1994 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1994 (Project Gutenberg)
Introduction
Administrative divisions
8 provinces; Central, Coast, Eastern, Nairobi, North Eastern, Nyanza, Rift Valley, Western
Agriculture
most important sector, accounting for 25% of GDP and 65% of exports; cash crops - coffee, tea, sisal, pineapple; food products - corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruit, vegetables, dairy products, beef, pork, poultry, eggs; food output not keeping pace with population growth, and crop production has been extended into marginal land
Airports
total: 248 usable: 213 with permanent-surface runways: 28 with runways over 3,659 m: 2 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 3 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 44
Area
total area: 582,650 sq km land area: 569,250 sq km comparative area: slightly more than twice the size of Nevada
Birth rate
42.44 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Branches
Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary General Service Unit of the Police
Budget
revenues: $2.4 billion expenditures: $2.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $740 million (1990 est.)
Capital
Nairobi
Climate
varies from tropical along coast to arid in interior
Coastline
536 km
Constitution
12 December 1963, amended as a republic 1964; reissued with amendments 1979, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1991, and 1992
Currency
1 Kenyan shilling (KSh) = 100 cents
Death rate
11.74 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Defense expenditures
exchange rate conversion - $294 million, 4.9% of GDP (FY88/89 est.)
Digraph
KE
Diplomatic representation in US
chief of mission: (vacant) chancery: 2249 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 387-6101 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York
Economic aid
recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $839 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $7.49 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $74 million; Communist countries (1970-89), $83 million
Electricity
capacity: 730,000 kW production: 2.54 billion kWh consumption per capita: 100 kWh (1990)
Environment
current issues: water pollution from urban and industrial wastes; degradation of water quality from increased use of pesticides and fertilizers; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; poaching natural hazards: NA international agreements: party to - Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change
Ethnic divisions
Kikuyu 22%, Luhya 14%, Luo 13%, Kalenjin 12%, Kamba 11%, Kisii 6%, Meru 6%, Asian, European, and Arab 1%, other 15%
Exchange rates
Kenyan shillings (KSh) per US$1 - 68.413 (December 1993), 32.217 (1992), 27.508 (1991), 22.915 (1990), 20.572 (1989)
Executive branch
chief of state and head of government: President Daniel Teroitich arap MOI (since 14 October 1978); Vice President George SAITOTI (since 10 May 1989); election last held on 29 December 1992 (next to be held NA 1997); results - President Daniel T. arap MOI was reelected with 37% of the vote; Kenneth Matiba (FORD-ASILI) 26%; Mwai Kibaki (SP) 19%, Oginga Odinga (FORD-Kenya) 17% cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the president
Exports
$1 billion (f.o.b., 1992 est.) commodities: tea 25%, coffee 18%, petroleum products 11% (1990) partners: EC 47%, Africa 23%, Asia 11%, US 4%, Middle East 3% (1991)
External debt
$7 billion (1992 est.)
FAX
[254] (2) 340838
Fiscal year
1 July - 30 June
Flag
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
Highways
total: 64,590 km paved: 7,000 km unpaved: gravel 4,150 km; improved earth 53,440 km
Illicit drugs
widespread wild, small-plot cultivation of marijuana and gat; most locally consumed; transit country for Southwest Asian heroin moving to West Africa and onward to Europe and North America; Indian methaqualone also transits on way to South Africa
Imports
$1.6 billion (f.o.b., 1992 est.) commodities: machinery and transportation equipment 29%, petroleum and petroleum products 15%, iron and steel 7%, raw materials, food and consumer goods (1989) partners: EC 46%, Asia 23%, Middle East 20%, US 5% (1991)
Independence
12 December 1963 (from UK)
Industrial production
growth rate 5.4% (1989 est.); accounts for 13% of GDP
Industries
small-scale consumer goods (plastic, furniture, batteries, textiles, soap, cigarettes, flour), agricultural processing, oil refining, cement, tourism
Infant mortality rate
74.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
55% (1993 est.)
Inland waterways
part of Lake Victoria system is within boundaries of Kenya
International disputes
administrative boundary with Sudan does not coincide with international boundary; possible claim by Somalia based on unification of ethnic Somalis
Irrigated land
520 sq km (1989)
Judicial branch
Court of Appeal, High Court
Labor force
9.2 million (includes unemployed); the total employed is 1,370,000 (14.8% of the labor force) by occupation: agriculture 75-80% (1993 est.), non-agriculture 20-25% (1993 est.)
