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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, hydropower
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
Geography
On Africa's east Coast, Kenya straddles the equator and shares a
border with Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Uganda and Tanzania. Its coast
is lapped by the Indian Ocean and it shares the vast waters of Lake
Victoria with its western neighbours.
The Rift Valley and central highlands area form the backbone of
the country, and this is where Kenya's scenery is at its most spectacular.
The humid coastal belt includes the Tana River estuary and a string
of good beaches. Western Kenya takes in the fertile fringes of Lake
Victoria and some prime game parks.
The vast, arid north-eastern region is where Kenya is at its wildest
and most untouched by the modern world.
Climate
Varies from the tropical south, west, and central regions to arid
and semi-arid wasteland in the north and the northeast.
Kenya is a country on the east coast of Africa. It extends
from the Indian Ocean deep into the interior of Africa. The equator
runs through the centre of Kenya.
A spectacular variety of fascinating wild animals live in Kenya.
This wildlife--which includes elephants, giraffes, lions, rhinoceroses,
and zebras--attracts thousands of tourists to Kenya each year.
To protect the country's wildlife, the government has set up several
national parks and game reserves, which are among the finest in
Africa. Hunting is illegal. But poachers continue to kill such animals
as elephants for their tusks and rhinoceroses for their horns.
Ethnic divisions account for many of Kenya's problems. During the
early 1990s, tribal clashes killed thousands and left tens of thousands
homeless. Ethnically split opposition groups allowed the regime
of Daniel Toroitich arap MOI, in power since 1978, to be reelected
for a fourth term in 1997 in balloting marred by violence and fraud.
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