered by corruption and reliance upon several primary goods whose prices continue to decline. Following strong economic growth in 1995 and 1996, Kenya's economy has stagnated, with GDP growth failing to keep up with the rate of population growth. In 1997, the IMF suspended Kenya's Enhanced Structural Adjustment Program due to the government's failure to maintain reforms and curb corruption. A severe drought from 1999 to 2000 compounded Kenya's problems, causing water and energy rationing and reducing agricultural output. As a result, GDP contracted by 0.3% in 2000. The IMF, which had resumed loans in 2000 to help Kenya through the drought, again halted lending in 2001 when the government failed to institute several anticorruption measures. Despite the return of strong rains in 2001, weak commodity prices, endemic corruption, and low investment limited Kenya's economic growth to 1%, and Kenya is unlikely to see growth above 2% in 2002. Substantial IMF and other foreign support is essential to prevent a further decline in real per capita output.
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $31 billion (2001 est.)
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GDP - real growth rate:
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1% (2001 est.)
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $1,000 (2001 est.)
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 24%
industry: 13%
services: 63% (2000 est.)
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Population below poverty line:
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50% (2000 est.)
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: 2%
highest 10%: 37.2% (2000)
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Distribution of family income - Gini index:
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44.5 (1994)
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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3.3% (2001 est.)
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Labor force:
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10 million (2001 est.)
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 75%-80%
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Unemployment rate:
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40% (2001 est.)
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Budget:
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revenues: $2.91 billion
expenditures: $2.97 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
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Industries:
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small-scale consumer goods (plastic, furniture, batteries, textiles, soap, cigarettes, flour), agricultural products processing; oil refining, cement; tourism
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Industrial production growth rate:
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-0.7% (2001 est.)
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Electricity - production:
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4.616 billion kWh (2000)
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: 21.66%
hydro: 70.4%
other: 7.94% (2000)
nuclear: 0%
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Electricity - consumption:
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4.433 billion kWh (2000)
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2000)
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Electricity - imports:
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140 million kWh (2000)
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Agriculture - products:
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coffee, tea, corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruit, vegetables; dairy products, beef, pork, poultry, eggs
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Exports:
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$1.8 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
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Exports - commodities:
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tea, horticultural products, coffee, petroleum products, fish, cement
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Exports - partners:
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UK 13.5%, Tanzania 12.5%, Uganda 12.0%, Germany 5.5% (2000)
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Imports:
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$3.1 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
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Imports - commodities:
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machinery and transportation equipment, petroleum products, motor vehicles, iron and steel, resins and plastics
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Imports - partners:
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UK 12%, UAE 9.8%, Japan 6.5%, India 4.4% (2000)
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Debt - external:
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$8 billion (2001 est.)
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$457 million (1997)
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Currency:
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Kenyan shilling (KES)
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Currency code:
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KES
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Exchange rates:
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Kenyan shillings per US dollar - 78.597 (January 2002), 78.563 (2001), 76.176 (2000), 70.326 (1999), 60.367 (1998), 58.732 (1997)
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Fiscal year:
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1 July - 30 June
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Railways:
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total: 2,778 km
narrow gauge: 2,778 km 1.000-m gauge
note: the line connecting Nairobi with the port of Mombasa is the most important in the country
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Highways:
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total: 63,800 km
paved: 8,932 km
unpaved: 54,868 km (2001)
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Waterways:
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NA
note: part of the Lake Victoria system is within the boundaries of Kenya
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Pipelines:
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petroleum products 483 km
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Ports and harbors:
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Kisumu, Lamu, Mombasa
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Merchant marine:
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total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,893 GRT/6,320 DWT
ships by type: petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1 (2002 est.)
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Airports:
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231 (2001)
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 20
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 1 (2001)
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 211
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
914 to 1,523 m: 111
under 914 m: 85 (2001)
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This page was last updated on 1 January 2002
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