Kenya

Internet country code

.ke

Internet hosts

8,325 (2003)

Internet users

400,000 (2002)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 24, FM 18, shortwave 6 (2001)

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: country code - 254; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat

Telephones - main lines in use

328,400 (2003)

Telephones - mobile cellular

1,590,800 (2003)

Television broadcast stations

8 (2002)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $2.761 billion expenditures: $3.406 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.)

Currency

Kenyan shilling (KES)

Currency code

KES

Current account balance

$-306 million (2003)

Debt - external

$5.916 billion (2003 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

44.9 (1997)

Economic aid - recipient

$453 million (1997)

Economy - overview

The regional hub for trade and finance in East Africa, Kenya has been hampered by corruption, notably in the judicial system, and by reliance upon several primary goods whose prices have remained low. In 1997, the IMF suspended Kenya's Enhanced Structural Adjustment Program due to the government's failure to maintain reforms and curb corruption. A severe drought from 1999 to 2000 compounded Kenya's problems, causing water and energy rationing and reducing agricultural output. As a result, GDP contracted by 0.2% in 2000. The IMF, which had resumed loans in 2000 to help Kenya through the drought, again halted lending in 2001 when the government failed to institute several anticorruption measures. Despite the return of strong rains in 2001, weak commodity prices, endemic corruption, and low investment limited Kenya's economic growth to 1.2%. Growth lagged at 1.1% in 2002 because of erratic rains, low investor confidence, meager donor support, and political infighting up to the elections. In the key 27 December 2002 elections, Daniel Arap MOI's 24-year-old reign ended, and a new opposition government took on the formidable economic problems facing the nation. In 2003, progress was made in rooting out corruption, and encouraging donor support, with GDP growth edging up to 1.7%.

Electricity - consumption

3.981 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

230 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

4.033 billion kWh (2001)

Exchange rates

Kenyan shillings per US dollar - 75.9356 (2003), 78.7491 (2002), 78.5632 (2001), 76.1755 (2000), 70.3262 (1999)

Exports

$2.514 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities

tea, horticultural products, coffee, petroleum products, fish, cement

Exports - partners

Uganda 12.7%, UK 12.5%, US 9.4%, Netherlands 8.5%, Pakistan 5%, Egypt 4.6%, Tanzania 4.3% (2003)

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

GDP

purchasing power parity - $33.03 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 19.7% industry: 18.6% services: 61.8% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $1,000 (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

1.5% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2% highest 10%: 37.2% (2000)

Imports

$3.705 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and transportation equipment, petroleum products, motor vehicles, iron and steel, resins and plastics

Imports - partners

UAE 13.2%, Saudi Arabia 9.6%, South Africa 8.6%, UK 7.4%, China 6.3%, US 5.1%, India 5.1%, Japan 4.9%, Germany 4.2% (2003)

Industrial production growth rate

2% (2003 est.)

Industries

small-scale consumer goods (plastic, furniture, batteries, textiles, soap, cigarettes, flour), agricultural products processing; oil refining, cement; tourism

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

9.8% (2003 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

14.3% of GDP (2003)

Labor force

11.45 million (2003 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 75% (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption

57,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line

50% (2000 est.)

Public debt

62.9% of GDP (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange & gold

$1.455 billion (2003)

Unemployment rate

40% (2001 est.)

Area

total: 582,650 sq km land: 569,250 sq km water: 13,400 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly more than twice the size of Nevada

Climate

varies from tropical along coast to arid in interior

Coastline

536 km

Elevation extremes

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

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, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates

1 00 N, 38 00 E

Geography - note

the Kenyan Highlands comprise one of the most successful agricultural production regions in Africa; glaciers are found on Mount Kenya, Africa's second highest peak; unique physiography supports abundant and varied wildlife of scientific and economic value

Irrigated land

670 sq km (1998 est.)

Land boundaries

total: 3,477 km border countries: Ethiopia 861 km, Somalia 682 km, Sudan 232 km, Tanzania 769 km, Uganda 933 km

Land use

arable land: 8.08% permanent crops: 0.98% other: 90.94% (2001)

Location

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

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

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

Natural hazards

recurring drought; flooding during rainy seasons

Natural resources

gold, limestone, soda ash, salt, rubies, fluorspar, garnets, wildlife, hydropower

Terrain

low plains rise to central highlands bisected by Great Rift Valley; fertile plateau in west

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

Nairobi

Constitution

12 December 1963, amended as a republic 1964; reissued with amendments 1979, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1997, and 2001

