Kenya (2001) | Australia (2002) | |
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Administrative divisions | 7 provinces and 1 area*; Central, Coast, Eastern, Nairobi Area*, North Eastern, Nyanza, Rift Valley, Western | 6 states and 2 territories*; Australian Capital Territory*, New South Wales, Northern Territory*, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia |
Age structure | 0-14 years:
41.95% (male 6,524,776; female 6,381,192) 15-64 years: 55.26% (male 8,529,842; female 8,471,609) 65 years and over: 2.79% (male 376,151; female 482,346) (2001 est.) |
0-14 years: 20.4% (male 2,046,052; female 1,949,725)
15-64 years: 67% (male 6,610,840; female 6,480,354) 65 years and over: 12.6% (male 1,078,506; female 1,381,315) (2002 est.) |
Agriculture - products | coffee, tea, corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruit, vegetables; dairy products, beef, pork, poultry, eggs | wheat, barley, sugarcane, fruits; cattle, sheep, poultry |
Airports | 230 (2000 est.) | 421 (2001) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
22 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 13 under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
total: 294
over 3,047 m: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 126 914 to 1,523 m: 134 under 914 m: 13 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
208 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 109 under 914 m: 84 (2000 est.) |
total: 150
1,524 to 2,437 m: 20 914 to 1,523 m: 116 under 914 m: 14 (2002) |
Area | total:
582,650 sq km land: 569,250 sq km water: 13,400 sq km |
total: 7,686,850 sq km
land: 7,617,930 sq km water: 68,920 sq km note: includes Lord Howe Island and Macquarie Island |
Area - comparative | slightly more than twice the size of Nevada | slightly smaller than the US contiguous 48 states |
Background | Revered president and liberation struggle icon Jomo KENYATTA led Kenya from independence until his death in 1978, when current President Daniel Toroitich arap MOI took power in a constitutional succession. The country was a de facto one-party state from 1969 until 1982 when the ruling Kenya African National Union (KANU) made itself the sole legal party in Kenya. MOI acceded to internal and external pressure for political liberalization in late 1991. The ethnically fractured opposition failed to dislodge KANU from power in elections in 1992 and 1997, which were marred by violence and fraud, but are viewed as having generally reflected the will of the Kenyan people. The country faces a period of political uncertainty because MOI is constitutionally required to step down at the next elections that have to be held by early 2003. | Australia became a commonwealth of the British Empire in 1901. It was able to take advantage of its natural resources to rapidly develop its agricultural and manufacturing industries and to make a major contribution to the British effort in World Wars I and II. Long-term concerns include pollution, particularly depletion of the ozone layer, and management and conservation of coastal areas, especially the Great Barrier Reef. A referendum to change Australia's status, from a commonwealth headed by the British monarch to a republic, was defeated in 1999. |
Birth rate | 28.5 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 12.71 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$2.91 billion expenditures: $2.97 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) |
revenues: $86.8 billion
expenditures: $84.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY00/01 est. ) |
Capital | Nairobi | Canberra |
Climate | varies from tropical along coast to arid in interior | generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east; tropical in north |
Coastline | 536 km | 25,760 km |
Constitution | 12 December 1963, amended as a republic 1964; reissued with amendments 1979, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1992, and 1997 | 9 July 1900, effective 1 January 1901 |
Country name | conventional long form:
Republic of Kenya conventional short form: Kenya former: British East Africa |
conventional long form: Commonwealth of Australia
conventional short form: Australia |
Currency | Kenyan shilling (KES) | Australian dollar (AUD) |
Death rate | 14.35 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 7.25 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Debt - external | $6.2 billion (2000) | $176.8 billion (2001 est.) |
Dependent areas | - | Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Norfolk Island |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador Johnnie CARSON embassy: US Embassy, Mombasa Road, Nairobi mailing address: P. O. Box 30137, Box 21A, Unit 64100, APO AE 09831 telephone: [254] (2) 537-800 FAX: [254] (2) 537-810 |
chief of mission: Ambassador J. Thomas SCHIEFFER
embassy: Moonah Place, Yarralumla, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2600 mailing address: APO AP 96549 telephone: [61] (02) 6214-5600 FAX: [61] (02) 6214-5970 consulate(s) general: Melbourne, Perth, Sydney |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador Yusuf Abdulraham NZIBO chancery: 2249 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 387-6101 FAX: [1] (202) 462-3829 consulate(s) general: offices in Los Angeles and New York are closed; mission to the UN remains open |
