Practical Information in Kenya

Named for Mount Kenya, the country of Kenya is located along the Equator and borders the Indian Ocean. Kenya shares borders with Somalia, Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Lake Victoria to the west. Prior to 1920 Kenya was known as British East Africa.

Internal Provinces

The interior regions of Kenya are divided into 8 provinces, then into 69 districts within the provinces. The districts are broken down into divisions within the districts, locations within the districts, and sub locations within the locations.

The capital city of Nairobi is located in the province sharing the same name. The largest population mass within Kenya is also centralized within the capital. Nairobi has an estimated 2.9 million residents.

Climate

Like most African countries, Kenya experiences a tropical climate. Despite this there are varying ranges of weather conditions from the coastal areas to the interior. While the coastal areas are humid, the interior lands are more dry. The exception to this is the rainy seasons which occur between March and June and again in October through December.

The country experiences sunshine and hot temperatures year round with the hottest months occurring from February to March and the coolest time of the year occurring in July and August.

Wildlife

All 5 of the major African continent wildlife species can be found in Kenya. They include lions, elephants, leopards, buffalo, and the rhinoceros. Perhaps one of the most notable wildlife refuge areas is the Masai Mara. The Masai Mara is well known for it's annual migration of wildebeest in which it is estimated roughly a quarter million animals die. The wildebeest migration happens between June and September.

Currency and Economy

The form of currency in Kenya is the Shilling. Major industry includes petroleum products, paper and light manufacturing, textiles, vehicle assembly, grain and sugar milling, and tourism. Kenya's major exports include tea, coffee, cement and petroleum products. They import wheat, fertilizers, pharmaceuticals, and plastic materials. In recent years, the country has begun an oil exploration near the borders of Sudan and Somalia. To date, no reserves have been tapped and there is no formal estimate of reserves.

People

Kenya has experienced a large population boom over the past century moving from just under 3 million to just over 37 million total. The country is relatively young with more than 70 percent of citizens under age 30. This could be directly related to life expectancy in the country, however, as the average life expectancy is just over 54 years of age.

Many of Kenya's residents are at least bilingual, speaking fluently in English as well as Swahili. Many others also speak in the tongue of their native tribes.

Religion in Kenya is made up largely of citizens claiming Christianity as their belief system. While 45 percent declare themselves protestants, 33 percent are Roman Catholic. Islam and indigenous religions make up the larger of the remaining religious groups.