| KENYA.
A republic of Africa, Kenya is located on the equator on the continent's
east coast. The country is well known for its scenic beauty and varied
wildlife. Although only about 20 percent of the land is suitable for
cultivation, the majority of Kenyans are farmers who produce crops
mainly for their own needs. Coffee and tea, grown for export on large
plantations and on small farms, together with tourism are Kenya's most
important sources of foreign exchange--money used to buy foreign goods.
The nation imports all of its petroleum and most manufactured products. Kenya is a poor country by comparison with industrialized countries such as those of Western Europe. Climate and Geographic Regions Kenya has two wet seasons and two dry seasons. The rainy seasons extend from March to May and from November to January. The amount of rainfall is greatest in the highlands of Kenya, which are located in the west. The lowland deserts of the north receive the least amount of rain. Occasionally the rains fail or are below normal for consecutive seasons, leading to drought. During excessive periods of drought, such as in 1960 and 1961 and 1972 to 1976, crop production is low and many animals die.Because of the uneven distribution of rainfall and the variation in land elevation, ecological conditions differ throughout the country. However, three main geographic zones have been determined to exist: the highlands, the semiarid lowlands, and the deserts. A fourth, called the coastal zone, occupies a narrow strip along the Indian Ocean. The highlands. In the western part of Kenya the land rises to more than 5,000 feet (1,500 meters) above sea level. These highlands, which represent less than 25 percent of Kenya's land area, are divided by the Great Rift Valley. In the eastern part of this region, Kenya reaches its highest point at the peak of Mount Kenya, 17,058 feet (5,199 meters) high. The highlands are the only part of the country where rainfall is sufficient--over 50 inches (1,270 millimeters) a year--and reliable enough to support farming. Because most Kenyans depend on agriculture for a living, it is in these highlands that the majority of the population lives. Most of the forest that once covered the land has been cleared for crop production. Some of Kenya's forest does remain, and national parks have been created by the government to protect the local vegetation and the wildlife.The semiarid lowlands. Much of Kenya is semiarid, receiving between 15 and 30 inches (380 and 760 millimeters) of rainfall a year. This amount of rainfall is insufficient for production of crops, so cultivation is limited to the borders of rivers and swamps where irrigation is possible. In the past there was little farming in the lowlands, and most of the inhabitants were nomadic or seminomadic herders. The number of lowland farmers has increased, however, as people have moved from the overcrowded highlands in search of land. The main economic activities are livestock raising by Kenyans and wildlife viewing by foreign tourists. Both the wildlife and the livestock are able to graze on the vegetation that grows under the dry conditions. Trees, such as the acacia, are scattered throughout the bushy grasslands. The herders, such as the Masai (Maasai), raise cattle, goats, and sheep and move them seasonally from place to place to give them access to water and pasture. (1) The deserts. The deserts of Kenya are not so extensive as other deserts in Africa. They are located in the north of the country. The vegetation is sparse, consisting of hardy grasses and occasional bushes. Desert peoples are few, but the area includes some nomadic people, such as the Somali and the Gabbra, who raise herds of camels and goats. On the edge of the desert region is Lake Rudolf (Turkana), which stretches down from the border with Ethiopia. It is the site of a small fishing industry. Archaeologists working on the shores of the lake have found evidence of some of the Earth's earliest people, dating the ancestors of man back some 4 to 5 million years.The coast. Stretching along the shores of the Indian Ocean is a narrow strip of land 10 to 15 miles (16 to 24 kilometers) wide that separates the dry interior from the sea. It is an area with relatively heavy rainfall, 40 inches (1,000 millimeters) a year, and is an important crop-producing area. Cash crops such as coconuts and cashews are produced. For centuries the coast has been important in trade across the Indian Ocean, and ancient ports, such as Lamu, remain as evidence of the early coastal trade cities. Today, Mombasa is the largest coastal city and Kenya's largest and busiest port. It has modern facilities, an oil refinery, and a variety of light industries. The port also serves the landlocked countries of Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi. The long and beautiful white coral sand beaches are the basis of Kenya's coastal tourist industry. Hotels serve tourists along the entire length of the coast. Population and Economy Kenya has more than 100 different ethnic groups. This poses a potential problem of communication. Swahili and English have been selected as national languages and most people speak at least one of these as well as their own local language.The people are also divided among many religious groups. African traditional religions are widespread as is Christianity, which was spread by missionary groups in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Islam is particularly well established