Geography
Area: 582.646
sq km
Border countries: Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda
Mountains: Mt. Kenya (Kirinyaga) (5.195 m), Mt. Elgon (4.231 m), Aberdares
(3.999 m)
Rivers: Tana (700 km), Athi-Galana-Sabaki (390 km), Guam-Turkwel (380 km)
Coastline: 320 km
Lakes: Lake Victoria (69.485 km2), Lake Turkana (6.405 qkm), Lake Naivasha,
Lake Nakuru
Special: East african fault (Rift Valley) with many lakes
Inhabitants
Inhabitants: 26,966 Mio
Inhabitants./sq km : 47,2
Birth rate: 3,4% Bantu, Niloten, Kushiten, Indians, Pakistan's, Arabs,
Europeans
Languages.: 27,7% Swahili, English, various tribe languages
Religions: Christian (73%), Muslims (6%), Nature religions
Politics
Capital: Nairobi (ca. 1.200.000 inhabitants)
Form of government : Presidential Republic
Administration: Seven provinces plus Nairobi, 53 Districts
Independence: 12. December 1963 (from UK)
Political parties: KANU, FORD-Kenya, FORD-Asili, DP, KNC, KSC, PKK, Safina
Presidents: Jomo Kenyatta (1963 - 1978) Daniel arap Moi (1978 - today)
1 Kenya-Shilling (KES) = 100 Cents
BSP/Head: 270 US$ (1993)
Inflation rate: 30% (1992)
BIP: 30%/BIP Agriculture, 52%/BIP
Industry: Aliments, Textile, Wood industry, chemical Industries
Exports: Coffee, Tee, Pyrethrum, Sisal...
|
Infra structure
Rails: 2.733
km
Roads: 64.590 km
Harbours: Mombasa (1992 7,9 Mio t freight) und Lamu (Coast), Kisumu (Lake
Victoria)
Airports (intern.): Nairobi, Mombasa, Eldoret (in construction)
Medicine: 301 Hospitals, 7.069 Inhabitants/Doctor
Education: 90% of all children go to school
Climate
Mombasa: tropical, 30°C (average), Expected 700 - 1.300 mm / year
Nairobi: tempered, 24°C (average), Expected 1.250 mm
Rain period: April to June (Kaskazi), October to December
History
1498 Portuguese
trade monopoly
1728 Expulsion of the Portuguese of Arabs
1837 Submission to Sultan of Zanzibar
1890 Kenya become english colony (Helgoland-Zanzibar-Agreement)
1951-55 Riots of Mau-Mau
1963 Independence under Prime Mzee Jomo Kenyatta
1964 Kenya becomes Republic
1969 Opposition becomes illegal
1978 Moi is elected as Kenyattas successor
1985 Student troubles
1992 Tribe conflicts Kalenjin and Luo with Kikuyu.
First election with multi-party
system Wins: KANU
1993 Burden on economics due to many refugees from mainly Somalia
1994 New tribe conflicts
1995 International critics concerning violation of human rights in Kenya
1997 Violent conflicts Students - Police
1998 Tribe conflicts on the coast of Mombasa with many people killed
Moi (KANU) is reelected as
president
2002 Arabic terror attack on Israeli people in Mombasa
Kibaki
is elected for new president in december,
starts to fight the corruption,
introduces free medical healthcare
and also compulsory and free
school up to 6 yrs.
2004 The Norwegian Nobel Committee decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize to Wangari Maathai for her contribution to sustainable development, democracy and peace.
|
FACTS
ABOUT KENYA