Kenya

Kenya is a country in eastern Africa. It has a land area of 580,367 square kilometers (224,071 square miles). Kenya shares its borders with Somalia to the east, Ethiopia to the north, and South Sudan and Uganda to the west. To the south is Tanzania, with whom it forms the East African Community (EAC), an economic community founded in 1999. The capital and largest city is Nairobi. The population of Kenya was estimated at 47.6 million as of the 2019 census.

Map of Kenya (+47 Counties)

Demographics

Where is Kenya Located?

Kenya is a country in East Africa with a population of about 44 million People. The country's capital city, Nairobi, has more than 3 million residents. Kenya's national language is English and Kiswahili (a mix of Bantu and Arabic) is widely spoken.

Kenya's economy relies on agriculture for about 15% of its GDP; tourism makes up about 5% of its GDP

History

Kenya has a long history of human occupation, with some evidence suggesting that the area was home to early hominids as far back as 1.5 million years ago. The first inhabitants were hunter-gatherers who hunted for food and then settled to cultivate crops about 10,000 years ago.

The country's most well-known ethnic group, the Maasai people, migrated from northern Africa around the 13th century and have lived in Kenya since then. They are known for their colorful traditional clothing and their distinctive hairstyles (featuring shaved sides and long tufts on top).

Geography

Kenya is a country located in Eastern Africa, bordered by Somalia and Ethiopia to the east, Uganda to the south, South Sudan to the north-east, Tanzania and Zambia to the north-west. The Indian Ocean coastline stretches for more than 1,200 km (750 mi) along Kenya's coast.

Kenya's geographical coordinates are 0° 00′ N, 36° 00′ E at sea level (0 m). The landscape varies from tropical rainforest in Western Kenya through arid savannah grasslands where buffalo graze on short grasses around Mount Kilimanjaro in Central Kenya - an extinct volcano that rises approximately 5896 meters (19340 feet) high above sea level making it the highest mountain peak between Equatorial Guinea & Bolivia; then onto Lake Victoria which is slightly smaller than Lake Superior located on North America's West Coast near Duluth Minnesota USA.

Politics and Government

Use the presidential system of government. and the parliamentary system.

Unitary state. The president is the head of state and is elected by popular vote for a five-year term. Kenya has a unicameral parliament that consists of 349 members elected from single-member constituencies by first-past-the-post voting in general elections.

Candidates for parliamentary seats must be at least 25 years old and have been residents in Kenya for at least two years prior to the election; they must also obtain one nomination certificate from each electoral area they wish to contest. Each voter casts two votes: one for an individual candidate running in their constituency and one party-list vote (the number of seats allocated depends on the size of the population).

The Speaker serves as both presiding officer and chief administrative officer, while other legislative leaders include Deputy Speakers (two), majority leader (one), minority leader (one), deputy minority leader (one).

Administrative Divisions

Economy

Kenya's economy is the largest by GDP in East Africa and the 66th largest globally. The nominal GDP of Kenya is estimated to be $101 billion per year as of 2020. The country has a mixed economy and is classified as an emerging market. Some of its main exports include building materials, coffee, fish, horticultural products, oil, and tea. The agriculture industry, which contributes significantly to these exports, accounts for about one-third of Kenya’s exports and employs up to 80% of its labor force.

The unemployment rate in Kenya is estimated to be 5.74% as of 2021. This rate is the 116th highest in the world, indicating a relatively low level of unemployment compared to other countries.

Kenya's main trading partners are Uganda, the United Kingdom, Tanzania, the Netherlands, the United States, and Pakistan. These countries collectively cover a total area of 4.593 million square miles and have a total population of 758 million people. The United States has the highest GDP among these countries, estimated at $20.95 trillion per year, while Uganda has the lowest, estimated at $37.6 billion per year.

Culture

Kenya has a rich and diverse cultural heritage from the indigenous community, to the Arab and Asian influence brought by traders over the centuries. The Swahili coast culture is famous for its intricate carved doors, windows, screens and lattice work; these were traditionally used to decorate private houses. 

The elaborate woodwork can be seen in many of Kenya’s mosques and temples where they are beautifully decorated with patterns using geometric shapes. The Maasai tribe have their own unique cultural dress code called ‘kilimo kwetu’ which translates as ‘cloth of skin’. 

This cloth made from animal skins symbolizes strength, courage and virility among men who wear it during special occasions such as weddings or initiation ceremonies into adulthood. Kenya is a country that has a rich and diverse culture, with many different ethnic groups. 

It has an interesting history, with colonization by the British Empire and conflicts between different tribes. It's also a beautiful country with many natural resources that make tourism an important part of its economy.

Reference

• "Kenya | GDP | Nominal." Wolfram Alpha. 2023.
• "Kenya | Export Commodities." Wolfram Alpha. 2023.
• "Kenya | Unemployment Rate." Wolfram Alpha. 2023.
• "Kenya | Export Partners." Wolfram Alpha. 2023.