Kenya

This Page was last updated on the 1st May, 2007.

 

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Despite progress in the past six year, 16 million Kenyans still live in conditions of extreme poverty, reports Agenzia Fides, the missionary news agency of the Catholic Church.

Four Kenyans out of ten still live in dire poverty despite the recent economic recovery in the country which last year registered a growth of 5.8 per cent. According to a government survey 46%, or 16.5 million of Kenya's population of 35.5 million lives below the poverty line, although the conditions of many are better than six years ago.
The report which compares the situation compared with that of six years ago revealed that about 19 million Kenyans live on more than one dollar a day enough for their daily life in cities and rural areas. In cities too poverty has been reduced “the measures taken by Kibaki's government played an important role in the economy reducing poverty ”, Economy minister Amos Kimunya, said at the Kenyan International Conference Centre.
The survey refers to the eight provinces of the country, the least poor would appear to be Nairobi, with 21.3 % registered in 2006, compare to 52.6% in 2000. To follow the Central Provinces where the level of poverty has dropped from 35.3% in 2000 to the present 30.4%.
However in the large city slums in Kibera and Mathare the situation has changed little. Poverty levels in coastal areas has been reduced only slightly from 69.9 to 69.7 per cent and Rift Valley now registers 49% of the poor compared to 56.4. In the eastern Provinces the rate has fallen from 65.9% to 51%, and in the West from 66.1% to 52.2.
A greater reduction of poverty was registered in urban areas where it dropped from 51.5% to 33.7. In rural areas it dropped from 59.9 yo 49.1 per cent.
Nevertheless according to the report most of the poor live mainly in arid and semiarid areas. Turkana was seen to be the poorest rural areas with regard to scarcity of food with 93% of the adult population undernourished.
A report by a recently launched United Nations Development Programme registered a 56% poverty rate in the country and revealed marked disparity among Kenya's eight provinces.
Minister Obwocha said the government intends to invest in development infrastructures, especially roads, electricity and water mainly in areas where poverty rates are still high. (AP) (28/4/2007 Agenzia Fides; Righe:33; Parole:402)

Official Name

Republic of Kenya
Former Name British East Africa, Kenya (Cushitic-speaking people arrived in 2000 BC.; Arab traders on coast around the 1st century A.D.; Arab and Persian settlements on coast by the 8th century; Bantu and Nilotic peoples moved in; Swahili language [mix of Bantu languages and Arabic] became lingua franca for trade; Portuguese coastal dominance began 1498 of the Portuguese; control under the Imam of Oman in 1600s; British influence in the 19th century; British established the East African Protectorate in 1895; became a British colony in 1920; no African political participation until 1944; first elections for Africans to the Legislative Council in 1957; independence.)

Capital

Nairobi

Main Towns

Eldoret, Kericho, Kisumu (pop. 504,000), Kitale, Machakos, Mombasa (pop. 665,000), Nairobi (pop. 2.1 million), Nakuru (pop. 1.2 million), Nyeri, Thika

Subdivisions

7 provinces: Central, Coast, Eastern, North Eastern, Nyanza, Rift Valley, Western. 1 capital area: Nairobi Area.

Independence

12 December 1963 (from UK)

Constitution 12 December 1963; amended as a republic 1964; reissued with amendments 1979, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1997, and 2001
National Holiday Independence Day, 12 December (1963)

UN Membership

16 December 1963

OAU Membership

13 December 1963 – now African Union (AU)

Commonwealth

12 December 1963

Other Organisations

In alphabetical order according to abbreviation/acronym: Africa-Caribbean-Pacific-European Union (ACP-EU), African Development Bank (AfDB or AFDB), Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), East African Community (EAC), East African Development Bank (EADB), Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Group of 15 (G-15), Group of 77 at the United Nations (G-77), International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), International Criminal Court (ICCt - signatory), International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU), International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (ICRM), International Development Association (IDA), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), International Finance Corporation (IFC), International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRCS), Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), International Labour Organisation (ILO), International Monetary Fund (IMF), International Maritime Organisation (IMO), International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol), International Olympic Committee (IOC), International Organisation for Migration (IOM), International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO), International Telecommunications Union (ITU), United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), United Nations Organisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), Non Aligned Movement (NAM), Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL), United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission (UNIKOM), United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE), United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNMIBH), United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET), United Nations Mission of Observers in Prevlaka (UNMOP), United Nations University (UNU), Universal Postal Union (UPU), World Customs Organization (WCO, former Customs Cooperation Council [CCC]), World Health Organisation (WHO), World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), World Tourism Organisation (WToO), World Trade Organisation (WTrO).

