KENYA



Emilio Mwai Kibaki
President

Kenya

(pronounced "ay-MEE-lee-oh em-WYE kee-BAH-kee")

"The Western world have in recent years applied double standards.…Here in Africa Kenya has always been called a stooge, an American stooge, a British stooge. And all of a sudden they abandon Kenya with all this talk of democracy and human rights…All around us we have military regimes and yet no one seems to protest about them…."

The Republic of Kenya is situated on Africa's east coast. It is bordered to the northeast by Somalia, to the north by Ethiopia, to the northwest by Sudan, to the west by Uganda, and to the south by Tanzania. The capital city is Nairobi. Kenya's total area is 582,646 sq km (224,960 sq mi). Because the northern part of the country is virtually without water, approximately 85% of Kenya's estimated 2002 population of 31 million people live in the southern highlands bordering Lake Victoria and Tanzania.

As of 2002, the Kenya population was comprised of many ethnic groups, including the Kikuyu (22%), Luhya (14%), Luo (13%), Kalenjin (12%), Kamba (11%), Kisii (6%), Meru (6%), and other African groups, 15%. The non-African population, approximately 1% of the total, is comprised primarily of Europeans (especially British), Asians (Indians and Pakistanis), and Arabs. English and Kiswahili are Kenya's official languages. The majority of Kenyans are Christian, but a shrinking number still adhere to traditional beliefs. There is also a growing Muslim population.

Nearly 80% of the people are involved in agriculture. Much of Kenyan industry is also agriculturally related although diversification has begun. Landlessness and drought are problems for many Kenyans. The unemployment rate was estimated at 40% in 2001. Export crops include coffee, tea, sisal, sugar, and horticultural products. Tourism also plays an important part in the economy. The monetary unit is the Kenya shilling . The per capita gross domestic product (GDP) was estimated at US $1,000 in 2001.

ADDRESS

Office of the President
P.O. Box 30510
Nairobi, Kenya

Also read article about Kenya from Wikipedia

User Contributions:

Comment about this article, ask questions, or add new information about this topic: