Republic of Kenya

National name: Jamhuri ya Kenya

President: Mwai Kibaki (2002)

Current government officials

Land area: 219,788 sq mi (569,251 sq km); total area: 224,962 sq mi (582,650 sq km)

Population (2006 est.): 34,707,817 (growth rate: 2.6%); birth rate: 39.7/1000; infant mortality rate: 59.3/1000; life expectancy: 48.9; density per sq mi: 158

Capital and largest city (2003 est.): Nairobi, 3,064,800 (metro. area), 2,411,900 (city proper)

Other large city: Mombasa, 712,600

Monetary unit: Kenya shilling

Languages: English (official), Swahili (national), and numerous indigenous languages

Ethnicity/race: Kikuyu 22%; Luhya 14%; Luo 13%; Kalenjin 12%; Kamba 11%; Kisii 6%; Meru 6%; other African 15%; Asian, European, and Arab 1%

Religions: Protestant 45%, Roman Catholic 33%, indigenous beliefs 10%, Islam 10%, others 2% (note: estimates vary widely)

Literacy rate: 85% (2003 est.)

Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2005 est.): $39.6 billion; per capita $1,200. Real growth rate: 5.2%. Inflation: 12%. Unemployment: 40% (2001 est.). Arable land: 8%. Agriculture: tea, coffee, corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruit, vegetables; dairy products, beef, pork, poultry, eggs. Labor force: 11.85 million; agriculture 75%, industry and services 25% (2003 est.). Industries: small-scale consumer goods (plastic, furniture, batteries, textiles, soap, cigarettes, flour), agricultural products, oil refining; aluminum, steel, lead; cement, commercial ship repair, tourism. Natural resources: limestone, soda ash, salt, gemstones, fluorspar, zinc, diatomite, gypsum, wildlife, hydropower. Exports: $3.173 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.): tea, horticultural products, coffee, petroleum products, fish, cement. Imports: $5.126 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.): machinery and transportation equipment, petroleum products, motor vehicles, iron and steel, resins and plastics. Major trading partners: Uganda, UK, U.S., Netherlands, Egypt, Tanzania, Pakistan, UAE, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, India, China, Japan (2004).

Member of Commonwealth of Nations

Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 310,000 (2001); mobile cellular: 540,000 (2001). Radio broadcast stations: AM 24, FM 18, shortwave 6 (2001). Radios: 3.07 million (1997). Television broadcast stations: 8 (2002). Televisions: 730,000 (1997). Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 65 (2001). Internet users: 500,000 (2002).

Transportation: Railways: total: 2,778 km (2002). Highways: total: 63,942 km; paved: 7,737 km; unpaved: 56,205 km (2000). Waterways: part of the Lake Victoria system is within the boundaries of Kenya. Ports and harbors: Kisumu, Lamu, Mombasa. Airports: 230 (2002).

International disputes: Kenya's administrative boundary still extends into the Sudan, creating the “Ilemi triangle.”

 

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