2000 Edition

Background

Ethnic divisions account for many of Kenya's problems. During the early 1990s, tribal clashes killed thousands and left tens of thousands homeless. Ethnically split opposition groups allowed the regime of Daniel Toroitich arap MOI, in power since 1978, to be reelected for a fourth term in 1997 in balloting marred by violence and fraud.

Area

land

569,250 sq km

total

582,650 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

highest point

Mount Kenya 5,199 m

lowest point

Indian Ocean 0 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

border countries

Ethiopia 830 km, Somalia 682 km, Sudan 232 km, Tanzania 769 km, Uganda 933 km

total

3,446 km

Land use

arable land

7%

forests and woodland

30%

other

25% (1993 est.)

permanent crops

1%

permanent pastures

37%

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, hydropower

Terrain

low plains rise to central highlands bisected by Great Rift Valley; fertile plateau in west

Age structure

0-14 years: 43% (male 6,566,424; female 6,419,034) 15-64 years: 54% (male 8,284,719; female 8,238,121) 65 years and over: 3% (male 366,200; female 465,272) (2000 est.)

Birth rate

29.35 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate

14.08 deaths/1,000 population (2000 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

68.74 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

49.04 years (2000 est.)

male

46.95 years

total population

47.98 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

70% (1995 est.)

male

86.3%

total population

78.1%

Nationality

adjective

Kenyan

noun

Kenyan(s)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population

30,339,770

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 2000 est.)

Population growth rate

1.53% (2000 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: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female

total population

1.01 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.66 children born/woman (2000 est.)

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Johnnie CARSON

embassy

US Embassy, Mombasa Road, Nairobi

mailing address

P. O. Box 30137, Box 21A, Unit 64100, APO AE 09831

telephone

(2) 537-800

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2249 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Samuel K. CHEMAI (recalled in November 1999)

telephone

(202) 387-6101

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the president

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

election results

President Daniel Toroitich arap MOI reelected; percent of vote - Daniel T. arap MOI (KANU) 40.6%, Mwai KIBAKI (DP) 31.5%, Raila ODINGA (NDP) 11.1%, Michael WAMALWA (FORD-K) 8.4%, Charity NGILU (SDP) 7.8%

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

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

FAX

(202) 462-3829

(2) 537-810

consulate(s) general

Los Angeles and New York

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, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNU, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Judicial branch

Court of Appeal, chief justice is appointed by the president; High Court

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)

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-K 1, DP 2, SDP 1, NDP 1, SAFINA 1

elections

last held 29 December 1997 (next to be held between 1 December 2002 and 30 April 2003)

National holiday

Independence Day, 12 December (1963)

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Party of Kenya or DP [Mwai KIBAKI]; Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-Asili or FORD-A ; Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-Kenya or FORD-K ; Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-People or FORD-People ; Kenya African National Union or KANU - the governing party; National Development Party or NDP [Raila ODINGA, president, Dr. Charles MARANGA, secretary general]; SAFINA [Farah MAALIM, chairman, Mghanga MWANDAWIRO, secretary general]; Social Democratic Party or SDP

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 ; Protestant National Council of Churches of Kenya or NCCK ; Roman Catholic and other Christian churches; Supreme Council of Kenyan Muslims or SUPKEM

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

expenditures

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

revenues

$2.91 billion

Currency

1 Kenyan shilling (KSh) = 100 cents

Debt - external

$6.5 billion (1998)

Economic aid - recipient

$457 million (1997)

Economy - overview

Kenya is well placed to serve as an engine of growth in East Africa, but its economy is stagnating because of poor management and uneven commitment to reform. In 1993, the government of Kenya implemented a program of economic liberalization and reform that included the removal of import licensing, price controls, and foreign exchange controls. With the support of the World Bank, IMF, and other donors, the reforms led to a brief turnaround in economic performance following a period of negative growth in the early 1990s. Kenya's real GDP grew 5% in 1995 and 4% in 1996, and inflation remained under control. Growth slowed in 1997-99 however. Political violence damaged the tourist industry, and Kenya's Enhanced Structural Adjustment Program lapsed due to the government's failure to maintain reform or address public sector corruption. A new economic team was put in place in 1999 to revitalize the reform effort, strengthen the civil service, and curb corruption, but wary donors continue to question the government's commitment to sound economic policy. 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

4.078 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports

144 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - production

4.23 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

8.27%

hydro

82.74%

nuclear

0%

other

8.99% (1998)

Exchange rates

Kenyan shillings (KSh) per US$1 - 73.943 (December 1999), 70.326 (1999), 60.367 (1998), 58.732 (1997), 57.115 (1996), 51.430 (1995)

Exports

$2.2 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

Exports - commodities

tea, coffee, horticultural products, petroleum products (1995)

Exports - partners

Uganda 16%, UK 13%, Tanzania 13%, Egypt 5%, Germany 5% (1998)

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

GDP

purchasing power parity - $45.1 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

26%

industry

18%

services

56% (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $1,600 (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

1.5% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 1.2% highest 10%: 47.7% (1992)

Imports

$3.3 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and transportation equipment, petroleum products, iron and steel

Imports - partners

UK 12%, UAE 9%, US 8%, Japan 8%, Germany 6%, India 4% (1998)

Industrial production growth rate

1% (1999 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

6% (1999 est.)

Labor force

9.2 million (1998 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 75%-80%

Population below poverty line

42% (1992 est.)

Unemployment rate

50% (1998 est.)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

7 (1999)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 24, FM 8, shortwave 6 (1999)

Radios

3.07 million (1997)

Telephone system

unreliable; little attempt to modernize

domestic

trunks are primarily microwave radio relay; data commonly transferred by a very small aperature terminal (VSAT)

international

satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat

Telephones - main lines in use

290,000 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular

6,000 (1999)

Television broadcast stations

8 (1997)

Televisions

730,000 (1997)

Airports

230 (1999 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 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

209 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 110 under 914 m: 84 (1999 est.)

Highways

paved

8,868 km

total

63,800 km

unpaved

54,932 km (1996 est.)

Merchant marine

ships by type

petroleum tanker 1, roll-on/roll-off 1 (1999 est.)

total

2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,893 GRT/6,255 DWT

Pipelines

petroleum products 483 km

Ports and harbors

Kisumu, Lamu, Mombasa

Railways

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

total

2,778 km

Waterways

part of the Lake Victoria system is within the boundaries of Kenya

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: 7,482,095 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 4,631,987 (2000 est.)

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

KINGMAN REEF