Land boundaries
total 3,446 km, Ethiopia 830 km, Somalia 682 km, Sudan 232 km, Tanzania 769 km, Uganda 933 km
Land use
arable land: 3% permanent crops: 1% meadows and pastures: 7% forest and woodland: 4% other: 85%
Languages
English (official), Swahili (official), numerous indigenous languages
Legal system
based on 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
Legislative branch
unicameral
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 53.23 years male: 51.48 years female: 55.03 years (1994 est.)
Literacy
age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.) total population: 69% male: 80% female: 58%
Location
Eastern Africa, bordering the northwestern India Ocean between Tanzania and Somalia
Manpower availability
males age 15-49 6,144,891; fit for military service 3,799,202
Map references
Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World
Maritime claims
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Member of
ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, EADB, ECA, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IGADD, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LORCS, MINURSO, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNPROFOR, UNTAC, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Merchant marine
2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,883 GRT/6,255 DWT, barge carrier 1, oil tanker ship 1
Names
conventional long form: Republic of Kenya conventional short form: Kenya former: British East Africa
National Assembly (Bunge)
elections last held on 29 December 1992; results - (188 total) KANU 100, FORD-Kenya 31, FORD-Asili 31, DP 23, smaller parties 3; president nominates 12 additional members note: first multiparty election since repeal of one-party state law in 1991
National holiday
Independence Day, 12 December (1963)
National product
GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $33.2 billion (1993 est.)
National product per capita
$1,200 (1993 est.)
National product real growth rate
0.5% (1993 est.)
Nationality
noun: Kenyan(s) adjective: Kenyan
Natural resources
gold, limestone, soda ash, salt barytes, rubies, fluorspar, garnets, wildlife
Net migration rate
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Note
the Kenyan Highlands comprise one of the most successful agricultural production regions in Africa; glaciers on Mt. Kenya; unique physiography supports abundant and varied wildlife of scientific and economic value
Other political or pressure groups
labor unions; Roman Catholic Church
Overview
Kenya's 3.1% annual population growth rate - one of the highest in the world - has led to a decline in per capita output in each of the last three years, 1991-93. Undependable weather conditions and a shortage of arable land hamper long-term growth in agriculture, the leading economic sector. In industry and services, Nairobi's reluctance to embrace IMF-supported reforms has held back investment. Ethnic clashes and continued suspension of quick disbursing aid by the international donors kept growth at only 0.5% in 1993.
Pipelines
petroleum products 483 km
Political parties and leaders
ruling party is Kenya African National Union (KANU), Daniel T. arap MOI, president; opposition parties include Forum for the Restoration of Democracy (FORD-Kenya), Michael WAMALWA; Forum for the Restoration of Democracy (FORD-Asili), Kenneth MATIBA; Democratic Party of Kenya (DP), Mwai KIBAKI; Kenya National Congress (KNC), Titus MBATHI; Kenya Social Congress (KSC), George ANYONA; Kenya National Democratic Alliance (KENYA), Mukara NG'ANG'A; Party for Independent Candidates of Kenya (PKK), Otieno OTOERA
Population
28,240,658 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate
3.07% (1994 est.)
Ports
coastal - Mombasa, Lamu; inland - Kisumu
Railroads
2,040 km 1.000-meter gauge
Religions
Roman Catholic 28%, Protestant (including Anglican) 26%, indigenous beliefs 18%, Muslim 6%
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Telecommunications
in top group of African systems; consists primarily of radio relay links; over 260,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 16 AM; 4 FM, 6 TV; satellite earth stations - 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT
Terrain
low plains rise to central highlands bisected by Great Rift Valley; fertile plateau in west
Total fertility rate
5.91 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Type
republic
Unemployment rate
23.8% urban (1993 est.)
US diplomatic representation
chief of mission: Ambassador Aurelia BRAZEAL embassy: corner of Moi Avenue and Haile Selassie Avenue, Nairobi mailing address: P. O. Box 30137, Unit 64100, Nairobi or APO AE 09831 telephone: [254] (2) 334141