Kenya, oh beautiful Kenya. How
my heart aches for those warm Kenyan nights and cool Mombasa beach breezes. From
Kenyan Safari's to the luxurious Kenyan beaches this is a country of
beauty from the bottom to the top. And the people of Kenya, they
are like the country - good. In this guide we hope to show you
more about Kenya and the various places to see, travel and immigration
and of course those glorious beaches.
Republic of Kenya
National name: Jamhuri ya Kenya
Capital:
Nairobi
geographic coordinates: 1 17 S, 36 49 E
time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard
Time)
Administrative divisions:
7 provinces and 1 area*; Central, Coast, Eastern, Nairobi Area*, North
Eastern, Nyanza, Rift Valley, Western
Internet Usage Statistics:
3,359,600 Internet users as of June/2009, 8.6% of the population, according to ITU
Independence:
12 December 1963 (from the UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 12 December (1963)
Constitution:
27 August 2010; the new constitution abolishes the position of prime
minister and establishes a bicameral legislature; many details have
yet to be finalized and will require significant legislative action
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making Kenya a de jure one-party state repealed in 1991
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Mwai KIBAKI (since 30 December 2002); Vice
President Stephen Kalonzo MUSYOKA (since 10 January 2008);
head of government: President Mwai KIBAKI (since 30 December 2002); Vice
President Stephen Kalonzo MUSYOKA (since 10 January 2008); note - the
roles of the president and prime minister are not well defined at this
juncture; constitutionally, the president remains chief of state and
head of government, but the prime minister is charged with coordinating
government business
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president and headed by the prime minister,
who is the leader of the largest party in parliament (For more information
visit the Opens in New Window)
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible
for a second 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 on 27 December 2007 (next to be
held in December 2012); vice president appointed by the president
election results: President Mwai KIBAKI reelected; percent of vote -
Mwai KIBAKI 46%, Raila ODINGA 44%, Kalonzo MUSYOKA 9%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly or Bunge usually referred to as Parliament
(224 seats; 210 members elected by popular vote to serve five-year
terms, 12 nominated members appointed by the president but selected
by the parties in proportion to their parliamentary vote totals, 2
ex-officio members)
elections: last held on 27 December 2007 (next to be held in December
2012)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ODM
99, PNU 46, ODM-K 16, KANU 14 other 35; ex-officio 2; seats appointed
by the president - ODM 6, PNU 3, ODM-K 2, KANU 1
Judicial branch:
Court of Appeal (chief justice is appointed by the president); High Court
Political parties and leaders:
Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-Kenya or FORD-Kenya [Musikari
KOMBO]; Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-People or FORD-People
[Reuben OYONDI]; Kenya African National Union or KANU [Uhuru KENYATTA];
National Rainbow Coalition-Kenya or NARC-Kenya [Martha KARUA]; Orange
Democratic Movement or ODM [Raila ODINGA]; Orange Democratic Movement-Kenya
or ODM-K [Kalonzo MUSYOKA]; Party of National Unity or PNU [Mwai KIBAKI];
Shirikisho Party of Kenya or SPK [Chirau Ali MWAKWERE]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Council of Islamic Preachers of Kenya or CIPK [Sheikh Idris MOHAMMED];
Kenya Human Rights Commission [L. Muthoni WANYEKI]; Muslim Human Rights
Forum [Ali-Amin KIMATHI]; National Convention Executive Council or
NCEC, a proreform coalition of political parties and nongovernment
organizations [Ndung'u WAINANA]; National Muslim Leaders Forum or NAMLEF
[Abdullahi ABDI]; Protestant National Council of Churches of Kenya
or NCCK [Canon Peter Karanja MWANGI]; Roman Catholic and other Christian
churches; Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims or SUPKEM [Shaykh Abdul
Gafur al-BUSAIDY]
other: labor unions
