2009 Edition

Background

Founding president and liberation struggle icon Jomo KENYATTA led Kenya from independence in 1963 until his death in 1978, when 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 were viewed as having generally reflected the will of the Kenyan people. President MOI stepped down in December 2002 following 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 and assumed the presidency following a campaign centered on an anticorruption platform. KIBAKI's NARC coalition splintered in 2005 over the constitutional review process. Government defectors joined with KANU to form a new opposition coalition, the Orange Democratic Movement, which defeated the government's draft constitution in a popular referendum in November 2005. KIBAKI's reelection in December 2007 brought charges of vote rigging from ODM candidate Raila ODINGA and unleashed two months of violence in which as many as 1,500 people died. UN-sponsored talks in late February produced a powersharing accord bringing ODINGA into the government in the restored position of prime minister.

Area

total: 580,367 sq km country comparison to the world: 48 land: 569,140 sq km water: 11,227 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; water hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; poaching

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 1.58 cu km/yr (30%/6%/64%) per capita: 46 cu m/yr (2000)

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 are found on Mount Kenya, Africa's second highest peak; unique physiography supports abundant and varied wildlife of scientific and economic value

Irrigated land

1,030 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

total: 3,477 km border countries: Ethiopia 861 km, Somalia 682 km, Sudan 232 km, Tanzania 769 km, Uganda 933 km

Land use

arable land: 8.01% permanent crops: 0.97% other: 91.02% (2005)

Location

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

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

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

Natural hazards

recurring drought; flooding during rainy seasons

Natural resources

limestone, soda ash, salt, gemstones, fluorspar, zinc, diatomite, gypsum, wildlife, hydropower

Terrain

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

Total renewable water resources

30.2 cu km (1990)

Age structure

0-14 years: 42.3% (male 8,300,393/female 8,181,898) 15-64 years: 55.1% (male 10,784,119/female 10,702,999) 65 years and over: 2.6% (male 470,218/female 563,145) (2009 est.)

Birth rate

36.64 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 31

Death rate

9.72 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 68

Education expenditures

6.9% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 27

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%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

6.7% (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 10

HIV/AIDS - deaths

150,000 (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 4

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

1.2 million (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 8

Infant mortality rate

total: 54.7 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 44 male: 57.56 deaths/1,000 live births female: 51.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 57.86 years country comparison to the world: 188 male: 57.49 years female: 58.24 years (2009 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 85.1% male: 90.6% female: 79.7% (2003 est.)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne disease: malaria and Rift Valley fever water contact disease: schistosomiasis animal contact disease: rabies (2009)

Median age

total: 18.7 years male: 18.6 years female: 18.8 years (2009 est.)

Nationality

noun: Kenyan(s) adjective: Kenyan

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 77

Population

39,002,772 country comparison to the world: 33 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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2009 est.)

Population growth rate

2.691% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 25

Religions

Protestant 45%, Roman Catholic 33%, Muslim 10%, indigenous beliefs 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

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 10 years male: 10 years female: 9 years (2004)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.56 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 38

Urbanization

urban population: 22% of total population (2008) rate of urbanization: 4% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

name: Nairobi geographic coordinates: 1 17 S, 36 49 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

12 December 1963; amended as a republic 1964; reissued with amendments 1979, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1997, 2001; note - a new draft constitution was defeated by popular referendum in 2005

Country name

conventional long form: Republic of Kenya conventional short form: Kenya local long form: Republic of Kenya/Jamhuri ya Kenya local short form: Kenya former: British East Africa

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Michael RANNEBERGER embassy: US Embassy, United Nations Avenue, Nairobi; P. O. Box 606 Village Market, Nairobi 00621 mailing address: Box 21A, Unit 64100, APO AE 09831 telephone: [254] (20) 363-6000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Peter Rateng Oginga OGEGO chancery: 2249 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 387-6101

