Kenya Population: 44,037,656
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| 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 a constitutional review process. Government defectors joined with KANU to form a new opposition coalition, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), 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. African Union-sponsored mediation led by former UN Secretary General Kofi ANNAN in late February 2008 resulted in a power-sharing accord bringing ODINGA into the government in the restored position of prime minister. The power sharing accord included a broad reform agenda, the centerpiece of which was constitutional reform. In August 2010, Kenyans overwhelmingly adopted a new constitution in a national referendum. The new constitution introduced additional checks and balances to executive power and significant devolution of power and resources to 47 newly created counties. It also eliminated the position of prime minister following the first presidential election under the new constitution, which occurred on March 4, 2013. Uhuru KENYATTA, the son of founding president Jomo KENYATTA, won the March elections in the first round by a close margin and was sworn into office on 9 April 2013. |
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| Geography | |
| 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 | |
| Location: | Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Somalia and Tanzania |
| Geographic coordinates: | 1 00 N, 38 00 E |
| Area: | total: 580,367 sq km land: 569,140 sq km water: 11,227 sq km Size comparison: slightly more than twice the size of Nevada |
| Land Boundaries: | total: 3,477 km border countries: Ethiopia 861 km, Somalia 682 km, South Sudan 232 km, Tanzania 769 km, Uganda 933 km |
| Coastline: | 536 km |
| Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation |
| Climate: | varies from tropical along coast to arid in interior |
| Terrain: | low plains rise to central highlands bisected by Great Rift Valley; fertile plateau in west |
| Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Kenya 5,199 m |
| Natural resources: | limestone, soda ash, salt, gemstones, fluorspar, zinc, diatomite, gypsum, wildlife, hydropower |
| Land use: | arable land: 8.01% permanent crops: 0.97% other: 91.02% (2005) |
| Irrigated land: | 1,030 sq km (2003) |
| Natural hazards: | recurring drought; flooding during rainy seasons volcanism: limited volcanic activity; the Barrier (elev. 1,032 m) last erupted in 1921; South Island is the only other historically active volcano |
| Current Environment 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 |
| International Environment 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 |
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| People | |
| Population: | 44,037,656 (July 2013 est.) 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 |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 42.4% (male 9,357,084/female 9,299,586) 15-24 years: 18.8% (male 4,148,153/female 4,147,896) 25-54 years: 32.4% (male 7,210,891/female 7,070,217) 55-64 years: 3.6% (male 719,374/female 876,458) 65 years and over: 2.7% (male 529,873/female 678,124) (2013 est.) population pyramid: |
| Median age: | total: 18.8 years male: 18.7 years female: 18.9 years (2012 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 2.444% (2012 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 31.93 births/1,000 population (2012 est.) |
| Death rate: | 7.26 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | -0.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2011 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 43.61 deaths/1,000 live births male: 48.41 deaths/1,000 live births female: 38.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 63.07 years male: 61.62 years female: 64.55 years (2012 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 3.76 children born/woman (2013 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 6.3% (2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 1.5 million (2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | 80,000 (2009 est.) |
| Nationality: | noun: Kenyan(s) adjective: Kenyan |
| 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% |
| Religions: | Christian 82.5% (Protestant 47.4%, Catholic 23.3%, other 11.8%), Muslim 11.1%, Traditionalists 1.6%, other 1.7%, none 2.4%, unspecified 0.7% (2009 census) |
| Languages: | English (official), Kiswahili (official), numerous indigenous languages |
| Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 87.4% male: 90.6% female: 84.2% (2010 est.) |
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| Government | |
| 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 |
| Government type: | republic |
| Capital: | name: Nairobi geographic coordinates: 1 17 S, 36 49 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
| Administrative divisions: | 7 provinces and 1 area*; Central, Coast, Eastern, Nairobi Area*, North Eastern, Nyanza, Rift Valley, Western; note - the constitution promulgated in August 2010 designates 47 yet-to-be-defined counties as first-order administrative units |
| Independence: | 12 December 1963 (from the UK) |
| National holiday: | Independence Day, 12 December (1963); Madaraka Day, 1 June (1963); Mashujaa Day, 20 October (2010) |
| Constitution: | 27 August 2010; note - the new constitution introduced major institutional, electoral, and structural reforms, including devolution of power to 47 counties and establishment of a bicameral legislature; Implementation of all elements of the constitution is scheduled to take five years and requires significant legislative action, much of which has been taken |
| Legal system: | mixed legal system of English common law, Islamic law, and customary law; judicial review in a new Supreme Court established pursuant to the new constitution |
| Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch: | chief of state: President Uhuru KENYATTA (since 9 April 2013); Vice President Stephen Kalonzo MUSYOKA (since 10 January 2008); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Uhuru KENYATTA (since 9 April 2013); Vice President Stephen Kalonzo MUSYOKA (since 10 January 2008); note - according to the 2008 power sharing agreement the role of prime minister was created though not well defined, following the new constitution the position was abolished after the March 2013 elections cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president and chaired by the prime minister, who is the leader of the largest party in parliament (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); in addition to receiving a simple majority of votes, 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 on 4 March 2013 (next to be held in 2018); vice president appointed by the president; note - the new constitution had set elections for August 2011 but elections were delayed to 2013 election results: President Uhuru KENYATTA elected in first round; percent of vote - Uhuru KENYATTA 50.5%, Raila ODINGA 43.7%, Musalia MUDAVADI 4.0%, other 1.8% |
| 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 appointed by the president but selected by the parties in proportion to their parliamentary vote totals, 2 ex-officio members); note - the constitution promulgated in August 2010 changes the legislature to a bicameral parliament consisting of a 349 member National Assembly and a 67 member Senate; parliament members will serve five year terms elections: last held on 4 March 2013 (next to be held in 2018) 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; note - results from 2007 election, official 2013 results have not yet been posted |
| Judicial branch: | Court of Appeal (chief justice is appointed by the president); High Court; note - the constitution promulgated in August 2010 specifies three superior courts consisting of a Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, and High Court, and three subordinate courts consisting of Magistrate courts, Kadhis courts (sentences according to Muslim law), and Courts Martial |
| Political parties and leaders: | Kenya African National Union or KANU [Gideon MOI]; The National Party Alliance or TNA [Uhuru KENYATTA]; National Rainbow Coalition-Kenya or NARC-Kenya [Martha KARUA]; Orange Democratic Movement-Kenya or ODM-K [Kalonzo MUSYOKA]; Party of National Unity or PNU [Mwai KIBAKI]; United Democratic Forum Party or UDF [Musalia Mudavadi]; United Republican Party or URP [William Ruto]; Wiper Democratic Movement or WDM [Kalonzo MUSYOKA] |
| 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 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, Kenya Association of Manufacturers, Kenya Private Sector Alliance |
| International organization participation: | ACP, AfDB, AU, C, CD, COMESA, EAC, EADB, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMISS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Elkanah ODEMBO Absalom chancery: 2249 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 387-6101 FAX: [1] (202) 462-3829 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles consulate(s): New York |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Robert F. GODEC 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 FAX: [254] (20) 363-6157 |
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| Economy | |
| Kenya has been hampered by corruption and by reliance upon several primary goods whose prices have remained low. Low infrastructure investment threatens Kenya's long-term position as the largest East African economy. 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. Unemployment is very high. The country has experienced chronic budget deficits, inflationary pressures, and sharp currency depreciation - as a result of high food and fuel import prices. The discovery of oil in March 2012 provides an opportunity for Kenya to balance its growing trade deficit if the deposits are found to be commercially viable and Kenya is able to develop a port and pipeline to export its oil. | |
| GDP (purchasing power parity): | GDP (purchasing power parity): $76.07 billion (2012 est.) $72.37 billion (2011 est.) $69.33 billion (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars |
| GDP (official exchange rate): | GDP (official exchange rate): $41.84 billion (2012 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate: | 5.1% (2012 est.) 4.4% (2011 est.) 5.8% (2010 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP): | GDP - per capita (PPP): $1,800 (2012 est.) $1,800 (2011 est.) $1,700 (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars |
| GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 24.2% industry: 14.8% services: 61% (2012 est.) |
| Labor force: | 18.89 million (2012 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture: 75% industry and services: 25% (2007 est.) |
| Unemployment rate: | 40% (2008 est.) 40% (2001 est.) |