chief of mission: Ambassador Michael J. THAWLEY
chancery: 1601 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 797-3000 FAX: [1] (202) 797-3168 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco |
Disputes - international | administrative boundary with Sudan does not coincide with international boundary | Australia-East Timor-Indonesia are working to resolve maritime boundary and sharing of seabed resources in "Timor Gap"; Australia asserts a territorial claim to Antarctica and to its continental shelf |
Economic aid - donor | - | ODA, $894 million (FY99/00 ) |
Economic aid - recipient | $457 million (1997) | - |
Economy - overview | Kenya is well placed to serve as an engine of growth in East Africa, but its economy has been stagnating because of poor management and uneven commitment to reform. In 1993, the government of Kenya implemented a program of economic liberalization and reform that included the removal of import licensing, price controls, and foreign exchange controls. With the support of the World Bank, IMF, and other donors, the reforms led to a brief turnaround in economic performance following a period of negative growth in the early 1990s. Kenya's real GDP grew 5% in 1995 and 4% in 1996, and inflation remained under control. Growth slowed after 1997, averaging only 1.5% in 1997-2000. In 1997, political violence damaged the tourist industry, and Kenya's Enhanced Structural Adjustment Program lapsed due to the government's failure to maintain reform or address public sector corruption. Severe drought in 1999 and 2000 caused water and energy rationing and reduced agricultural sector productivity. A new economic team was put in place in 1999 to revitalize the reform effort, strengthen the civil service, and curb corruption. The IMF and World Bank renewed their support to Kenya in mid-2000, but a number of setbacks to the economic reform program in late 2000 have renewed donor and private sector concern about the government's commitment to sound governance. Long-term barriers to development include electricity shortages, inefficient government dominance of key sectors, endemic corruption, and high population growth. | Australia has a prosperous Western-style capitalist economy, with a per capita GDP on par with the four dominant West European economies. Rising output in the domestic economy has been offsetting the global slump, and business and consumer confidence remains robust. Canberra's emphasis on reforms is another key factor behind the economy's strength. The stagnant economic conditions in major export partners and the impact of the worst drought in 100 years cast a shadow over prospects for 2003. |
Electricity - consumption | 4.075 billion kWh (1999) | 188.49 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (2000) |
Electricity - imports | 146 million kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production | 4.225 billion kWh (1999) | 202.68 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
31% hydro: 67% nuclear: 0% other: 2% (1999 est.) |
fossil fuel: 90%
hydro: 8% nuclear: 0% other: 2% (2000) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Kenya 5,199 m |
lowest point: Lake Eyre -15 m
highest point: Mount Kosciuszko 2,229 m |
Environment - current issues | water pollution from urban and industrial wastes; degradation of water quality from increased use of pesticides and fertilizers; water hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; poaching | soil erosion from overgrazing, industrial development, urbanization, and poor farming practices; soil salinity rising due to the use of poor quality water; desertification; clearing for agricultural purposes threatens the natural habitat of many unique animal and plant species; the Great Barrier Reef off the northeast coast, the largest coral reef in the world, is threatened by increased shipping and its popularity as a tourist site; limited natural fresh water resources |
Environment - international agreements | party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, 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 |
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
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% | Caucasian 92%, Asian 7%, aboriginal and other 1% |
Exchange rates | Kenyan shillings per US dollar - 78.733 (December 2000), 76.176 (2000), 70.326 (1999), 60.367 (1998), 58.732 (1997), 57.115 (1996) | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.9354 (January 2002), 1.9320 (2001), 1.7173 (2000), 1.5497 (1999), 1.5888 (1998), 1.3439 (1997) |
Executive branch | chief of state:
President Daniel Toroitich arap MOI (since 14 October 1978); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Daniel Toroitich arap MOI (since 14 October 1978); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote from among the members of the National Assembly for a five-year term; in addition to receiving the largest number of votes in absolute terms, the presidential candidate must also win 25% or more of the vote in at least five of Kenya's seven provinces and one area to avoid a runoff; election last held 29 December 1997 (next to be held by early 2003); vice president appointed by the president election results: President Daniel Toroitich arap MOI reelected; percent of vote - Daniel T. arap MOI (KANU) 40.6%, Mwai KIBAKI (DP) 31.5%, Raila ODINGA (NDP) 11.1%, Michael WAMALWA (FORD-K) 8.4%, Charity NGILU (SDP) 7.8% |