Executive branch

chief of state: President Mwai KIBAKI (since 30 December 2002); Vice President Stephene Kalonzo MUSYOKA (since 10 January 2008); head of government: President Mwai KIBAKI (since 30 December 2002); Vice President Stephene Kalonzo MUSYOKA (since 10 January 2008); note - the roles of the president and prime minister are not well defined at this juncture; constitutionally, the president remains chief of state and head of government, but the prime minister is charged with coordinating government business cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president and headed by the prime minister, who is the leader of the largest party in parliament elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second 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 2007 (next to be held in December 2012); vice president appointed by the president election results: President Mwai KIBAKI reelected; percent of vote - Mwai KIBAKI 46%, Raila ODINGA 44%, Kalonzo MUSYOKA 9%

FAX

[1] (202) 462-3829 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles consulate(s): New York

[254] (20) 363-410

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 the UK)

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, EAC, EADB, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

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

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

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly or Bunge usually referred to as Parliament (224 seats; 210 members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms, 12 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 2007 (next to be held in December 2012) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ODM 99, PNU 46, ODM-K 16, KANU 14 other 35; ex-officio 2; seats appointed by the president - ODM 6, PNU 3, ODM-K 2, KANU 1

National holiday

Independence Day, 12 December (1963)

Political parties and leaders

Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-Kenya or FORD-Kenya [Musikari KOMBO]; Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-People or FORD-People [Reuben OYONDI]; Kenya African National Union or KANU [Uhuru KENYATTA]; National Rainbow Coalition-Kenya or NARC-Kenya [Martha KARUA]; Orange Democratic Movement or ODM [Raila ODINGA]; Orange Democratic Movement-Kenya or ODM-K [Kalonzo MUSYOKA]; Party of National Unity or PNU [Mwai KIBAKI]; Shirikisho Party of Kenya or SPK [Chirau Ali MWAKWERE]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Council of Islamic Preachers of Kenya or CIPK [Sheikh Idris MOHAMMED]; Kenya Human Rights Commission [L. Muthoni WANYEKI]; Muslim Human Rights Forum [Ali-Amin KIMATHI]; National Convention Executive Council or NCEC, a proreform coalition of political parties and nongovernment organizations [Ndung'u WAINANA]; National Muslim Leaders Forum or NAMLEF [Abdullahi ABDI]; Protestant National Council of Churches of Kenya or NCCK [Canon Peter Karanja MWANGI]; Roman Catholic and other Christian churches; Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims or SUPKEM [Shaykh Abdul Gafur al-BUSAIDY] other: labor unions

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $6.648 billion expenditures: $8.167 billion (2008 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

14.02% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 56 13.34% (31 December 2007)

Current account balance

-$1.978 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 139 -$1.102 billion (2007 est.)

Debt - external

$7.855 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 92 $6.713 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

42.5 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 53 44.9 (1997)

Economy - overview

The regional hub for trade and finance in East Africa, Kenya has been hampered by corruption and by reliance upon several primary goods whose prices have remained low. 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 0.2% 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 1.2%. Growth lagged at 1.1% in 2002 because of erratic rains, low investor confidence, meager donor support, and political infighting up to the elections. In the key December 2002 elections, Daniel Arap MOI's 24-year-old reign ended, and a new opposition government took on the formidable economic problems facing the nation. After some early progress in rooting out corruption and encouraging donor support, the KIBAKI government was rocked by high-level graft scandals in 2005 and 2006. In 2006, the World Bank and IMF delayed loans pending action by the government on corruption. The international financial institutions and donors have since resumed lending, despite little action on the government's part to deal with corruption. Post-election violence in early 2008, coupled with the effects of the global financial crisis on remittance and exports, reduced GDP growth to 2.2% in 2008, down from 7% the previous year.

Electricity - consumption

4.863 billion kWh (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 106

Electricity - exports

58.3 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports

22.5 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production

5.223 billion kWh (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 113

Exchange rates

Kenyan shillings (KES) per US dollar - 68.358 (2008 est.), 68.309 (2007), 72.101 (2006), 75.554 (2005), 79.174 (2004)

Exports

$5.04 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 108 $4.123 billion (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

UK 10%, Netherlands 9.2%, Uganda 9%, Tanzania 8.7%, US 6.3%, Pakistan 5.6% (2008)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 23.8% industry: 16.7% services: 59.5% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$1,600 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 193 $1,600 (2007 est.) $1,600 (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

1.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 166 7% (2007 est.) 6.4% (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$29.56 billion (2008 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$61.65 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 84 $60.62 billion (2007 est.) $56.68 billion (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 1.8% highest 10%: 37.8% (2005)