Country name

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador William M. BELLAMY embassy: US Embassy, United Nations Ave., Gigiti; P. O. Box 606 Village Market Nairobi mailing address: Box 21A, Unit 64100, APO AE 09831 telephone: [254] (2) 537-800 FAX: [254] (2) 537-810

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Leonard NGAITHE chancery: 2249 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 387-6101 FAX: [1] (202) 462-3829 consulate(s) general: Los Angeles

Executive branch

chief of state: President Mwai KIBAKI (since 30 December 2002) and Vice President Moody AWORI (since 25 September 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Mwai KIBAKI (since 30 December 2002) and Vice President Moody AWORI (since 25 September 2003); 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 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 27 December 2002 (next to be held NA December 2007); vice president appointed by the president election results: President Mwai KIBAKI elected; percent of vote - Mwai KIBAKI 63%, Uhuru KENYATTA 30%

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

Government type

republic

Independence

12 December 1963 (from UK)

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, EADB, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, ONUB, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNOCI, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO

Judicial branch

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

Legal system

based on Kenyan statutory law, Kenyan and 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

Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly or Bunge (224 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, 2 ex-officio members) elections: last held 27 December 2002 (next to be held by early 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NARC 125, KANU 64, FORD-P 14, other 7; ex-officio 2; seats appointed by the president - NARC 7, KANU 4, FORD-P 1

National holiday

Independence Day, 12 December (1963)

Political parties and leaders

Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-People or FORD-People [Kimaniwa NYOIKE, chairman]; Kenya African National Union or KANU [Uhuru KENYATTA]; National Rainbow Coalition or NARC [Mwai KIBAKI] - the governing party

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]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

Founding president and liberation struggle icon Jomo KENYATTA led Kenya from independence until his death in 1978, when 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. President MOI stepped down in December of 2002 following fair and peaceful elections. Mwai KIBAKI, running as the candidate of the multiethnic, united opposition group, the National Rainbow Coalition, defeated KANU candidate Uhuru KENYATTA and assumed the presidency following a campaign centered on an anticorruption platform.

Military branches

Army, Navy, Air Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$231 million (2003)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.8% (2003)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 8,313,051 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 5,150,405 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - military age and obligation

18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Age structure

0-14 years: 40.6% (male 6,575,409; female 6,430,218) 15-64 years: 56.5% (male 9,126,847; female 8,962,905) 65 years and over: 2.9% (male 399,050; female 527,427) (2004 est.)

Birth rate

27.82 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate

16.31 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

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%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

6.7% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

150,000 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

1.2 million (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 62.62 deaths/1,000 live births male: 65.55 deaths/1,000 live births female: 59.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 44.94 years male: 44.79 years female: 45.1 years (2004 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 85.1% male: 90.6% female: 79.7% (2003 est.)

Median age

total: 18.6 years male: 18.5 years female: 18.7 years (2004 est.)

Nationality

noun: Kenyan(s) adjective: Kenyan

Net migration rate

-0.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population note: according to UNHCR, by the end of 2001 Kenya was host to 220,000 refugees from neighboring countries, including: Somalia 145,000 and Sudan 68,000 (2004 est.)

Population

32,021,856 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 2004 est.)

Population growth rate

1.14% (2004 est.)

Religions

Protestant 45%, Roman Catholic 33%, indigenous beliefs 10%, Muslim 10%, other 2% 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

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.31 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Disputes - international

Kenya's administrative boundary still extends into the Sudan, creating the "Ilemi Triangle"; Kenya has acted as an important mediator in Sudan's north-south civil war; Kenya and Uganda are working together to stem cattle rustling and violence by Lord's Resistance Army along the border

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; significant potential for money-laundering activity given the country's status as a regional financial center, massive corruption, and relatively high levels of narcotics-associated activities

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin): 154,272 (Somalia), 11,139 (Ethiopia), 63,197 (Sudan) IDPs: 350,000 (KANU attacks on opposition tribal groups in 1990s) (2004)

Airports

221 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 15 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 206 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 110 under 914 m: 84 (2004 est.)

Highways

total: 63,942 km paved: 7,737 km unpaved: 56,205 km (2000)

Merchant marine

total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 6,049 GRT/7,082 DWT by type: petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 2 registered in other countries: 9 (2004 est.)

Pipelines

refined products 752 km (2004)

Ports and harbors

Kisumu, Lamu, Mombasa

Railways

total: 2,778 km narrow gauge: 2,778 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)

Waterways

part of Lake Victoria system is within boundaries of Kenya (2004)