Kenya
The Country of the Week
Quick Facts
- Capital
- Nairobi
- Population
- 55,751,717 (2025 est.)
- Area
- 580,367 sq km
- Government
- presidential republic
- Religions
- Christian 85.5% (Protestant 33.4%, Catholic 20.6%, Evangelical 20.4%, African Instituted Churches 7%, other Christian 4.1%), Muslim 10.9%, other 1.8%, none 1.6%, don't know/no answer 0.2% (2019 est.)
- Ethnic Groups
- Kikuyu 17.1%, Luhya 14.3%, Kalenjin 13.4%, Luo 10.7%, Kamba 9.8%, Somali 5.8%, Kisii 5.7%, Mijikenda 5.2%, Meru 4.2%, Maasai 2.5%, Turkana 2.1%, non-Kenyan 1%, other 8.2% (2019 est.)
- Currency
- Kenyan shillings (KES)
- Life Expectancy
- 70.4 years (2024 est.)
- Internet Domain
- .ke
- 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
- Natural Resources
- limestone, soda ash, salt, gemstones, fluorspar, zinc, diatomite, gypsum, wildlife, hydropower
- Major Exports
- tea, cut flowers, garments, gold, tropical fruits (2023)
Source: CIA World Factbook (public domain)
Overview
Trade centers such as Mombasa have existed along the Kenyan and Tanzanian coastlines, known as the Land of Zanj, since at least the 2nd century. These centers traded with the outside world, including China, India, Indonesia, the Middle East, North Africa, and Persia.