along the coast; the Kenyans of Asian origin are predominantly Hindus. Kenya's artistic heritage is represented by a variety of crafts. Among them are matweaving on the coast, wood carving by the Kamba people, and beadwork jewelry made by groups such as the Masai and the Samburu. Among the nation's 28 million people, the most populous groups are the Kikuyu, the Luhya, the Luo, and the Kamba. There are just over one million herders such as the Masai and the Somali living in the semiarid and desert areas. An increasing number of people live in the capital city of Nairobi and in other large cities. In the early 1990s it was estimated that Kenya's population was increasing at the rate of 3.6 percent a year. This growth rate, one of the world's highest, greatly increases the people's demand for land, housing, food, jobs, education, medical care, and other services.These conditions place a severe strain on the economy of Kenya, a country whose resources are extremely limited. One reason that Kenya has remained heavily dependent on agriculture is its lack of fuel resources, such as petroleum. Totally reliant on foreign countries for oil, Kenya's manufacturing industries have developed slowly. Some energy is forthcoming from hydroelectric projects, but it is inadequate, and additional electric power must be imported from neighboring countries. To remedy this situation, especially in light of oil-price increases, the government has accelerated development of alternative sources of energy. Kenya now produces power from geothermal (natural heat from the Earth's interior) sources, and plans are to increase the number of geothermal units. The sugar industry, which can produce alcohol for fuel, is another developing source. The Kenyan economy receives minimal support from such other resource areas as mining, forestry, and fisheries. Agriculture. The most rapidly growing population group in Kenya is the farmers. In many areas, however, there is insufficient land available, and some farms have been subdivided into several units. These are often unable to produce sufficient crops to meet the needs of the families tending them. Increasing numbers of people are migrating to areas where more land is available. Most of the areas where people can find land are on the dry edges of the highlands. In these areas soils may be less fertile and the rainfall less certain, making farming risky.The vast majority of Kenya's farmers own only about seven acres (three hectares) of land. On these small farms most of what they produce is to meet their family's needs. Some crops are grown for sale to raise money to buy consumer items. Typically a farmer grows several different crops together in the same field: a grain such as corn; a legume such as beans; and perhaps a few trees producing coffee, bananas, or mangoes. This allows the family to harvest a variety of foods for a balanced diet. In order to increase production, the government sponsors agricultural experiments and encourages farmers to try different production methods. Some farmers also keep a few animals such as cattle and goats, and many raise poultry. Tea and coffee, raised for cash and export, are two of Kenya's major sources of income. The herders raise such animals as cattle, camels, sheep, and goats. These produce milk and meat for the family and some to be sold for cash. Herding families use the cash to buy grains to supplement the meat and milk in their diet. As the human population grows so have the number of animals, and there is concern that they may be overgrazing the land. In many parts of the country the government is promoting better use and management of the grazing land. Tourism. The other major earner of foreign exchange, the tourist industry, does not bring income to as many people as coffee or tea sales. Tourist facilities are concentrated in Nairobi, along the coast, and in the national parks. The industry is largely owned by foreign companies, however, and relatively few Kenyans benefit from it.Tourists visit Kenya for a number of reasons. Its beaches are beautiful and uncrowded, and hotels are of high quality and serve good food. Kenya has one of the world's largest wildlife populations, and a wide variety of animals can be seen in national parks. There, excellent hotels with special viewing facilities have been built for tourists. The parks protect the wildlife, but some species, such as the rhinoceros and elephant, are still hunted by poachers for their horns and tusks. Nairobi also attracts tourists, and it has become a site for international conferences. Cities and industry. The cities of Kenya have been growing partly because of emigration from the countryside. Most salaried jobs in the cities are in the government bureaucracy, in industry, and in occupations such as sales and domestic services.Kenya's industries include food processing, brewing, clothing and textiles, transport equipment, and refined petroleum and petrochemicals. The majority of companies are located in or near Nairobi, but the government is encouraging new firms to locate in other towns so that more of the country can benefit from industry. Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya, is located on the railway line at the junction between the lowlands and the highlands. More than 60 percent of Kenya's salaried workers live in the city, which dominates the nation's economy. It is an important commercial center and many foreign firms base their east African operations there. Most government employees also work in Nairobi. The Kenyan economy is supported by one of the best transportation systems in Africa. The railway links the main towns and paved roads reach all but the most inaccessible towns. The main roads to Tanzania and Uganda are paved and the one to Ethiopia is almost completely paved. Nairobi's modernized airport is one of Africa's busiest. Flights connect the city to other African cities, and to Europe, the United States, and Asia. Education has been strongly supported by the government and nearly all children go to primary school, which is free. The adult literacy rate increased from 20 percent in 1960 to 69 percent in 1990. After primary school the educational system becomes highly competitive and few of those who go on to secondary school gain admittance to the University of Nairobi or any of the country's smaller colleges.History and Government As recently as the 1880s there was no country known as Kenya. At the beginning of the 20th century the British colonized East Africa and drew boundaries around the country they named Kenya. Prior to the arrival of the British each of Kenya's peoples had its own form of government, culture, and economy. The British imposed their own administration, and through their economic, religious, and educational activities they transformed the Africans' way of life. The colonial administration encouraged British and South African white people to move from their homelands to settle in Kenya. To promote this settlement they reserved a large area exclusively for whites and made generous offers of land. Eventually this area totaled about 16,000 square miles (41,400 square kilometers) and contained about one half of the country's land suitable for crops. In the highlands the settlers grew tea and coffee for export, while in the lowlands they raised livestock. The loss of land to the British brought resentment against the colonial administration, and in 1952 a war of liberation began. A guerrilla group called the Mau Mau, made up of members of several ethnic groups (primarily Kikuyu), led the struggle. The Mau Mau rebellion, as it was called, took place mainly in the highlands, where the Kikuyu people claimed that much land had been stolen from them. In 1963, independence for Kenya was won. More than 1 million acres (400,000 hectares) were redistributed to 45,000 Kenyans, but many large farms were left intact and taken over by powerful Kenyans. Kenya then adopted a democratic parliamentary form of government. Initially a constitutional monarchy, in 1964 it declared itself a republic within the Commonwealth of Nations (now the Commonwealth). The one-house parliament, the National Assembly, is led by a president, who chooses the vice-president and ministers from among the members of the assembly. The dominant political party since independence, the Kenya African National Union, became the only legal party in 1982 and remained so until 1991. (2) Jomo Kenyatta was elected the first president of the new country. He held the position until his death in 1978, when he was succeeded by the vice-president, Daniel arap Moi. (See also Kenyatta.)Moi was supported by all of Kenya's leading politicians. He faced a major threat to his government in 1982, however, when air force personnel attempted a coup. Violent unrest marked the beginning of the 1990s as opponents charged the government with corruption, especially in land dealings. In 1991 governments sending financial aid to Kenya demanded reforms. An opposition party, the Forum for the Restoration of Democracy, was founded. Moi announced permission in December for multiparty politics. A second opposition group, the Democratic party, was formed in January 1992. Moi, however, proceeded to undermine both groups. He was reelected to a fourth term in December 1992. Kenya Fact Summary Official Name. Republic of Kenya. Capital. Nairobi. NATURAL FEATURES Mountain Ranges. Highlands associated with the Great Rift Valley (Aberdare Range, Cherangany Hills, Mau Escarpment). Highest Peaks. Mount Kenya (Kirinyaga), 17,058 feet (5,199 meters); Mount Elgon, 14,178 feet (4,321 meters). Largest Lakes. Lake Rudolf (Turkana), Lake Victoria. Major Rivers. Galana, Tana, Turkwel.PEOPLE Population (1996 estimate). 29,137,000; 129.5 persons per square mile (50.0 persons per square kilometer); 20.4 percent urban, 79.6 percent rural (1995 estimate). Major Cities (1989 estimate). Nairobi (1990 estimate, 1,504,900), Mombasa (465,000), Kisumu (185,100), Nakuru (162,800). Major Religions. Christianity, traditional African religions, Islam. Major Languages. Swahili, English, Kikuyu, Luo. Literacy. 78.1 percent. Leading University. University of Nairobi. GOVERNMENT Form of Government. Republic. Chief of State and Head of Government. President. Legislature. Unicameral (single house) National Assembly; members elected by popular vote for a 5-year term (202 members, including 14 nonelective seats). Voting Qualification. Age 21. Political Divisions. 7 provinces--Central, Coast, Eastern, North Eastern, Nyanza, Rift Valley, Western; and the administrative district of Nairobi.
2. 1Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia. Copyright © 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997 The Learning Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 3. 1Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia. Copyright © 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997 The Learning Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. |