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, EAC, EADB, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINURCAT, MONUC, NAM, OPCW,
PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Elkanah Odembo ABSALOM
chancery: 2249 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 387-6101
FAX: [1] (202) 462-3829
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles
consulate(s): New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Michael E. RANNEBERGER
embassy: US Embassy, United Nations Avenue, Nairobi; P. O. Box 606 Village
Market, Nairobi 00621
mailing address: Box 21A, Unit 64100, APO AE 09831
telephone: [254] (20) 363-6000
FAX: [254] (20) 363-410
Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green; the red
band is edged in white; a large Maasai warrior's shield covering crossed
spears is superimposed at the center; black symbolizes the majority
population, red the blood shed in the struggle for freedom, green stands
for natural wealth, and white for peace; the shield and crossed spears
symbolize the defense of freedom
National anthem:
name: "Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu" (Oh God of All Creation)
lyrics/music: Graham HYSLOP, Thomas KALUME, Peter KIBUKOSYA, Washington
OMONDI, and George W. SENOGA-ZAKE/traditional, adapted by Graham HYSLOP,
Thomas KALUME, Peter KIBUKOSYA, Washington OMONDI, and George W. SENOGA-ZAKE
note: adopted 1963; the anthem is based on a traditional Kenyan folk
song
Land area: 219,788 sq mi (569,251 sq km); total
area: 224,962 sq mi (582,650 sq km)
Population (2006 est.): 34,707,817 (growth rate:
2.6%); birth rate: 39.7/1000; infant mortality rate: 59.3/1000; life
expectancy: 48.9; density per sq mi: 158
Capital
and largest city (2003 est.): Nairobi, 3,064,800 (metro.
area), 2,411,900 (city proper)
Other large city: Mombasa, 712,600
Monetary unit: Kenya shilling
Languages: English
(official), Swahili (national), and numerous indigenous languages
Ethnicity/race: Kikuyu
22%; Luhya 14%; Luo 13%; Kalenjin 12%; Kamba 11%; Kisii 6%; Meru 6%;
other African 15%; Asian, European, and Arab 1%
Religions: Protestant
45%, Roman Catholic 33%, indigenous beliefs 10%, Islam 10%, others 2%
(note: estimates vary widely)
Literacy rate: 85% (2003 est.)
Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2005 est.):
$39.6 billion; per capita $1,200. Real growth rate: 5.2%. Inflation: 12%. Unemployment: 40%
(2001 est.). Arable land: 8%. Agriculture: tea, coffee,
corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruit, vegetables; dairy products, beef, pork,
poultry, eggs. Labor force: 11.85 million; agriculture 75%, industry
and services 25% (2003 est.). Industries: small-scale consumer
goods (plastic, furniture, batteries, textiles, soap, cigarettes, flour),
agricultural products, oil refining; aluminum, steel, lead; cement, commercial
ship repair, tourism. Natural resources: limestone, soda ash,
salt, gemstones, fluorspar, zinc, diatomite, gypsum, wildlife, hydropower. Exports: $3.173
billion f.o.b. (2005 est.): tea, horticultural products, coffee, petroleum
products, fish, cement. Imports: $5.126 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.):
machinery and transportation equipment, petroleum products, motor vehicles,
iron and steel, resins and plastics. Major trading partners: Uganda,
UK, U.S., Netherlands, Egypt, Tanzania, Pakistan, UAE, Saudi Arabia,
South Africa, India, China, Japan (2004).
Member of Commonwealth of Nations
Communications: Telephones: main lines in use:
310,000 (2001); mobile cellular: 540,000 (2001). Radio broadcast stations: AM
24, FM 18, shortwave 6 (2001). Radios: 3.07 million (1997). Television
broadcast stations: 8 (2002). Televisions: 730,000 (1997). Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): 65 (2001). Internet users: 500,000
(2002).
Transportation: Railways: total: 2,778 km (2002). Highways: total:
63,942 km; paved: 7,737 km; unpaved: 56,205 km (2000). Waterways: part
of the Lake Victoria system is within the boundaries of Kenya. Ports
and harbors: Kisumu, Lamu, Mombasa. Airports: 230 (2002).
International disputes: Kenya's administrative
boundary still extends into the Sudan, creating the “Ilemi triangle.”
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