Kenya-Facts

• English (official)
• Kiswahili (official)
• Numerous indigenous languages

• Protestant 45%
• Roman Catholic 33%
• Muslim 10%
• Indigenous beliefs 10%
• Other 2%

Kenya has a rich and long history, all of which adds to its diverse culture and international appeal today. Fossils of creatures from over 200 million years ago have been found in Kenya, as well as primate fossils from as long as 20 million years ago. It is possible that some of the very first Homo sapiens lived in Kenya. Non-Africans visited Kenya as early as the first century of the current era, when Arabs and Persians came to Kenya to trade. This led to Persian and Arab settlements, and eventual colonization and slave trade to the east. It is said that nearly 90% of Kenya’s coastal population was enslaved.

Around the year 1500, the Portuguese became the first Europeans to explore Kenya, in the hopes of securing trade routes on the Indian Ocean. Many different factions controlled Kenya until the late 1800’s, when the Imperial British East Africa Company arrived. This rule led to Kenya-Uganda Railway, and an agreement between the British and Germans (who also occupied Kenya at the time) kept Kenya out of WWI.

It wasn’t until the 1950’s that Kenya started to rebel against British rule. This decade saw much fighting between Kenyans and British soldiers. In 1963, Jomo Kenyatta led Kenya to independence until 1978, when he died and President Daniel Toroitich arap Moi took power in a constitutional succession. Moi led the country until 2002. During his presidency, Kenya saw much turmoil, but the 2002 elections were peaceful. Mwai Kibaki’s platform of anticorruption won him the election, and is considered to be a turning point in Kenyan democracy.

Kenya has a fairly young population; it has increased dramatically in the past century. The population is also very diverse, and is composed of more that seven major native peoples, and many non-Africans, like people from the Middle East and Asia as well as Europe. Much of the population is bilingual in Swahili and English, making for an even more enriching experience for study abroad students, volunteers, and other travelers.

The most populous indigenous people are the Kikuyu, who make up 22% of Kenya’s population. The Luhya stand at 14% of the population, the Luo at 13%, the Kalenjin at 12%, the Kamba at 11%, and the Meru and Kisii both at 6%. The last 15% of Kenya’s population is made up of other Africans, and non-Africans, like Asians, Arabs, and Europeans.

Kenya is located in Eastern Africa, and borders Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Uganda, and Tanzania. It also has 526km/333mi of coastline along the Indian Ocean, and shares its northwestern border with Lake Victoria. Area wise, Kenya is larger than Nevada and Utah combined. Kenya’s diverse landscape has much to offer any international travelers, volunteers, and students. The beauty of the coast, the majesty of the highlands, and all the land in between help to make Kenya one of the top travel destinations in Africa.

The climate of Kenya is considered tropical. The coast is hot and humid, and the lands to the north and northeast can be very dry. Inland is considered temperate, and there are even glaciers atop Mount Kenya. Despite the rainy seasons of March to May and October to November, Kenya is currently in a state of drought.

Climate

Geography

Demographics

History