Kenya

Republic of Kenya

republicIndependence 12 December 1963 (from UK)

Kenya as the 1993 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 80 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

LocationEastern Africa, bordering the northwestern India Ocean between Tanzania and

Populationas each edition published it

27.37 million July 1993 est. · 24.64m in 1990

Population growth% a year

3.18% 1993 est. · 2.15% in 2025

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 18.4 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

54.07 years 1993 est. · 70.4 yrs in 2025

Fertility ratechildren per woman

6.06 children per woman 1993 est. · 6.5 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

74.7 deaths per 1,000 live births 1993 est. · 60 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$320 1992 est. · $5,800 in 2025

GDP real growth% a year

-1% 1992 est. · 4.5% in 2025

Geography

Eastern Africa, bordering the northwestern India Ocean between Tanzania and | Somalia

14 fields

Land useshare of 582,650 km2

arable land 3% permanent crops: 1%meadows and pastures 7%forest and woodland 4%other 85%irrigated 520 km2 (1989)

Area

582,650km2

land area: 569,250 km2comparative area: slightly more than twice the size of Nevada

Coastline

536km

exclusive economic zone: 200 nmterritorial sea: 12 nm

Land boundaries

3,446km

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

Location

Eastern Africa, bordering the northwestern India Ocean between Tanzania and Somalia

Map references

Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World

International disputes

administrative boundary with Sudan does not coincide with international boundary; 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, soda ash, salt barytes, rubies, 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

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

People

14 fields

Population

27,372,266

(July 1993 est.)growth rate: 3.18% (1993 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1993 est.)

Birth

43.18Death

11.41Net migration

Male · female(1993 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years54.07

52.27 · 55.92

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy69%

80% · 58%

MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1990)

Labor force

9.2million

(includes unemployed); the total employed is 1,370,000 (14.8% of the labor force)by occupation: services 54.8%, industry 26.2%, agriculture 19.0% (1989)

Infant mortality rate

74.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Kenyan(s)
adjective:: Kenyan

Ethnic divisions

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

Religions

Roman Catholic 28%, Protestant (including Anglican) 26%, indigenous beliefs 18%, Muslim 6%

Languages

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

Government

Republic

21 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

37%

President Daniel T. arap MOI was reelected with of the vote 37%Kenneth Matiba (FORD-ASILI) 26%Mwai Kibaki (SP) 19%Oginga Odinga (FORD-Kenya) 17%

Names

conventional long form:: Republic of Kenya
conventional short form:: Kenya
former:: British East Africa

Administrative divisions

8 provinces; Central, Coast, Eastern, Nairobi, North Eastern, Nyanza, Rift Valley, Western

Constitution

12 December 1963, amended as a republic 1964; reissued with amendments 1979, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1991, and 1992

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

Political parties and leaders

ruling party is Kenya African National Union (KANU), Daniel T. arap MOI, president;
opposition parties include Forum for the Restoration of Democracy (FORD-Kenya), Oginga ODINGA;
FORD-Asili, Kenneth MATIBA;
Democratic Party of Kenya (DP), Mwai KIBAKI;
Kenya National Congress (KNC), Titus MBATHI;
Kenya Social Congress (KSC), George ANYONA;
Kenya National Democratic Alliance (KENYA), Mukara NG'ANG'A;
Party for Independent Candidates of Kenya (PKK), Otieno OTOERA

Other political or pressure groups

labor unions; exile opposition - Mwakenya and other groups

Elections

President:: last held on 29 December 1992;
results - President Daniel T. arap MOI was reelected with 37% of the vote;
Kenneth Matiba (FORD-ASILI) 26%;
Mwai Kibaki (SP) 19%, Oginga Odinga (FORD-Kenya) 17%
National Assembly:: last held on 29 December 1992;
results - (188 total) KANU 100, FORD-Kenya 31, FORD-Asili 31, DP 23, smaller parties 3;
president nominates 12 additional members

note: first multiparty election since repeal of one-party state law

Leaders

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

ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, EADB, ECA, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IGADD, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LORCS, MINURSO, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNPROFOR, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Denis Daudi AFANDE
chancery:: 2249 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:: (202) 387-6101
consulates general:: Los Angeles and New York

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:: Ambassador Smith HEMPSTONE, Jr.
embassy:: corner of Moi Avenue and Haile Selassie Avenue, Nairobi
mailing address:: P. O. Box 30137, Nairobi or APO AE 09831
telephone:: [254] (2) 334141
FAX:: [254] (2) 340838
consulate:: 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

Kenya's 3.6% annual population growth rate - one of the highest in the world | - presents a serious problem for the country's economy.

19 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$320

(1992 est.)

Real growth rate

-1%

(1992 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate 5.4% (1989 est.); accounts for 13% of GDP

Inflation, consumer prices

30%

(1992 est.)

External debt

$7billion

(1992 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$2.4 billionExpenditures

$2.8 billion

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $0.74 billion (FY90)

Overview

Kenya's 3.6% annual population growth rate - one of the highest in the world - presents a serious problem for the country's economy. In the meantime, GDP growth in the near term has kept slightly ahead of population - annually averaging 4.9% in the 1986-90 period. Undependable weather conditions and a shortage of arable land hamper long-term growth in agriculture, the leading economic sector.

In 1991, deficient rainfall, stagnant export volume, and sagging export prices held economic growth below the all-important population growth figure, and in 1992 output fell.

National product

GDP - exchange rate conversion - $8.3 billion (1992 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Exports

$1.0 billion (f.o.b., 1992 est.)

commodities:: tea 25%, coffee 18%, petroleum products 11% (1990)
partners:: EC 44%, Africa 25%, Asia 5%, US 5%, Middle East 4% (1990)

Imports

$2.05 billion (f.o.b., 1992 est.)

commodities:: machinery and transportation equipment 29%, petroleum and petroleum products 15%, iron and steel 7%, raw materials, food and consumer goods (1989)
partners:: EC 45%, Asia 11%, Middle East 12%, US 5% (1988)

Electricity

730,000 kW capacity; 2,540 million kWh produced, 100 kWh per capita (1990)

Industries

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

Agriculture

most important sector, accounting for 25% of GDP and 65% of exports;
cash crops - coffee, tea, sisal, pineapple;
food products - corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruit, vegetables, dairy products, beef, pork, poultry, eggs;
food output not keeping pace with population growth, and crop production has been extended into marginal land

Illicit drugs

widespread wild, small-plot cultivation of marijuana and gat;
most locally consumed;
transit country for Southwest Asian heroin moving to West Africa and onward to Europe and North America;
Indian methaqualone also transits on way to South Africa

Economic aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $839 million;
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $7,490 million;
OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $74 million;
Communist countries (1970-89), $83 million

Communications

8 fields

Networkskm

Highways

64,590Railroads

2,040

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

total:: 247
usable:: 208
with permanent-surface runways:: 18
with runways over 3,659 m:: 2
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:: 3
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:: 43

Telecommunications

in top group of African systems;
consists primarily of radio relay links;
over 260,000 telephones;
broadcast stations - 16 AM;
4 FM, 6 TV;
satellite earth stations - 1 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT