1999 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1999 (Internet Archive)
Geography
Area
total: 582,650 sq km land: 569,250 sq km water: 13,400 sq km
Area--comparative
slightly more than twice the size of Nevada
Climate
varies from tropical along coast to arid in interior
Coastline
536 km
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Kenya 5,199 m
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
Environment--international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, 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: none of the selected agreements
Geographic coordinates
1 00 N, 38 00 E
Geography--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
Irrigated land
660 sq km (1993 est.)
Land boundaries
total: 3,446 km border countries: Ethiopia 830 km, Somalia 682 km, Sudan 232 km, Tanzania 769 km, Uganda 933 km
Land use
arable land: 7% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 37% forests and woodland: 30% other: 25% (1993 est.)
Location
Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Somalia and Tanzania
Map references
Africa
Maritime claims
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural hazards
recurring drought in northern and eastern regions; flooding during rainy seasons
Natural resources
gold, limestone, soda ash, salt barites, rubies, fluorspar, garnets, wildlife
Terrain
low plains rise to central highlands bisected by Great Rift Valley; fertile plateau in west
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 43% (male 6,244,321; female 6,104,181) 15-64 years: 54% (male 7,845,083; female 7,826,442) 65 years and over: 3% (male 343,449; female 445,182) (1999 est.)
Birth rate
30.8 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate
14.58 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
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%
Infant mortality rate
59.07 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Languages
English (official), Swahili (official), numerous indigenous languages
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 47.02 years male: 46.56 years female: 47.49 years (1999 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 78.1% male: 86.3% female: 70% (1995 est.)
Nationality
noun: Kenyan(s) adjective: Kenyan
Net migration rate
-0.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Population
28,808,658 (July 1999 est.)
Population growth rate
1.59% (1999 est.)
Religions
Protestant 38%, Roman Catholic 28%, indigenous beliefs 26%, Muslim 7%, other 1%
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate
3.88 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
7 provinces and 1 area*; Central, Coast, Eastern, Nairobi Area*, North Eastern, Nyanza, Rift Valley, Western
Capital
Nairobi
Constitution
12 December 1963, amended as a republic 1964; reissued with amendments 1979, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1992, and 1997
Country name
conventional long form: Republic of Kenya conventional short form: Kenya former: British East Africa
Data code
KE
Executive branch
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; election last held 29 December 1997 (next to be held by early 2003); vice president appointed by the president election results: President Daniel T. arap MOI reelected; percent of vote--Daniel T. arap MOI (KANU) 40.12%, Mwai KIBAKI (DP) 31.09%, Raila ODINGA (NDP) 10.2%, Michael WAMALWA (FORD-Kenya) 8.29%, Charity NGILU (SDP) 7.71%
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
Government type
republic
Independence
12 December 1963 (from UK)
International organization participation
ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, EADB, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUA, NAM, OAU, OPCW, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMOP, UNOMIL, UNOMSIL, UNPREDEP, UNU, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Samuel K. CHEMAI chancery: 2249 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles and New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Prudence B. BUSHNELL embassy: USAID Building, The Crescent, Parklands, Nairobi (temporary location) mailing address: P. O. Box 30137, Box 21A, Unit 64100, APO AE 09831
Judicial branch
Court of Appeal, chief justice is appointed by the president; High Court Political parties and leaders: Toroitich arap MOI] SHIKUKU, chairman]; Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-Kenya or MWANDAWIRO, secretary general] Political pressure groups and leaders: National Convention Executive Council or NCEC, a proreform coalition of political Catholic and other Christian churches; human rights groups; labor unions; Muslim organizations; Protestant National Council of
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 National Assembly or Bunge (222 seats, 12 appointed by the president, 210 members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 29 December 1997 (next to be held between 1 December 2002 and 30 April 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-Kenya 1, DP 2, SDP 1, NDP 1, SAFINA 1
National holiday
Independence Day, 12 December (1963)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture--products
coffee, tea, corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruit, vegetables; dairy products, beef, pork, poultry, eggs
Budget
revenues: $2.6 billion expenditures: $2.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)
Currency
1 Kenyan shilling (KSh) = 100 cents
Debt--external
$6.45 billion (1997 est.)
