KEY FACTS

Joined Commonwealth: 1963
Population: 43,178,000 (2012)
GDP p.c. growth: 0.3% p.a. 1990–2012
UN HDI 2012: world ranking 145
Official languages: Kiswahili, English
Time: GMT plus 3hr
Currency: Kenyan shilling (KSh)

Geography

Area: 582,646 sq km
Coastline: 536 km
Capital: Nairobi

Kenya lies astride the equator, extending from the Indian Ocean in the east to Uganda in the west and from the United Republic of Tanzania in the south to Ethiopia and Sudan in the north. On the east and north-east it borders Somalia. The country is divided into eight provinces (Central, Coast, Eastern, Nairobi, North-Eastern, Nyanza, Rift Valley, Western).

Main towns:

Nairobi (capital, pop. 3.25m in 2010), Mombasa (Coast, 917,800), Nakuru (Rift Valley, 275,300), Eldoret (Rift Valley, 251,900), Kisumu (Nyanza, 230,600), Ruiru (Central, 167,100), Thika (Central, 106,000), Malindi (Coast, 82,200), Kitale (Rift Valley, 81,300), Bungoma (Western, 76,700), Kakamega (Western, 71,300), Garissa (North-Eastern, 63,900), Kilifi (Coast, 63,900), Mumias (Western, 57,900), Meru (Eastern, 51,600), Nyeri (Central, 49,400), Wajir (North-Eastern, 41,400), Lamu (Coast, 32,400) and Marsabit (Eastern, 16,700).

Society

KEY FACTS 2012

Population per sq km: 74
Life expectancy: 61 years
Net primary enrolment: 82% (2009)

Population:

43,178,000 (2012); 24 per cent of people live in urban areas and nine per cent in urban agglomerations of more than one million people; growth 2.8 per cent p.a. 1990–2012; birth rate 36 per 1,000 people (51 in 1970);life expectancy 61 years (52 in 1970 and 60 in 1990). The ethnic composition of the population is estimated as: Kikuyu 22 per cent, Luhya 14 per cent, Luo 13 per cent, Kalenjin 12 per cent, Kamba 11 per cent, Kisii six per cent and Meru six per cent. There are Masai, Arab, Asian and European minorities.

Language: 

Kiswahili and English are official languages. Each of the ethnic groups has its own language.

Education:

Public spending on education was seven per cent of GDP in 2010. There are eight years of compulsory education starting at the age of six. Primary school comprises six years and secondary six, with cycles of two and four years. The school year starts in January. Among Kenya’s many higher education institutions are University of Nairobi; Kenyatta University (main campus Nairobi; other campuses at Kitui, Mombasa and Ruiru); Moi University (in Eldoret since 1984); Egerton University, the principal agricultural university with its main campus at Njoro, Nakuru (established as a university in 1987); Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (in Juja since 1994); and a growing number of private universities. The female–male ratio for gross enrolment in tertiary education is 0.70:1 (2009). Literacy among people aged 15–24 is 93 per cent (2010). In 1987 Kenya hosted the Tenth Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers in Nairobi. Commonwealth Education Ministers meet every three years to discuss issues of mutual concern and interest.