| Area |
580,367 sq km (224,081 sq miles). |
| Population |
30,493,792 (2001). |
| Capital |
Nairobi - population 2,143,020 (1999). |
| Climate |
The coastal areas are tropical, but tempered by monsoon winds. The lowlands are hot but mainly dry, while the highlands are more temperate with four seasons. Nairobi has a very pleasant climate throughout the year due to its altitude. Near Lake Victoria, the temperatures are much higher and rainfall can be heavy |
| Language |
Swahili is the national language and English is the official language. There are over 42 ethnic languages spoken, including Kikuyu and Luo. |
| Religion |
Mostly traditional but there is a sizeable Christian population (both Catholic and Protestant) and a small Muslim community. |
| Time |
GMT + 3 (Winter), GMT + 2 (Summer).
|
| Highlights |
With one tenth of all its land designated as national parks and reserves including the world-renowned Masai Mara - Kenya is known as the 'Land of Safari', attracting many safari enthusiasts to this part of the world for several decades. With the Great Rift Valley, Mount Kenya, Samburu Game Park and Lake Victoria, the largest lake in Africa amongst some of the many highlights, the country boasts magnificent wildlife, incredible scenery and remarkable coastline on the Indian Ocean. The coastline offers superb beaches with plenty of snorkelling and diving areas - as well as an intriguing culture! Lamu Island also has one of the oldest towns on the East African coast, still with the Arab-style buildings and narrow streets. The only form of transport is dhow or donkey with no motorised vehicles allowed on the island! It is all worth a visit.
|
| Country Facts |
Kenya shares borders with Ethiopia in the north, Sudan in the Northwest, Uganda in the west, Tanzania in the south and the Somali Republic in the Northeast. To the east lies the Indian Ocean. The country is divided into four regions: the arid deserts in the north, the savannah lands of the south, the fertile lowlands along the coast and around the shores of Lake Victoria and highlands in the west where the capital Nairobi is situated. |