Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. Famed for its scenic landscapes and vast wildlife preserves, Kenya offers a unique blend of natural beauty and cultural richness. Its Indian Ocean coast has historically been important for trade, connecting the continent with Arabian and Asian merchants for centuries.
Even if you've never been to Kenya, chances are you know what it looks like. Kenya's savanna is familiar from movies, TV shows, books, and commercials. It's the landscape many people imagine when they think of Africa.
Kenya's savanna is familiar from movies, TV shows, books, and commercials.
Geography and Relief
Kenya's terrain rises from a low coastal plain on the Indian Ocean to mountains and plateaus at its center. The 38th meridian divides Kenya into two halves of striking contrast. While the eastern half slopes gently to the coral-backed seashore, the western portion rises more abruptly through a series of hills and plateaus to the Eastern Rift Valley, known in Kenya as the Central Rift. West of the Rift is a westward-sloping plateau, the lowest part of which is occupied by Lake Victoria.
Within this basic framework, Kenya is divided into several geographic regions:
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- The Lake Victoria basin
- The Rift Valley and associated highlands
- The eastern plateau forelands
- The semiarid and arid areas of the north and south
- The coast
The Great Rift Valley, also known as the East African Rift Valley, slices through Kenya from north to south. It was formed more than 25 million years ago by geological tension in the earth’s crust and is approximately 6500 kilometres long and 60 kilometres wide.
The Great Rift Valley splits the highland region into two sections.
Lakes and Drainage
Kenya's drainage pattern originated when a large oval dome of rock arose in the west-central part of the country and created the Central Rift. West of the Central Rift, the major streams now drain into Lake Victoria. Lake Victoria, with a surface area of 26,828 square miles (69,484 square km), is the largest lake in Africa, the second largest freshwater body in the world, and a major reservoir of the Nile River. Lake Turkana, some 150 miles (240 km) long and 20 miles (30 km) wide, is the largest of the country’s Rift Valley lakes.
Soils
In the Lake Victoria basin, lava deposits have produced fertile and sandy loam soils in the plateaus north and south of Winam Bay, while the volcanic pile of Mount Elgon produces highly fertile volcanic soils well known for coffee and tea production. The Rift Valley and associated highlands are composed of fertile dark brown loams developed on younger volcanic deposits. The most widespread soils in Kenya, however, are the sandy soils of the semiarid regions between the coast and the Rift highlands.
History
Kenya's location between the Indian Ocean and Lake Victoria means that people from all over Africa and the Middle East have traveled and traded across it for centuries. Scientists think Northern Kenya and Tanzania may have been the original birthplace of humans. The bones of one of the earliest human ancestors ever found were discovered in Kenya's Turkana Basin.
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East Africa, including Kenya, is one of the earliest regions where modern humans (homo sapiens) are believed to have lived. In 1984, during excavations at Lake Turkana palaeoanthropologist Richard Leakey, assisted by Kamoya Kimeu, had discovered the Turkana Boy, a 1.6-million-year-old Homo erectus fossil.
Kenya was a colony of the United Kingdom from 1920 until 1963. Since its independence, it has been a republic, with a president, a national assembly, called the Bunge, and a judiciary.
The flag of Kenya.
Culture and People
Most Kenyans live in the highlands, where Nairobi, the capital, sits at an altitude of 5,500 feet (1,700 meters). This has created a diverse culture with many ethnic groups and languages. Almost everyone there speaks more than one African language.
There are at least 42 different tribes in Kenya, and each tribe can be further divided into smaller clans. Most Kenyans take pride in their tribe or ethnic group and follow the traditions of that ethnicity. Kenya’s large population of refugees has also contributed to the country’s cultural diversity.
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Music and storytelling are important parts of Kenyan culture. For centuries, tribes throughout the country have used songs, stories, and poems to pass on their beliefs, history, and customs.
Wildlife and Nature
Millions of people visit Kenya each year to see its endless savanna and the animals that inhabit it: elephants, lions, cheetahs, giraffes, zebras, hippos, rhinos, and more. The Kenyan government has set up more than 50 reserves and parks to protect these animals. In Kenya, more than 40 national parks and game reserves have been set aside for the conservation of wildlife and natural habitat.