Economic aid--recipient
$642.8 million (1995)
Economy--overview
Since 1993, the government of Kenya has implemented a program of economic liberalization and reform. Steps have included the removal of import licensing and price controls, removal of foreign exchange controls, fiscal and monetary restraint, and reduction of the public sector through privatizing publicly owned companies and downsizing the civil service. With the support of the World Bank, IMF, and other donors, these reforms have led to a turnaround in economic performance following a period of negative growth in the early 1990s. Kenya's real GDP grew at 5% in 1995 and 4% in 1996, and inflation remained under control. Growth slowed in 1997-98. Political violence damaged the tourist industry, and the IMF allowed Kenya's Enhanced Structural Adjustment Program to lapse due to the government's failure to enact reform conditions and to adequately address public sector corruption. Moreover, El Nino rains destroyed crops and damaged an already crumbling infrastructure in 1997 and 1998. Long-term barriers to development include electricity shortages, the government's continued and inefficient dominance of key sectors, endemic corruption, and the country's high population growth rate.
Electricity--consumption
3.985 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports
175 million kWh (1996)
Electricity--production
3.81 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source
fossil fuel: 10.5% hydro: 81.63% nuclear: 0% other: 7.87% (1996)
Exchange rates
Kenyan shillings (KSh) per US$1--61.802 (January 1999), 60.367 (1998), 58.732 (1997), 57.115 (1996), 51.430 (1995), 56.051 (1994)
Exports
$2 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Exports--commodities
tea 18%, coffee 15%, petroleum products (1995)
Exports--partners
Uganda 16.1%, Tanzania 12.8%, UK 10.4%, Germany 7.5% (1996)
Fiscal year
1 July--30 June
GDP
purchasing power parity--$43.9 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector
agriculture: 29% industry: 17% services: 54% (1997)
GDP--per capita
purchasing power parity?$1,550 (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate
1.6% (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: 1.2% highest 10%: 47.7% (1992)
Imports
$3.05 billion (f.o.b., 1998)
Imports--commodities
machinery and transportation equipment 31%, consumer goods 13%, petroleum products 12% (1995)
Imports--partners
UK 13.2%, UAE 8.2%, South Africa 7.6%, Germany 7.4% (1996)
Industrial production growth rate
3.8% (1995)
Industries
small-scale consumer goods (plastic, furniture, batteries, textiles, soap, cigarettes, flour), agricultural products processing; oil refining, cement; tourism
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
2.5% (1998)
Labor force
9.2 million (1998 est.)
Labor force--by occupation
agriculture 75%-80%, nonagriculture 20%-25%
Population below poverty line
42% (1992 est.)
Unemployment rate
50% (1998 est.)
Communications
Radio broadcast stations
AM 24, FM 7, shortwave 2
Radios
5 million
Telephone system
domestic: primarily microwave radio relay international: satellite earth stations--4 Intelsat
Telephones
383,676 (1997); 3,077 cellular telephone subscribers (1998)
Television broadcast stations
8 (of which six are government-controlled and two are commercial) (1997)
Televisions
500,000
Transportation
Airports
232 (1998 est.) Airports--with paved runways: total: 21 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 14 (1998 est.) 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 (1998 est.)
Highways
total: 63,800 km paved: 8,868 km unpaved: 54,932 km (1996 est.)
Merchant marine
total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,883 GRT/6,255 DWT ships by type: oil tanker 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 (1998 est.)
Pipelines
petroleum products 483 km Ports and harbors: Kisumu, Lamu, Mombasa
Railways
total: 2,652 km narrow gauge: 2,652 km 1.000-m gauge
Waterways
part of the Lake Victoria system is within the boundaries of Kenya
Military and Security
Military branches
Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary General Service Unit of the Police
Military expenditures--dollar figure
$197 million (FY98/99)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP
1.9% (FY98/99)
Military manpower--availability
males age 15-49: 7,094,151 (1999 est.) Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 4,397,008 (1999 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international
administrative boundary with Sudan does not coincide with international boundary
Illicit drugs
widespread harvesting of small, wild plots of marijuana and qat (chat); transit country for South Asian heroin destined for Europe and, sometimes, North America; Indian methaqualone also transits on way to South Africa