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| Full country name: |
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The Republic of Kenya |
| Land area: |
219,788 sq mi (569,251 sq km); |
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Total area: |
224,962 sq mi (582,650 sq km) |
| Population (2006 est.): |
34,707,817
(growth rate: 2.6%); birth rate: 39.7/1000; infant mortality rate:
59.3/1000; life expectancy: 48.9; density per sq mi: 158 |
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Capitals:
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Nairobi, 3,064,800 (metro. area), 2,411,900 (city proper)
Other large city: Mombasa, 712,600 |
| Ethnic Groups: |
Kikuyu 22%; Luhya 14%; Luo 13%; Kalenjin 12%; Kamba 11%; Kisii 6%; Meru 6%; other African 15%; Asian, European, and Arab 1% |
| Languages: |
English (official), Swahili (national), and numerous indigenous languages |
| Religion: |
Protestant 45%, Roman Catholic 33%, indigenous beliefs 10%, Islam 10%, others 2% (note: estimates vary widely) |
| Government: |
Republic and independent member of the British Commonwealth |
| President: |
Mwai Kibaki |
| Currency: |
Kenya Shilling |
| GDP (purchasing power parity):(2005 est.): |
$39.6 billion; per capita $1,200. |
| Real growth rate: : |
5.2%. |
| Inflation: |
12% |
| Unemployment (2001 est.) |
40% |
| Arable land: |
8% |
| Inflation rate: |
12% (2005 est.) |
| Agriculture: |
tea, coffee, corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruit, vegetables; dairy products, beef, pork, poultry, eggs. |
| Labor force (2003 est.): |
11.85 million; agriculture 75%, industry and services 25% |
| Visas: |
Entry permits have to be applied for before arrival to visitors on holiday from any countrie outside Kenya. |
| Health risks: |
Degree of risk: High
Food or waterborne diseases: Bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
Wectorborne disease: Malaria is a high risk in some locations
Water contact disease: Schistosomiasis (2004) |
| Time: |
GMT/UTC plus four hours |
| Electricity production: |
4.342 billion kWh (2003) |
| Electricity consumption: |
4.238 billion kWh (2003) |
| Electricity exports: |
0 kWh (2003) |
| Electricity imports : |
200 million kWh (2003) |
| Electricity: |
220/230V (250V in Pretoria), 50Hz |
| Weights & measures: |
Metric |
| Background: |
Founding
president and liberation struggle icon Jomo KENYATTA led Kenya from
independence 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 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, running as the candidate of the multiethnic,
united opposition group, the National Rainbow Coalition, defeated KANU
candidate Uhuru KENYATTA and assumed the presidency following a
campaign centered on an anticorruption platform. |
| Executive Branch: |
Chief of state:
President Mwai KIBAKI (since 30 December 2002) and Vice President Moody
AWORI (since 25 September 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 Moody
AWORI (since 25 September 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 December 2007);
vice president appointed by the president.
Election results: President Mwai KIBAKI elected; percent of vote - Mwai KIBAKI 63%, Uhuru KENYATTA 30% |
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