Kenya

§1. Kenya Introduction

Background:
  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.

§2. Kenya Geography

Location:
  Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Somalia and Tanzania

Geographic coordinates:
  1 00 N, 38 00 E

Map references:
  Africa

Area:
  total: 582,650 kmē
  land: 569,250 kmē
  water: 13,400 kmē

Area - comparative:
  slightly more than twice the size of Nevada

Land boundaries:
  total: 3,446 km border countries: Ethiopia 830 km, Somalia 682 km, Sudan
    232 km, Tanzania 769 km, Uganda 933 km

Coastline:
  536 km

Maritime claims:
  continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
  exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
  territorial sea: 12 NM

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

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Kenya 5,199 m

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.)

Irrigated land:
  660 kmē (1993 est.)

Natural hazards:
  recurring drought in northern and eastern regions; flooding during rainy
  seasons

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

§3. Kenya People

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.)

Population growth rate:
  1.27% (2001 est.)

Birth rate:
  28.5 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate:
  14.35 deaths/1,000 population (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.)

Infant mortality rate:
  67.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 47.49 years male: 46.57 years
  female: 48.44 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  3.5 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  13.95% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  2.1 million (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  180,000 (1999 est.)

Nationality:
  noun: Kenyan(s)
  adjective: Kenyan

Ethnic groups:
  Kikuyu 22%, Luhya 14%, Luo 13%, Kalenjin 12%, Kamba 11%, Kisii 6%, Meru 6%,
  other African 15%, non-African (Asian, European, and Arab) 1%

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

Languages:
  English (official), Kiswahili (official), numerous indigenous languages

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 78.1%
  male: 86.3%
  female: 70% (1995 est.)

§4. Kenya Government

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

Government type:
  republic

Capital:
  Nairobi

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

Independence:
  12 December 1963 (from UK)

National holiday:
  Independence Day, 12 December (1963)

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

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

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

Judicial branch:
  Court of Appeal (chief justice is appointed by the president); High Court

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
  FAX: [254] (2) 537-810

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

§5. Kenya Economy

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.

GDP:
  purchasing power parity - $45.6 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  0.4% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $1,500 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 25% industry: 13%
  services: 62% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  42% (1992 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 1.8% highest 10%: 34.9% (1994)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  7% (2000 est.)

Labor force:
  9.2 million (1998 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 75%-80%

Unemployment rate:
  50% (1998 est.)

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

Industrial production growth rate:
  0.5% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production:
  4.225 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source:
  fossil fuel: 31% hydro: 67%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 2% (1999 est.)

Electricity - consumption:
  4.075 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports:
  146 million kWh (1999)

Agriculture - products:
  coffee, tea, corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruit, vegetables; dairy products,
  beef, pork, poultry, eggs

Exports:
  $1.7 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  tea, coffee, horticultural products, petroleum products, fish, cement

Exports - partners:
  Uganda 18%, UK 15%, Tanzania 12%, Pakistan 8% (1999)

Imports:
  $3 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and transportation equipment, petroleum products, iron and steel

Imports - partners:
  UK 12%, UAE 8%, Japan 8%, US 7% (1999)

Debt - external:
  $6.2 billion (2000)

Economic aid - recipient:
  $457 million (1997)

Currency:
  Kenyan shilling (KES)

Currency code:
  KES

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)

Fiscal year:
  1 July - 30 June

§6. Kenya Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:
  290,000 (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  5,345 (1997)

Telephone 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

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 24, FM 8, shortwave 6 (1999)

Radios:
  3.07 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
  8 (1997)

Televisions:
  730,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .ke

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
  5 (2000)

Internet users:
  45,000 (1999)

§7. Kenya Transportation

Railways:
  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

Highways:
  total: 63,800 km
  paved: 8,868 km
  unpaved: 54,932 km (1996)

Waterways:
  NA
  note: part of the Lake Victoria system is within the boundaries of Kenya

Pipelines:
  petroleum products 483 km

Ports and harbors:
  Kisumu, Lamu, Mombasa

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:
  230 (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.)

§8. Kenya Military

Military branches:
  Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary General Service Unit of the Police

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 7,712,402 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 4,774,889 (2001 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $197 million (FY98/99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.9% (FY98/99)

§9. Kenya Transnational Issues

Disputes - 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
