Kenya

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Location: Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Somalia and Tanzania

Geographic coordinates: 1 00 N, 38 00 E

Map references: Africa

Area:
total: 582,650 sq km
land: 569,250 sq km
water: 13,400 sq km

Area—comparative: slightly more than twice the size of Nevada

Land boundaries:
total: 3,446 km
border countries: Ethiopia 830 km, Somalia 682 km, Sudan 232 km, Tanzania 769 km, Uganda 933 km

Coastline: 536 km

Maritime claims:
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: varies from tropical along coast to arid in interior

Terrain: low plains rise to central highlands bisected by Great Rift Valley; fertile plateau in west

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Kenya 5,199 m

Natural resources: gold, limestone, soda ash, salt barites, rubies, fluorspar, garnets, wildlife

Land use:
arable land: 7%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 37%
forests and woodland: 30%
other: 25% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 660 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: recurring drought in northern and eastern regions; flooding during rainy seasons

Environment—current issues: water pollution from urban and industrial wastes; degradation of water quality from increased use of pesticides and fertilizers; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; poaching

Environment—international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography—note: the Kenyan Highlands comprise one of the most successful agricultural production regions in Africa; glaciers on Mt. Kenya; unique physiography supports abundant and varied wildlife of scientific and economic value

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Population: 28,808,658 (July 1999 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 43% (male 6,244,321; female 6,104,181)
15-64 years: 54% (male 7,845,083; female 7,826,442)
65 years and over: 3% (male 343,449; female 445,182) (1999 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.59% (1999 est.)

Birth rate: 30.8 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate: 14.58 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 59.07 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 47.02 years
male: 46.56 years
female: 47.49 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.88 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Kenyan(s)
adjective: Kenyan

Ethnic groups: Kikuyu 22%, Luhya 14%, Luo 13%, Kalenjin 12%, Kamba 11%, Kisii 6%, Meru 6%, other African 15%, non-African (Asian, European, and Arab) 1%

Religions: Protestant 38%, Roman Catholic 28%, indigenous beliefs 26%, Muslim 7%, other 1%

Languages: English (official), Swahili (official), numerous indigenous languages

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 78.1%
male: 86.3%
female: 70% (1995 est.)

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Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Kenya
conventional short form: Kenya
former: British East Africa