Imports

$10.69 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 90 $8.381 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

India 14.1%, UAE 11.5%, China 10%, Saudi Arabia 8%, South Africa 5.7%, Japan 5.1% (2008)

Industrial production growth rate

4.8% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 52

Industries

small-scale consumer goods (plastic, furniture, batteries, textiles, clothing, soap, cigarettes, flour), agricultural products, horticulture, oil refining; aluminum, steel, lead; cement, commercial ship repair, tourism

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

26.2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 216 9.7% (2007 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

21.3% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 92

Labor force

17.37 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 34

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 75% industry and services: 25% (2003 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$10.92 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 71 $13.39 billion (31 December 2007) $11.38 billion (31 December 2006)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 170

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 163

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 158

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 174

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 164

Oil - consumption

75,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 86

Oil - exports

7,270 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 100

Oil - imports

80,530 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 74

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 150

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 193

Population below poverty line

50% (2000 est.)

Public debt

60.1% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 24 74.3% of GDP (2004 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$2.879 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 94 $3.355 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$12.4 million (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 81 $31.4 million (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$2.541 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 92 $1.891 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$10.83 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 69 $10.67 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of money

$6.068 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 52 $5.912 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money

$5.468 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 66 $6.464 billion (31 December 2007)

Unemployment rate

40% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 188 40% (2001 est.)

Internet country code

.ke

Internet hosts

32,913 (2009) country comparison to the world: 90

Internet users

3.36 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 56

Radio broadcast stations

AM 24, FM 82, shortwave 6 (2008)

Telephone system

general assessment: inadequate; fixed-line telephone system is small and inefficient; trunks are primarily microwave radio relay; business data commonly transferred by a very small aperture terminal (VSAT) system domestic: no recent growth in fixed-line infrastructure and the sole provider, Telkom Kenya, is slated for privatization; multiple providers in the mobile-cellular segment of the market fostering a boom in mobile-cellular telephone usage international: country code - 254; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat

Telephones - main lines in use

252,300 (2008) country comparison to the world: 119

Telephones - mobile cellular

16.234 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 41

Television broadcast stations

8 (2008)

Airports

181 (2009) country comparison to the world: 33

Airports - with paved runways

total: 16 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 6 (2009)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 165 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 105 under 914 m: 50 (2009)

Merchant marine

total: 1 country comparison to the world: 160 by type: petroleum tanker 1 registered in other countries: 6 (Bahamas 1, Comoros 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2, Tuvalu 1, unknown 1) (2008)

Pipelines

oil 4 km; refined products 928 km (2008)

Ports and terminals

Mombasa

Railways

total: 2,778 km country comparison to the world: 59 narrow gauge: 2,778 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Roadways

total: 63,574 km (interurban roads) country comparison to the world: 70 paved: 9,273 km unpaved: 54,301 km note: there also are 114,226 km of unclassified roads, 2,000 km paved and 112,226 unpaved, for a national total of 177,800 km (2008)

Waterways

part of Lake Victoria system is within boundaries of Kenya (2007)

Kenyan Armed Forces

Kenyan Army, Kenyan Navy, Kenyan Air Force (2008)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 9,044,685 females age 16-49: 8,805,736 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 5,935,480 females age 16-49: 5,662,755 (2009 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 412,656 female: 408,657 (2009 est.)

Military expenditures

2.8% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 56

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age (est.) for voluntary service, with a 9-year obligation (2007)

Disputes - international

Kenya served as an important mediator in brokering Sudan's north-south separation in February 2005; Kenya provides shelter to almost a quarter of a million refugees, including Ugandans who flee across the border periodically to seek protection from Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebels; Kenya works hard to prevent the clan and militia fighting in Somalia from spreading across the border, which has long been open to nomadic pastoralists; the boundary that separates Kenya's and Sudan's sovereignty is unclear in the "Ilemi Triangle," which Kenya has administered since colonial times

IDPs

250,000-400,000 (2007 post-election violence; KANU attacks on opposition tribal groups in 1990s) (2007)

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 page last updated on November 11, 2009

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin): 173,702 (Somalia); 73,004 (Sudan); 16,428 (Ethiopia)