Kenya is in east Africa between Somalia and Tanzania and borders the Indian Ocean. It is slightly more than twice the size of Nevada. The “swoop” of the thumbprint on the KenyaRelief.org logo symbolizes the geographical location of Kenya on the African continent.

 

34 million

 

Republic

 

Nairobi

 

The climate varies from tropical along the coast to arid and dry in the interior.

 

Recurring drought and flooding during the rainy seasons.

 

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

 

Life Expectancy

 

People Living with HIV/AIDS

1.2 million (more than 3.5% of population)

 

Children (age 17 and under) orphaned by AIDS

650,000

 

More than 2 million

 

40.13 per 1,000 population

 

14.65 deaths per 1,000

 

61.47 deaths per 1,000 births

 

50%

 

Kikuyu, 22%; Luhya, 14%; Luo, 13%; Kalenjin, 12%; Kamba 11%; Kisii, 6%; Meru, 6%; other African, 15%; Asian, European and Arab, 1%

 

Protestants, 45%; Roman Catholics, 33%; indigenous beliefs, 10%; Muslims, 10%; others, 2% (estimates vary widely)

 

Limestone, soda ash, salt, gemstones, fluorspar, zinc, diatomite, gypsum, wildlife, hydropower

 

Water faces extreme pollution from urban and industrial wastes and increased use of pesticides and fertilizers. The water in Lake Victoria is infested with hyacinth, and the country faces deforestation, soil erosion, desertification and poaching.

 

Commercial ship repair, tourism and small-scale consumer goods (plastic, furniture, batteries, textiles, soap, cigarettes, flour, agricultural products, oil refining, aluminum, steel, lead, cement)

 

Army, navy and air force

 

Dec. 12, 1963 (from the United Kingdom)

 

The regional hub for trade and finance in east Africa, Kenya has been hampered by corruption and by reliance upon several primary goods whose prices have remained low. In 1997, the International Monetary Fund suspended Kenya’s Enhanced Structural Adjustment Program because of the government’s failure to maintain reforms and curb corruption. A severe drought in 1999 and 2000 compounded Kenya’s problems, leading to water and energy rationing and reducing agricultural output. As a result, the gross domestic product (GDP) shrank 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 anti-corruption measures. Despite the return of strong rains in 2001, weak commodity prices, endemic corruption and low investments 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 leading up to the democratic elections. In the key December 2002 presidential election, Daniel Arap Moi’s 24-year 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%. The GDP grew a moderate 2.2% in 2004.