Kenya

Location

• Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Somalia and Tanzania
• 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; Lake Victoria, the world's largest tropical lake and the second-largest freshwater lake, is shared among three countries: Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda

Population

Notable Population Centers

City	Population	Note
Nairobi	4,397,073	Capital
Kakamega	1,867,579
Mombasa	1,208,333
Nakuru	570,674
Ruiru	490,120
Eldoret	475,716
Kisumu	397,957
Kikuyu	323,881
Thika	251,407
Naivasha	198,444

Size

• 224,961 square miles
• 582,650 square kilometers
• five times the size of Ohio; slightly more than twice the size of Nevada

History

Trade centers such as Mombasa have existed along the Kenyan and Tanzanian coastlines, known as the Land of Zanj, since at least the 2nd century. These centers traded with the outside world, including China, India, Indonesia, the Middle East, North Africa, and Persia. By around the 9th century, the mix of Africans, Arabs, and Persians who lived and traded there became known as Swahili ("people of the coast") with a distinct language (KiSwahili) and culture. The Portuguese arrived in the 1490s and, using Mombasa as a base, sought to monopolize trade in the Indian Ocean. The Portuguese were pushed out in the late 1600s by the combined forces of Oman and Pate, an island off the coast. In 1890, Germany and the UK divided up the region, with the UK taking the north and the Germans the south, including present-day Tanzania, Burundi, and Rwanda. In 1895, the British established the East Africa Protectorate, which in 1920 was converted into a colony, and named Kenya after its highest mountain. Numerous political disputes between the colony and the UK led to the violent Mau Mau Uprising, which began in 1952, and the eventual declaration of independence in 1963. Jomo KENYATTA, the founding president and an icon of the liberation struggle, led Kenya from independence in 1963 until his death in 1978, when Vice President Daniel Arap MOI took power in a constitutional succession. The country was a de facto one-party state from 1969 until 1982, after which time the ruling Kenya African National Union (KANU) changed the constitution to make itself the sole legal political party. MOI gave in to internal and external pressure for political liberalization in 1991, but the ethnically fractured opposition failed to dislodge KANU from power in elections in 1992 and 1997, which were marred by violence and fraud. MOI stepped down in 2002 after 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, the son of the founding president, and assumed the presidency following a campaign centered on an anticorruption platform. Opposition candidate Raila ODINGA challenged KIBAKI's reelection in 2007 on the grounds of widespread vote rigging, leading to two months of ethnic violence that caused more than 1,100 deaths and displaced hundreds of thousands. African Union-sponsored mediation resulted in a power-sharing accord that brought ODINGA into the government as prime minister and outlined a reform agenda. In 2010, Kenyans overwhelmingly voted to adopt a new constitution that eliminated the prime minister, introduced additional checks and balances to executive power, and devolved power and resources to 47 newly created counties. Uhuru KENYATTA won the first presidential election under the new constitution in 2013. He won a second and final term in office in 2017 after a contentious repeat election. In 2022, William RUTO won a close presidential election; he assumed the office the following month after the Kenyan Supreme Court upheld the victory.

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

Languages

English (official), Kiswahili (official), numerous indigenous languagesmajor-language sample(s): The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. (English)The World Factbook, Chanzo cha Lazima Kuhusu Habari ya Msingi. (Kiswahili)

Religions

Christian 85.5% (Protestant 33.4%, Catholic 20.6%, Evangelical 20.4%, African Instituted Churches 7%, other Christian 4.1%), Muslim 10.9%, other 1.8%, none 1.6%, don't know/no answer 0.2% (2019 est.)

Government

presidential republic

• Constitution: history: current constitution passed by referendum on 4 August 2010amendment process: amendments can be proposed by either house of Parliament or by petition of at least one million eligible voters; passage of amendments by Parliament requires approval by at least two-thirds majority vote of both houses in each of two readings, approval in a referendum by majority of votes cast by at least 20% of eligible voters in at least one half of Kenya’s counties, and approval by the president; passage of amendments introduced by petition requires approval by a majority of county assemblies, approval by majority vote of both houses, and approval by the president
• Political Parties and Leaders: n/a
• Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
• Legal System: mixed system of English common law, Islamic law, and customary law; Supreme Court reviews laws
• Executive Branch: chief of state: President William RUTO (since 13 September 2022)head of government: President William RUTO (since 13 September 2022)cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president, subject to confirmation by the National Assemblyelection/appointment process: president and deputy president directly elected on the same ballot by majority vote nationwide and at least 25% of the votes cast in at least 24 of the 47 counties; failure to meet these thresholds requires a runoff between the top two candidatesmost recent election date: 9 August 2022election results: 2022:  William RUTO elected president in first round; percent of vote - William RUTO (UDA) 50.5%, Raila ODINGA (ODM) 48.9%, other 0.6%2017:  Uhuru KENYATTA reelected president; percent of vote - Uhuru KENYATTA (JP) 98.3%, Raila ODINGA (ODM) 1%, other 0.7%expected date of next election: 10 August 2027note: the president is both chief of state and head of government
• Judicial Branch: highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of chief and deputy chief justices and 5 judges)judge selection and term of office: chief and deputy chief justices nominated by Judicial Service Commission (JSC) and appointed by the president with approval of the National Assembly; other judges nominated by the JSC and appointed by president; chief justice serves a nonrenewable 10-year term or until age 70, whichever comes first; other judges serve until age 70subordinate courts: High Court; Court of Appeal; military courts; magistrates' courts; religious courts
• Legislative Branch: legislature name: Parliament of Kenyalegislative structure: bicameral

Demographic Profile

n/a

Economy

• fast growing, third largest Sub-Saharan economy; strong agriculture sector with emerging services and tourism industries; IMF program to address current account and debt service challenges; business-friendly policies foster infrastructure investment, digital innovation and public-private partnerships; vulnerable to climate change-induced droughts
• Budget: revenues: $20.202 billion (2023 est.)expenditures: $30.924 billion (2023 est.)note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
• Credit Rating: n/a
• Natural Resources: limestone, soda ash, salt, gemstones, fluorspar, zinc, diatomite, gypsum, wildlife, hydropower
• Industries: agriculture, transportation, services, manufacturing, construction, telecommunications, tourism, retail
• Agricultural Products: sugarcane, milk, maize, bananas, tea, potatoes, cassava, cabbages, camel milk, mangoes/guavas (2023)note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
• Land Use: agricultural land: 49.7% (2022 est.)arable land: 11.1% (2022 est.)permanent crops: 1.3% (2022 est.)permanent pasture: 37.4% (2022 est.)forest: 6.3% (2022 est.)other: 43.9% (2022 est.)
• Labor Force by Occupation: n/a
• Imports
• Imported Commodities: refined petroleum, palm oil, wheat, plastics, garments (2023)note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
• Import Partners: China 22%, UAE 14%, India 10%, Saudi Arabia 5%, Malaysia 4% (2023)note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
• Exports
• Exported Commodities: tea, cut flowers, garments, gold, tropical fruits (2023)note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
• Export Partners: Uganda 10%, USA 10%, UAE 8%, Netherlands 8%, Pakistan 6% (2023)note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports