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Introduction - Kenya
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 the 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 1,500 people died. UN-sponsored talks
in late February produced a powersharing accord bringing ODINGA into the
government in the restored position of prime minister.
Geography - Kenya
Location:
Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Somalia and Tanzania
Geographic coordinates:
1 00 N, 38 00 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 580,367 sq km
country comparison to the world: 48
land: 569,140 sq km
water: 11,227 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly more than twice the size of Nevada
Land boundaries:
total: 3,477 km
border countries: Ethiopia 861 km, Somalia 682 km, 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:
Current Weather
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
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:
1,030 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
30.2 cu km (1990)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 1.58 cu km/yr (30%/6%/64%)
per capita: 46 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
recurring drought; flooding during rainy seasons
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
Environment - 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
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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
People - Kenya
Population:
40,046,566
country comparison to the world: 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 (July 2010 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 42.3% (male 8,523,439/female 8,400,101)
15-64 years: 55.1% (male 11,076,919/female 10,979,250)
65 years and over: 2.7% (male 483,358/female 583,499) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 18.8 years
male: 18.7 years
female: 18.9 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.588% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 27
Birth rate:
35.14 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 33
Death rate:
9.26 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 72
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 77
Urbanization:
urban population: 22% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/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 (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 53.49 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 45
male: 56.28 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 50.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 58.82 years
country comparison to the world: 190
male: 58.33 years
female: 59.32 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
4.38 children born/woman (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 36
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
6.7% (2003 est.)
country comparison to the world: 10
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
1.2 million (2003 est.)
country comparison to the world: 8
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
150,000 (2003 est.)
country comparison to the world: 4
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)
Nationality:
noun: Kenyan(s)
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%
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
Languages:
English (official), Kiswahili (official), numerous indigenous languages
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: 10 years
male: 10 years
female: 9 years (2004)
Education expenditures:
6.9% of GDP (2006)
country comparison to the world: 27
Government - Kenya
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
Independence:
12 December 1963 (from the UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 12 December (1963)
Constitution:
12 December 1963; amended as a republic 1964; reissued with amendments 1979,
1982, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1997, 2001, 2008; note - the 2008 amendments
established the coalition government and the position of prime minister
Legal system:
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
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Mwai KIBAKI (since 30 December 2002); 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); note - the roles of
the president and prime minister are not well defined at this juncture;
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 headed by the prime minister,
who is the leader of the largest party in parliament
(For more information visit the World Leaders website )
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
election results: President Mwai KIBAKI reelected; percent of vote - Mwai KIBAKI
46%, Raila ODINGA 44%, Kalonzo MUSYOKA 9%
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)
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
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]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Council of Islamic Preachers of Kenya or CIPK [Sheikh Idris MOHAMMED]; Kenya
Human Rights Commission [L. Muthoni WANYEKI]; Muslim Human Rights Forum [Ali-Amin
KIMATHI]; National Convention Executive Council or NCEC, a proreform coalition
of political parties and nongovernment organizations [Ndung'u WAINANA]; National
Muslim Leaders Forum or NAMLEF [Abdullahi ABDI]; Protestant National Council of
Churches of Kenya or NCCK [Canon Peter Karanja MWANGI]; Roman Catholic and other
Christian churches; Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims or SUPKEM [Shaykh Abdul
Gafur al-BUSAIDY]
other: labor unions
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, EAC, EADB, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,
ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, MONUC, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Peter Rateng Oginga OGEGO
chancery: 2249 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 387-6101
FAX: [1] (202) 462-3829
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles
consulate(s): New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Michael RANNEBERGER
embassy: US Embassy, United Nations Avenue, Nairobi; P. O. Box 606 Village
Market, Nairobi 00621
mailing address: Box 21A, Unit 64100, APO AE 09831
telephone: [254] (20) 363-6000
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
Economy - Kenya
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 estimated GDP growth to 2%
or lower in 2008 and 2009.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$63.73 billion (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 83
$62.48 billion (2008 est.)
$61.44 billion (2007 est.)
note: data are in 2009 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$30.57 billion (2009 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
2% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 80
1.7% (2008 est.)
7.1% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,600 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 197
$1,600 (2008 est.)
$1,700 (2007 est.)
note: data are in 2009 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 19.7%
industry: 17.2%
services: 62.1% (2009 est.)
Labor force:
17.47 million (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 34
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 75%
industry and services: 25% (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate:
40% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 188
40% (2001 est.)
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:
42.5 (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 51
44.9 (1997)
Investment (gross fixed):
20.5% of GDP (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 88
Budget:
revenues: $6.732 billion
expenditures: $8.332 billion (2009 est.)
Public debt:
66.7% of GDP (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 23
61.3% of GDP (2008 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
9.3% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 189
16.3% (2008 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
NA%
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
14.02% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 61
13.34% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$6.068 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 64
$5.912 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$5.468 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 82
$6.464 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$10.83 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 76
$10.67 billion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$10.97 billion (31 December 2009)
country comparison to the world: 67
$10.92 billion (31 December 2008)
$13.39 billion (31 December 2007)
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:
3.7% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 34
Electricity - production:
5.223 billion kWh (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 113
Electricity - consumption:
4.863 billion kWh (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 107
Electricity - exports:
58.3 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
22.5 million kWh (2007 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 161
Oil - consumption:
76,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 88
Oil - exports:
7,270 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 99
Oil - imports:
80,530 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 73
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 166
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 173
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 126
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 82
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 158
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 158
Current account balance:
-$1.577 billion (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 143
-$1.978 billion (2008 est.)
Exports:
$4.445 billion (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 105
$5.04 billion (2008 est.)
Exports - commodities:
tea, horticultural products, coffee, petroleum products, fish, cement
Exports - partners:
UK 11.31%, Netherlands 9.81%, Uganda 9.07%, Tanzania 8.83%, US 5.93%, Pakistan
5.63% (2009)
Imports:
$9.215 billion (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 88
$10.69 billion (2008 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and transportation equipment, petroleum products, motor vehicles, iron
and steel, resins and plastics
Imports - partners:
India 11.67%, China 10.58%, UAE 9.32%, South Africa 8.36%, Saudi Arabia 6.53%,
US 6.25%, Japan 5.1% (2009)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$3.8 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 91
$2.879 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
Debt - external:
$7.729 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 88
$7.855 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$2.063 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 85
$1.988 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$42 million (31 December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 81
$12.4 million (31 December 2008 est.)
Exchange rates:
Kenyan shillings (KES) per US dollar - 78.042 (2009), 68.358 (2008), 68.309
(2007), 72.101 (2006), 75.554 (2005)
Communications - Kenya
Telephones - main lines in use:
243,700 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 119
Telephones - mobile cellular:
16.304 million (2008)
country comparison to the world: 41
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 (VSAT) system
domestic: no recent growth in fixed-line infrastructure and the sole 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 exceeding 40 per 100 persons in 2008
international: country code - 254; The East Africa Marine System (TEAMS) and the
SEACOM undersea fiber-optic cable systems; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 24, FM 82, shortwave 6 (2008)
Television broadcast stations:
8 (2008)
Internet country code:
.ke
Internet hosts:
32,913 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 90
Internet users:
3.36 million (2008)
country comparison to the world: 56
Transportation - Kenya
Airports:
181 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 33
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 16
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 6 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 165
1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
914 to 1,523 m: 105
under 914 m: 50 (2009)
Pipelines:
oil 4 km; refined products 928 km (2009)
Railways:
total: 2,778 km
country comparison to the world: 60
narrow gauge: 2,778 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)
Roadways:
total: 160,886 km
country comparison to the world: 32
paved: 11,189 km
unpaved: 149,689 km (2008)
Waterways:
part of Lake Victoria system is within boundaries of Kenya (2007)
Merchant marine:
total: 1
country comparison to the world: 158
by type: petroleum tanker 1
registered in other countries: 6 (Bahamas 1, Comoros 1, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines 2, Tuvalu 1, unknown 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Mombasa
Military - Kenya
Military branches:
Kenya Armed Forces: Kenya Army, Kenya Navy, Kenya Air Force (2010)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age (est.) for voluntary service, with a 9-year obligation (2007)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 9,525,556
females age 16-49: 9,242,381 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 6,162,904
females age 16-49: 5,904,173 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 417,061
female: 412,438 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
2.8% of GDP (2006)
country comparison to the world: 51
Transnational Issues - Kenya
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 (country of origin): 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
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