Kenya
Republic of Kenya conventional short form: Kenya former: British East Africa
republicIndependence 12 December 1963 (from UK)
Kenya as the 2001 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 115 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
Revered president and liberation struggle icon Jomo KENYATTA led Kenya from independence until his death in 1978, when current 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. The country faces a period of political uncertainty because MOI is constitutionally required to step down at the next elections that have to be held by early 2003.
Geography
Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Somalia and Tanzania
18 fieldsLand boundaries
total: 3,446 km border countries: Ethiopia 830 km, Somalia 682 km, Sudan 232 km, Tanzania 769 km, Uganda 933 km
Natural resources
gold, limestone, soda ash, salt barites, rubies, fluorspar, garnets, wildlife, hydropower
Land use
arable land: 7% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 37% forests and woodland: 30% other: 25% (1993 est.)
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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note
- the Kenyan Highlands comprise one of the most successful agricultural production regions in Africa;
- glaciers on Mt. Kenya;
- unique physiography supports abundant and varied wildlife of scientific and economic value
People
18 fieldsPer 1,000 population
Population
- 30,765,916 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 and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2001 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years: 41.95% (male 6,524,776; female 6,381,192) 15-64 years: 55.26% (male 8,529,842; female 8,471,609) 65 years and over: 2.79% (male 376,151; female 482,346) (2001 est.)
Net migration rate
-1.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) note: according to UNHCR, by the end of 1999 Kenya was host to 223,700 refugees from neighboring countries, including: Somalia 141,000 and Sudan 64,250
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 47.49 years male: 46.57 years female: 48.44 years (2001 est.)
Religions
Protestant 38%, Roman Catholic 28%, indigenous beliefs 26%, Muslim 7%, other 1% 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
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 78.1% male: 86.3% female: 70% (1995 est.)
Government
Republic; President Daniel Toroitich arap MOI (since 14 October 1978)
20 fieldsPresidential electionpercent of vote
National Assembly or Bunge, 210 seatsone dot, one seat
Country name
conventional long form: Republic of Kenya conventional short form: Kenya former: British East Africa
Administrative divisions
7 provinces and 1 area*; Central, Coast, Eastern, Nairobi Area*, North Eastern, Nyanza, Rift Valley, Western
Constitution
12 December 1963, amended as a republic 1964; reissued with amendments 1979, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1992, and 1997
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
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- President Daniel Toroitich arap MOI (since 14 October 1978);
- note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Daniel Toroitich arap MOI (since 14 October 1978);
- 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 from among the members of the National Assembly 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 29 December 1997 (next to be held by early 2003);
- vice president appointed by the president election results: President Daniel Toroitich arap MOI reelected;
- percent of vote - Daniel T. arap MOI (KANU) 40.6%, Mwai KIBAKI (DP) 31.5%, Raila ODINGA (NDP) 11.1%, Michael WAMALWA (FORD-K) 8.4%, Charity NGILU (SDP) 7.8%
Legislative branch
- unicameral National Assembly or Bunge (222 seats; 210 members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms, 12 so-called "nominated" members who are appointed by the president, but selected by the parties in proportion to their parliamentary vote totals) elections: last held 29 December 1997 (next to be held by early 2003) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%;
- seats by party - KANU 107, FORD-A 1, FORD-K 17, FORD-People 3, DP 39, NDP 21, SDP 15, SAFINA 5, smaller parties 2;
- seats appointed by the president - KANU 6, FORD-K 1, DP 2, SDP 1, NDP 1, SAFINA 1
Political parties and leaders
- Democratic Party of Kenya or DP [Mwai KIBAKI];
- Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-Asili or FORD-A [Martin SHIKUKU, secretary general];
- Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-Kenya or FORD-K [Michael Kijana WAMALWA];
- Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-People or FORD-People [Kimaniwa NYOIKE, chairman];
- Kenya African National Union or KANU [President Daniel Toroitich arap MOI] - the governing party;
- National Development Party or NDP [Raila ODINGA, president];
- SAFINA [Farah MAALIM, chairman];
