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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. President MOI stepped down in December of 2002 following fair and peaceful elections. Mwai KIBAKI of the Democratic Party of Kenya defeated KANU candidate Uhuru KENYATTA and assumed the presidency following a campaign centered on an anticorruption platform.

[edit] Geography

Location 

Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Somalia and Tanzania

Geographic coordinates 

1 00 N, 38 00 E

Map references 

Africa

Area 

total: 582,650 sq km
water: 13,400 sq km
land: 569,250 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 

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM

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
highest point: Mount Kenya 5,199 m

Natural resources 

gold, limestone, soda ash, salt barites, rubies, fluorspar, garnets, wildlife, hydropower

Land use 

arable land: 7.03%
permanent crops: 0.91%
other: 92.06% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land 

670 sq km (1998 est.)

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, 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

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

[edit] People

Population 

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.)

Age structure 

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.)

Population growth rate 

1.15% (2002 est.)

Birth rate 

27.61 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate 

14.68 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate 

-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.)

Sex ratio 

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.)

Infant mortality rate 

67.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth 

total population: 47.02 years
female: 47.85 years (2002 est.)
male: 46.2 years

Total fertility rate 

3.34 children born/woman (2002 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate 

13.5% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS 

2.2 million (2000 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths 

180,000 (1999 est.)

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%, 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

Languages 

English (official), Kiswahili (official), numerous indigenous languages

Literacy 

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 78.1%
male: 86.3%
female: 70% (1995 est.)

[edit] Government

Country name 

conventional long form: Republic of Kenya
conventional short form: Kenya
former: British East Africa

Government type 

republic

Capital 

Nairobi

Administrative divisions 

7 provinces and 1 area*; Central, Coast, Eastern, Nairobi Area*, North Eastern, Nyanza, Rift Valley, Western

Independence 

12 December 1963 (from UK)

National holiday 

Independence Day, 12 December (1963)

Constitution 

12 December 1963, amended as a republic 1964; reissued with amendments 1979, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1997, and 2001

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) and Vice President Michael Kijana WAMALWA (since 3 January 2003) note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Mwai KIBAKI (since 30 December 2002) and Vice President Michael Kijana WAMALWA (since 3 January 2003) 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 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 27 December 2002 (next to be held NA December 2007); vice president appointed by the president
election results: President Mwai KIBAKI elected; percent of vote - Mwai KIBAKI 63%, Uhuru KENYATTA 30%

Legislative branch 

unicameral National Assembly or Bunge (224 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, 2 ex-officio members)
elections: last held 27 December 2002 (next to be held by early 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NARC 125, KANU 64, FORD-P 14, other 7; ex-officio 2; seats appointed by the president - NARC 7, KANU 4, FORD-P 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-People or FORD-People [Kimaniwa NYOIKE, chairman]; Kenya African National Union or KANU [Uhuru KENYATTA]; National Rainbow Coalition or NARC [Mwai KIBAKI] - the governing party

Political pressure groups and leaders 

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]

International organization participation 

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

Diplomatic representation in the US 

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

Diplomatic representation from the US 

chief of mission: Ambassador Johnnie CARSON
embassy: US Embassy, P. O. Box 30137 Mombasa Road (near St. James Hospital), Nairobi
mailing address: Box 21A, Unit 64100, APO AE 09831
telephone: [254] (2) 537-800
FAX: [254] (2) 537-810

Flag description 

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

[edit] Economy

Economy - overview 

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.

GDP 

purchasing power parity - $31 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate 

1% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita 

purchasing power parity - $1,000 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector 

agriculture: 24%
industry: 13%
services: 63% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line 

50% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share 

lowest 10%: 2%
highest 10%: 37% (2000)

Distribution of family income - Gini index 

45 (1994)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 

3.3% (2001 est.)

Labor force 

10 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation 

agriculture 75%-80%

Unemployment rate 

40% (2001 est.)

Budget 

revenues: $2.91 billion
expenditures: $2.97 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) (2000 est.)

Industries 

small-scale consumer goods (plastic, furniture, batteries, textiles, soap, cigarettes, flour), agricultural products processing; oil refining, cement; tourism

Industrial production growth rate 

-0.7% (2001 est.)

Electricity - production 

4.616 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source 

fossil fuel: 22%
hydro: 70%
other: 8% (2000)
nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption 

4.433 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports 

0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports 

140 million kWh (2000)

Agriculture - products 

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

Exports 

$1.8 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Exports - commodities 

tea, horticultural products, coffee, petroleum products, fish, cement

Exports - partners 

UK 13.5%, Tanzania 12.5%, Uganda 12.0%, Germany 5.5% (2000)

Imports 

$3.1 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.)

Imports - commodities 

machinery and transportation equipment, petroleum products, motor vehicles, iron and steel, resins and plastics

Imports - partners 

UK 12%, UAE 9.8%, Japan 6.5%, India 4.4% (2000)

Debt - external 

$8 billion (2001 est.)

Economic aid - recipient 

$457 million (1997) (1997)

Currency 

Kenyan shilling (KES)

Currency code 

KES

Exchange rates 

Kenyan shillings per US dollar - 78.597 (January 2002), 78.563 (2001), 76.176 (2000), 70.326 (1999), 60.367 (1998), 58.732 (1997)

Fiscal year 

1 July - 30 June

[edit] Communications

Telephones - main lines in use 

310,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular 

540,000 (2001)

Telephone system 

general assessment: unreliable; little attempt to modernize except for service to business
domestic: trunks are primarily microwave radio relay; business data commonly transferred by a very small aperture terminal (VSAT) system
international: satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat

Radio broadcast stations 

AM 24, FM 18, shortwave 6 (2001)

Radios 

3.07 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations 

8 (2002)

Televisions 

730,000 (1997)

Internet country code 

.ke

Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 

65 (2001)

Internet users 

500,000 (2002)

[edit] Transportation

Railways 

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

Highways 

total: 63,300 km
paved: 8,940 km
unpaved: 54,360 km (2001)

Waterways 

NA
note: part of the Lake Victoria system is within the boundaries of Kenya

Pipelines 

petroleum products 483 km

Ports and harbors 

Kisumu, Lamu, Mombasa

Merchant marine 

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.)

Airports 

231 (2001)

Airports - with paved runways 

total: 19
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 10
under 914 m: 1 (2002)

Airports - with unpaved runways 

total: 211
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
914 to 1,523 m: 113
under 914 m: 83 (2002)

[edit] Military

Military branches 

Army, Navy, Air Force

Military manpower - availability 

males age 15-49: 7,938,865 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service 

males age 15-49: 4,915,090 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure 

$179.2 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP 

1.8% (FY01)

[edit] Transnational Issues

Disputes - international 

since colonial times, Kenya's administrative boundary has extended beyond its treaty boundary into Sudan creating the "Ilemi Triangle"; arms smuggling and Oromo rebel activities prompt strict border regime with Somalia

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