Kenya

republicIndependence 12 December 1963 (from UK

Kenya as the 1990 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 73 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalNairobi

Area582,650 km2

Populationas each edition published it

24.64 million July 1990 · 55.75m in 2025

Population growth% a year

Not in this edition 3.18% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 18.4 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

Not in this edition 54.07 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

6.5 children per woman 1990 · 3.09 in 2025

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

60 deaths per 1,000 live births 1990 · 26.8 in 2025

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

Not in this edition $320 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition -1% in 1993

Geography

13 fields

Land useshare of 582,650 km2

arable land 3%permanent crops 1%meadows and pastures 7%forest and woodland 4%other 85%includes NEGL% irrigated

Total area

582,650km2

land area: 569,250 km2Comparative area: slightly more than twice the size of Nevada

Coastline

536km

Territorial sea: 12 nm

Land boundaries

3,477km total

Ethiopia 861 km, Somalia 682 km, Sudan 232 km, Tanzania 769 km, Uganda 933 km

Disputes

international boundary and Administrative Boundary with Sudan; possible claim by Somalia based on unification of ethnic Somalis

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

Natural resources

gold, limestone, diotomite, salt barytes, magnesite, feldspar, sapphires, fluorspar, garnets, wildlife

Environment

unique physiography supports abundant and varied wildlife of scientific and economic value;
deforestation;
soil erosion;
desertification;
glaciers on Mt. Kenya

Note

Kenyan Highlands one of the most successful agricultural production regions in Africa

People

14 fields

Population

24,639,261

(July 1990), growth rate 3.8% (1990)

Per 1,000 population(1990)

Birth

45Death

7Net migration

Religion

Protestant 38%Roman Catholic 28%indigenous beliefs 26%Muslim 6%

Literacy

59.2%

Ethnic divisions

21% Kikuyu, 14% Luhya, 13% Luo, 11% Kalenjin, 11% Kamba, 6% Kisii, 6% Meru, 1% Asian, European, and Arab

Language

English and Swahili (official); numerous indigenous languages

Labor force

9,003,000; 78% agriculture, 22% nonagriculture (1987 est.)

Government

Republic

18 fields

National Assembly, 200 seats, elected 21 March 1988one dot, one seat

(202 total, 188 elected) KANU 200

Administrative divisions

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

Independence

12 December 1963 (from UK; formerly British East Africa)

Constitution

12 December 1963, amended as a republic 1964; reissued with amendments 1979, 1983, 1986, and 1988

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 in 1982 made Kenya a de jure one-party state

Judicial branch

Court of Appeal, High Court Chief of State and Head of Government--President Daniel Teroitich arap MOI (since 14 October 1978);
Vice President George SAITOTI (since 10 May 1989)

Political parties and leaders

only party--Kenya African National Union (KANU), Daniel T. arap Moi, president

Suffrage

universal at age 18 President--last held on 21 March 1988 (next to be held February 1993);
results--President Daniel T. arap Moi was reelected;
National Assembly--last held on 21 March 1988 (next to be held March 1993);
results--KANU is the only party;
seats--(202 total, 188 elected) KANU 200

Communists

may be a few Communists and sympathizers

Other political or pressure groups

labor unions; exile opposition--Mwakenya and other groups

ACP, AfDB, CCC, Commonwealth, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IRC, ISO, ITU, IWC--International Wheat Council, NAM, OAU, UN, UNDP, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador Denis Daudi AFANDE;
Chancery at 2249 R Street NW, Washington DC 20008;
telephone (202) 387-6101;
there are Kenyan Consulates General in Los Angeles and New York;
US--Ambassador Smith HEMPSTONE;
Embassy at the corner of Moi Avenue and Haile Selassie Avenue, Nairobi (mailing address is P. O. Box 30137, Nairobi or APO New York 09675);
telephone [254] (2) 334141;
there is a US Consulate in Mombasa

Flag

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

Economy

A serious underlying economic problem is Kenya's 3.8% annual population growth rate--one of the highest in the world.

17 fields

GDP, purchasing power parity

$8.5billion

per capita $360; real growth rate 4.9% (1989 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

8.3%

(1988)

External debt

$6.2billion

(December 1989 est.)

Exports $1.0 billion (f.o.b., 1988)commodities, where a share is given

coffee

20%tea

18%manufactures

15%

also petroleum products 10% (1987); partners--Western Europe 45%, Africa 22%, Far East 10%, US 4%, Middle East 3% (1987)

Imports $1.8 billion (f.o.b., 1988)

machinery and transportation equipment

36%raw materials

33%fuels and lubricants

20%

also food and consumer goods 11% (1987); partners--Western Europe 49%, Far East 20%, Middle East 19%, US 7% (1987)

Budget

Revenues

$2.3 billionExpenditures

$2.6 billion

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $0.71 billion (FY87)

Overview

A serious underlying economic problem is Kenya's 3.8% annual population growth rate--one of the highest in the world. In the meantime, GDP growth in the near term has kept slightly ahead of population--annually averaging 5.2% in the 1986-88 period. Undependable weather conditions and a shortage of arable land hamper long-term growth in agriculture, the leading economic sector.

Unemployment rate

NA%, but there is a high level of unemployment and underemployment

Industrial production

growth rate 4.8% (1987 est.)

Electricity

587,000 kW capacity; 2,250 million kWh produced, 90 kWh per capita (1989)

Industries

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

Agriculture

most important sector, accounting for 30% of GDP, about 80% of the work force, and over 50% of exports;
cash crops--coffee, tea, sisal, pineapple;
food products--corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruit, vegetables, dairy products;
food output not keeping pace with population growth

Illicit drugs

illicit producer of cannabis used mostly for domestic consumption;
widespread cultivation of cannabis and qat on small plots;
transit country for heroin and methaqualone en route from Southwest Asia to West Africa, Western Europe, and the US

Aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $771 million;
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $6.0 billion;
OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $74 million;
Communist countries (1970-88), $83 million

Communications

8 fields

Airports, 247 total, 211 usable

permanent-surface runways

18runways over 3,659 m

2runways 2,440-3,659 m

1runways 1,220-2,439 m

Networkskm

Highways

64,590Railroads

2,040

Highways: ; 7,000 km paved, 4,150 km gravel, remainder improved earth

in top group of African systems;
consists of radio relay links, open-wire lines, and radiocommunication stations;
260,000 telephones;
stations--11 AM, 4 FM, 4 TV;
satellite earth stations--1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Indian Ocean INTLESAT