- Social Democratic Party or SDP [Dr. Apollo NJONJO, secretary general and Justus NYANG'AYA, chairman]
Political pressure groups and leaders
- human rights groups;
- labor unions;
- Muslim organizations;
- National Convention Executive Council or NCEC, a proreform coalition of political parties and nongovernment organizations [Kivutha KIBWANA];
- Protestant National Council of Churches of Kenya or NCCK [Mutava MUSYIMI];
- Roman Catholic and other Christian churches;
- Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims or SUPKEM [Shaykh Abdul Gafur al-BUSAIDY, chairman]
International organization participation
ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, EADB, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNTAET, UNU, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Yusuf Abdulraham NZIBO chancery: 2249 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 387-6101
FAX
[1] (202) 462-3829 consulate(s) general: offices in Los Angeles and New York are closed; mission to the UN remains open
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Johnnie CARSON embassy: US Embassy, Mombasa Road, Nairobi mailing address: P. O. Box 30137, Box 21A, Unit 64100, APO AE 09831 telephone: [254] (2) 537-800
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
Economy
Kenya is well placed to serve as an engine of growth in East Africa, but its economy has been stagnating because of poor management and uneven commitment to reform.
32 fieldsTrading partnersexports left, imports right
Electricity
Economy - overview
Kenya is well placed to serve as an engine of growth in East Africa, but its economy has been stagnating because of poor management and uneven commitment to reform. In 1993, the government of Kenya implemented a program of economic liberalization and reform that included the removal of import licensing, price controls, and foreign exchange controls.
With the support of the World Bank, IMF, and other donors, the reforms led to a brief turnaround in economic performance following a period of negative growth in the early 1990s. Kenya's real GDP grew 5% in 1995 and 4% in 1996, and inflation remained under control. Growth slowed after 1997, averaging only 1.5% in 1997-2000.
In 1997, political violence damaged the tourist industry, and Kenya's Enhanced Structural Adjustment Program lapsed due to the government's failure to maintain reform or address public sector corruption. Severe drought in 1999 and 2000 caused water and energy rationing and reduced agricultural sector productivity.
A new economic team was put in place in 1999 to revitalize the reform effort, strengthen the civil service, and curb corruption. The IMF and World Bank renewed their support to Kenya in mid-2000, but a number of setbacks to the economic reform program in late 2000 have renewed donor and private sector concern about the government's commitment to sound governance.
Long-term barriers to development include electricity shortages, inefficient government dominance of key sectors, endemic corruption, and high population growth.
Budget
revenues: $2.91 billion expenditures: $2.97 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
Industries
- small-scale consumer goods (plastic, furniture, batteries, textiles, soap, cigarettes, flour), agricultural products processing;
- oil refining, cement;
- tourism
Agriculture - products
coffee, tea, corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruit, vegetables; dairy products, beef, pork, poultry, eggs
Exchange rates
Kenyan shillings per US dollar - 78.733 (December 2000), 76.176 (2000), 70.326 (1999), 60.367 (1998), 58.732 (1997), 57.115 (1996)
Communications
10 fieldsTelephone system
- general assessment:
- unreliable;
- little attempt to modernize except for service to business domestic: trunks are primarily microwave radio relay;
- business data commonly transferred by a very small aperture terminal (VSAT) system international: satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat
Transportation
9 fieldsRailways
total: 2,778 km narrow gauge: 2,778 km 1.000-m gauge note: the line connecting Nairobi with the port of Mombasa is the most important in the country
Merchant marine
total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,893 GRT/6,255 DWT ships by type: petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways
total: 22 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways
total: 208 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 109 under 914 m: 84 (2000 est.)
Military
Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary General Service Unit of the Police
5 fieldsTransnational Issues
2 fieldsDisputes - international
administrative boundary with Sudan does not coincide with international boundary
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
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Kenya.” The World Factbook 2001. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/kenya/2001.