Population

World Bank Figures: 29,416,000 (1999), 30,092,000 (2000), 30,735,762 (2001), 31,344,580 (2002), 31,915,850 (2003)
Other Sources: 28,817,227 (July 1995), 30,765,916 (July 2001 est.), 31,639,091 (July 2003 est.) 33,829,590 (July 2005 est.)

Area

224,961 sq. mls. (582,646 sq. kms.)

Density

41 per sq.km. (1995)

Highest Point

Mt. Kenya (Kirinyaga) 17,058 ft. (5,199 m.)

Lowest Point

Indian Ocean - sea level

Neighbours

Ethiopia (N), Somalia (NW), Sudan (NW), Tanzania (S), Uganda (W)

Life Expectancy

58 years (1995), total population:  47.49 years, male:  46.57 years, female:  48.44 years (2001 est.)
total population: 45.22 years, male: 45.02 years, female: 45.43 years (2003 est.)
total population: 47.99 years male: 48.87 years female: 47.09 years (2005 est.)

Infant Mortality Rate total: 63.36 deaths/1,000 live births, female: 60.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.), male: 66.37 deaths/1,000 live births
total: 61.47 deaths/1,000 live births male: 64.26 deaths/1,000 live births female: 58.62 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS

adult prevalence rate: 15% (2001 est.) 6.7% (2003 est.)
people living with HIV/AIDS: 2.5 million (2001 est.) 1.2 million (2003 est.)
deaths: 190,000 (2001 est.) 150,000 (2003 est.)

IRIN Plus News - HIV/AIDS Treatment Map: Kenya - Updated: Oct 2005
Population: 32.4 million
HIV Prevalence Rate (%) 2003 End: 7.5
No. Of People living with HIV/AIDS: 2.2 million
No. Of People in need of ART: 250,000
No. Of People Currently On ART (Sep 04): 38,000
No. Of People on ART Public Sector: 30,000
No. Of People on ART in Non Govt Programmes: 8,000
No. Of People Exptd to be on ART (2005 End): 95,000
Front Line Drug Regimen: Zidovudine+Lamivudine+Nevirapine and Stavudine+Lamivudine+Nevirapine
HIV/AIDS Treatment Sites: 206
Global Fund 2 Year Approved Funding (Round 1: Approved 30-Mar-03): US$137,000,000.00
Total Funds Disbursed By The Global Fund: US$36,721,807.00
Total Funds Disbursed By The World Bank Multi-Country HIV/AIDS Programme (MAP): US$50 million
Total Funds Disbursed By PEPFAR: US$114,710,281.00
Source: Ministry of Health, UNAIDS, The Global Fund, The World Bank

Adult Literacy Rate

total population:  78.1%, male:  86.3%, female:  70% (1995 est.)
total population: 85.1%, male: 90.6%, female: 79.7% (2003 est.)

Ethnic Groups

Bantu, Nilotic, Nilo-Hamitic, Cushitic families including: Kikuyu 21%, Luhya 14%, Luo 13%, Kalenjin 11%, Kamba 11%, Kisii 6%, Meru 6%, Asian, European, Arab 1%

Languages

English (official), Kiswahili (official and national language)

Religions

Protestant 40%, Roman Catholic 30%, indigenous beliefs 10%, Muslim 20%, other 2%
Protestant (mainstream) 27%, Protestant (evangelical) 23%, Roman Catholic 31%, Muslim 8%, other 2%, None 2% (Afro Barometer, March 2004)

Type of Government

Republic

President

Emilio Mwai Kibaki (since 30 December 2002) Vice President: Moody Awori

Prime Minister

---

Political Parties

Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-People (FORD-People); Kenya African National Union (KANU); National Rainbow Coalition (NARC).
Political pressure groups: National Convention Executive Council (NCEC); Protestant National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK); Roman Catholic and other Christian churches; Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM).

Ruling Party

National Rainbow Coalition (NARC), coalition of 14 separately registered parties.

Currency

Kenya Shilling (Ksh, KES)(100 cents)
Kenyan shillings per US dollar - 79.174 (2004), 75.936 (2003), 78.749 (2002), 78.563 (2001), 76.176 (2000)

GDP

US$279 (1992) US$267 (1994) US$9,095m (1995)
GDP: US$12.7 billion (2003)
purchasing power parity - $US34.68 billion (2004 est.)
per capita purchasing power parity - US$1,020 (2002 est.)
per capita purchasing power parity - US$1,100 (2004 est.)

GNP

US$330 (1992) US$235 (1994) US$280 (1995)

Per Capita Income Per capita income: US$271, GDP: US$ 13.8 bn (2004) GDP per capita: US$400 (est 2004)
Population Below Poverty Line 50% (2000 est.)
Land Use arable land: 8.08% permanent crops: 0.98% other: 90.94% (2001) Irrigated land: 670 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural Resources limestone, soda ash, salt, gemstones, fluorspar, zinc, diatomite, gypsum, wildlife, hydropower
Oil and Natural Gas production: 0 bbl/day (2001 est.) consumption: 57,000 bbl/day (2001 est.) exports: NA (2001) imports: NA (2001)
Pipelines: refined products 752 km (2004)
Military Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 8,096,142 (2003 est.)
males age 18-49: 7,303,153 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: US$185.2 million, 1.8% of GDP (FY02) US$177.1 million, 1.3% of GDP (2004)
Economic Aid Received US$457 million (1997)
Aid per Capita (World Bank): US$11 (1999), US$17 (2000), US$15 (2001), US$13 (2002), US$15 (2003)

Debt

Moderately indebted (HIPC)
World Bank Figures: US$4,679,900,160 (2000), US$4,411,800,064 (2001), US$4,487,300,096 (2002), US$5,339,599,872 (2003)
Other Sources: US$6.4bn (end 1995) US$6.2 bn (2000) US$5.7 billion (2002 est.) US$6.792 billion (2004 est.)

Major Imports

machinery and transportation equipment, petroleum products, motor vehicles, iron and steel, resins and plastics
machinery, vehicles, crude petroleum, iron and steel, resins and plastic materials, refined petroleum products, pharmaceuticals, paper and paper products, fertilizers, wheat (2002)

Imports from

UK 12%, UAE 9.8%, Japan 6.5%, India 4.4% (2001 est.)
U.K., Japan, South Africa, Germany, United Arab Emirates, Italy, India, France, United States, Saudi Arabia (2002) US$3.2 billion (2002)
UAE 13.2%, Saudi Arabia 9.6%, South Africa 9.3%, US 8%, UK 7.2%, China 6.7%, Japan 5.4%, India 4.9% (2004) US$4.19 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Major Exports

tea, horticultural products, coffee, petroleum products, fish, cement
tea, coffee, horticultural products, petroleum products, cement, pyrethrum, soda ash, sisal, hides and skins, fluorspar (2002)

Exports to

UK 13.5%, Tanzania 12.5%, Uganda 12.0%, Germany 5.5% (2001 est.)
Uganda, Tanzania, United Kingdom, Germany, Netherlands, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Egypt, South Africa, United States (2002) US$2.2 billion (2002)
Uganda 12.8%, UK 11.6%, US 10.4%, Netherlands 8.3%, Pakistan 5.1%, Egypt 4.7%, Tanzania 4.3% (2004) US$2.589 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

See also the 'White Fathers - White Sisters' Article -
'Some Background Information on Kenya'.

We try to have each fact sheet up to date and as accurate as possible.
If you notice any mistakes, or have suggestions on items which could be added, please let us know by emailing to: suttonlink@dial.pipex.com

The White Fathers, Sutton Coldfield, 1 May, 2007

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