People seeking African wildlife usually focus on Kenya's lowland savannas. But Kenya's ecosystems also include deserts, swamps, mountain, and forests. Each region has its own mix of plants and animals that are suited to the area's particular conditions. Kenya's highland forests are home to many animals found nowhere else in the world.
Kenya is home to the Big Five-leopard, rhinoceros, lion, elephant, and buffalo. Wildlife conservation is also a big deal in Kenya. About 8% of Kenya is protected land dedicated for wildlife conservation. Many Kenyan safaris support wildlife conservation efforts.
Being home to the Masai Mara National Reserve, and being right on the border of Tanzania’s Serengeti park, it’s no wonder that Kenya is amongst one of the world’s leading safari destinations. For nine out of the past eleven years, Kenya has been recognized by the World Travel Awards as the world’s leading safari destination.
Kenya Safari: Witness the Great Migration | Inkathi Luxury African Safaris
Economy
Kenya's economy is the largest in East and Central Africa, with Nairobi serving as a major regional commercial hub. Agriculture is the country's largest economic sector; tea and coffee are the sector's traditional cash crops, while fresh flowers are a fast-growing export. The service industry, particularly tourism, is also one of the country's major economic drivers.
The country is amongst the world’s 5 largest exporters of cut flowers - mainly roses and carnations; beautiful bright coloured and intricate flowers. Kenyan coffee is argued to be one of the best in the world and is the biggest foreign income generator for Kenya. Roughly 95% of the coffee grown in Kenya is exported.
Key Economic Facts:
- Coffee Exports: In March 2021, Kenya exported coffee to the value of approximately 4.56 billion Kenyan shillings, over 40.2 million in US dollars.
- Main Economic Activity: The main economic activity in Kenya is farming.
Coffee harvesting in Kenya.
Languages
As you’ll see above, the two languages spoken in Kenya are English and Swahili. While English is the official language in Kenya, Swahili is still known as the national language. Most Kenyans speak both English and Swahili as well as a third language-their tribal language. There are 68 different languages spoken in Kenya. Beyond English and Swahili, over 43 languages and dialects are spoken in Kenya, and they are grouped in 3 categories.
The Swahili phrase loosely translates to “no trouble”, which is a way of life that accurately describes most Kenyan people. In general, Kenyans do not stress about the things they don’t have the ability to change.
Interesting Facts About Kenya
Here are some additional facts about Kenya that highlight its uniqueness:
- National Animal and Bird: The national animal of Kenya is the East African lion. The national bird of Kenya is the Lilac Breasted Roller. Lastly, the national flower of Kenya is the fan-favourite and regal orchid.
- Lake Turkana: While its global claim to fame is that it is the world’s largest desert lake, Lake Turkana is also Kenya’s largest lake.
- Great Wildebeest Migration: This natural phenomenon occurs year-round as a cycle, meaning it technically does not ‘start’ or ‘finish’ anywhere.
- Car-Free Island: Built in 1370, Lamu Island is the oldest town in east Africa. Instead of cars, locals rely on donkeys or carts if they cannot walk or need to transport items across the island.
- Kenya's Name: The Republic of Kenya is named after Mount Kenya. In archaic Kikuyu, the word 'nyaga' or more commonly 'manyaganyaga' is used to describe an extremely bright object. The Agikuyu, who inhabit the slopes of Mt. Kenya, call it Kĩrĩma Kĩrĩnyaga (literally 'the mountain with brightness') in Kikuyu, while the Embu call it "Ki-nyaga".
Notable Figures
Wangari Muta Maathai: This inspirational woman was a Kenyan environmental, social, and political activist who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004 for her contribution to sustainable development, democracy, and peace. The first African woman to win a Nobel Peace Prize was from Kenya. She was the founder of the Green Belt Movement, which has planted over 51 million trees throughout Kenya.
Wangari Maathai, Nobel Peace Prize winner.
Kenya, with its diverse landscapes, rich history, and vibrant culture, truly stands as a land of wonder and adventure.
Kenya: Key Facts
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Official Name | Republic of Kenya |
| Location | East Africa |
| Capital | Nairobi |
| Largest City | Nairobi |
| Official Languages | English, Swahili |
| National Animal | East African Lion |
| National Bird | Lilac Breasted Roller |
| National Flower | Orchid |
| Famous Landmarks | Mount Kenya, Maasai Mara, Lake Turkana |
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