| Population below poverty line: | 50% (2000 est.) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: 1.8% highest 10%: 37.8% (2005) |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index: | 42.5 (2008 est.) 44.9 (1997) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | Inflation rate (consumer prices): 10.1% (2012 est.) 14% (2011 est.) |
| Investment (gross fixed): | Investment (gross fixed): 21.9% of GDP (2012 est.) |
| Budget: | revenues: $7.375 billion expenditures: $9.3 billion (2012 est.) |
| Public debt: | 50% of GDP (2012 est.) 50.7% of GDP (2011 est.) |
| Agriculture - products: | tea, coffee, corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruit, vegetables; dairy products, beef, pork, poultry, eggs |
| 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 |
| Industrial production growth rate: | 3.1% (2011 est.) |
| Electricity - production: | 6.573 billion kWh (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 106 |
| Electricity - consumption: | 5.516 billion kWh (2009 est.) |
| Electricity - exports: | 27 million kWh (2009 est.) |
| Electricity - imports: | 38 million kWh (2009 est.) |
| Natural gas - production: | 0 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption: | 0 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports: | 0 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports: | 0 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves: | 0 cu m (1 January 2012 est.) |
| Current account balance: | -$3.948 billion (2012 est.) -$3.536 billion (2011 est.) |
| Exports: | $5.942 billion (2012 est.) $5.787 billion (2011 est.) |
| Exports - commodities: | tea, horticultural products, coffee, petroleum products, fish, cement |
| Exports - partners: | Uganda 9.9%, Tanzania 9.6%, Netherlands 8.4%, UK 8.1%, US 6.2%, Egypt 4.9%, Democratic Republic of the Congo 4.2% (2011) |
| Imports: | $14.39 billion (2012 est.) $13.83 billion (2011 est.) |
| Imports - commodities: | machinery and transportation equipment, petroleum products, motor vehicles, iron and steel, resins and plastics |
| Imports - partners: | China 15.3%, India 13.8%, UAE 10.5%, Saudi Arabia 7.3%, South Africa 5.5%, Japan 4% (2011) |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: | $5.396 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $4.893 billion (31 December 2011 est.) |
| Debt - external: | $9.526 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $8.999 billion (31 December 2011 est.) |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: | $3.018 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $2.626 billion (31 December 2011 est.) |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: | $320 million (31 December 2012 est.) $300 million (31 December 2011 est.) |
| Market value of publicly traded shares: | $10.2 billion (31 December 2011) $14.46 billion (31 December 2010) $10.76 billion (31 December 2009) |
| Exchange rates: | Kenyan shillings (KES) per US dollar - 85.82 (2012 est.) 88.811 (2011 est.) 79.233 (2010 est.) 77.352 (2009) 68.358 (2008) |
| Fiscal year: | 1 July - 30 June |
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| Communications | |
| Telephones in use: | 283,500 (2011) country comparison to the world: 120 |
| Cellular Phones in use: | 28.08 million (2011) |
| 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: sole fixed-line 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 with teledensity reaching 65 per 100 persons in 2011 international: country code - 254; landing point for the EASSy, TEAMS and SEACOM fiber-optic submarine cable systems; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (2011) |
| Radio broadcast stations: | |
| Television broadcast stations: | |
| Internet country code: | .ke |
| Internet hosts: | 71,018 (2012) |
| Internet users: | 3.996 million (2009) |
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| Transportation | |
| Airports: | 194 (2012) country comparison to the world: 31 |
| Airports (paved runways): | total: 15 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 1 (2012) |
| Airports (unpaved runways): | total: 179 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 110 under 914 m: 55 (2012) |
| Pipelines: | oil 4 km; refined products 928 km (2010) |
| Railways: | total: 2,066 km narrow gauge: 2,066 km 1.000-m gauge (2008) |
| Roadways: | total: 160,886 km paved: 11,197 km unpaved: 149,689 km (2008) |
| Waterways: | none specifically the only significant inland waterway in the country is the part of Lake Victoria within the boundaries of Kenya; Kisumu is the main port and has ferry connections to Uganda and Tanzania (2011) |
| Merchant marine: | registered in other countries: 5 (Comoros 2, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2, unknown 1) (2010) |
| Ports and terminals: | Kisumu, Mombasa |
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| Military | |
| Military branches: | Kenya Defence Forces: Kenya Army, Kenya Air Force, Kenya Navy (2012) |
| Military service age and obligation: | 18-26 years of age for male and female voluntary service (under 18 with parental consent), with a 9-year obligation (7 years for Kenyan Navy); applicants must be Kenyan citizens and provide a national identity card (obtained at age 18) and a school-leaving certificate; women serve under the same terms and conditions as men; mandatory retirement at age 55 (2010) |
| Manpower available for military service: | males age 16-49: 9,768,140 females age 16-49: 9,466,257 (2010 est.) |
| Manpower fit for military service: | males age 16-49: 6,361,268 females age 16-49: 6,106,870 (2010 est.) |
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