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Rt. Rev. Dr. Peter HOLLINGWORTH (since 29 June 2001)
head of government: Prime Minister John Winston HOWARD (since 11 March 1996); Deputy Prime Minister John ANDERSON (since 20 July 1999) cabinet: Cabinet Parliament nominates, from among its members, a list of candidates to serve as government ministers; from this list, the governor general makes the final selections for the Cabinet elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general note: government coalition - Liberal Party and National Party |
Exports | $1.7 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) | $66.3 billion (2002 est.) |
Exports - commodities | tea, coffee, horticultural products, petroleum products, fish, cement | coal, gold, meat, wool, alumina, iron ore, wheat, machinery and transport equipment |
Exports - partners | Uganda 18%, UK 15%, Tanzania 12%, Pakistan 8% (1999) | Developing countries 45.6%, Japan 19.7%, ASEAN 13.3%, EU 11.7%, US 9.7% (2001) |
Fiscal year | 1 July - 30 June | 1 July - 30 June |
Flag description | three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green; the red band is edged in white; a large warrior's shield covering crossed spears is superimposed at the center | blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and a large seven-pointed star in the lower hoist-side quadrant; the remaining half is a representation of the Southern Cross constellation in white with one small five-pointed star and four, larger, seven-pointed stars |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $45.6 billion (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $528 billion (2002 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
25% industry: 13% services: 62% (1999 est.) |
agriculture: 3%
industry: 26% services: 71% (2001 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $1,500 (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $27,000 (2002 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 0.4% (2000 est.) | 3.6% (2002 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 1 00 N, 38 00 E | 27 00 S, 133 00 E |
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 | world's smallest continent but sixth-largest country; population concentrated along the eastern and southeastern coasts; regular, tropical, invigorating, sea breeze known as "the Doctor" occurs along the west coast in the summer |
Highways | total:
63,800 km paved: 8,868 km unpaved: 54,932 km (1996) |
total: 913,000 km
paved: 353,331 km (including 1,363 km of expressways) unpaved: 559,669 km (1996) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
1.8% highest 10%: 34.9% (1994) |
lowest 10%: 2%
highest 10%: 25% (1994) |
Illicit drugs | widespread harvesting of small plots of marijuana; transit country for South Asian heroin destined for Europe and North America; Indian methaqualone also transits on way to South Africa | Tasmania is one of the world's major suppliers of licit opiate products; government maintains strict controls over areas of opium poppy cultivation and output of poppy straw concentrate |
Imports | $3 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) | $68 billion (2002 est.) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and transportation equipment, petroleum products, iron and steel | machinery and transport equipment, computers and office machines, telecommunication equipment and parts; crude oil and petroleum products |
Imports - partners | UK 12%, UAE 8%, Japan 8%, US 7% (1999) | Developing countries 31.7%, EU 21.6%, US 18.9%, ASEAN 14.8%, Japan 13.0% (2001) |
Independence | 12 December 1963 (from UK) | 1 January 1901 (federation of UK colonies) |
Industrial production growth rate | 0.5% (2000 est.) | 4.3% (2002 est.) |
Industries | small-scale consumer goods (plastic, furniture, batteries, textiles, soap, cigarettes, flour), agricultural products processing; oil refining, cement; tourism | mining, industrial and transportation equipment, food processing, chemicals, steel |
Infant mortality rate | 67.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | 4.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 7% (2000 est.) | 2.8% (2002 est.) |
International organization participation | ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, EADB, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNTAET, UNU, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO | ANZUS, APEC, ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CCC, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OECD, OPCW, PCA, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNMEE, UNTAET, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 5 (2000) | 571 (2002) |
Irrigated land | 660 sq km (1993 est.) | 24,000 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Court of Appeal (chief justice is appointed by the president); High Court | High Court (the chief justice and six other justices are appointed by the governor general) |
Labor force | 9.2 million (1998 est.) | 9.2 million (December 2001 ) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 75%-80% | services 73%, industry 22%, agriculture 5% (1997 est.) |
Land boundaries | total:
3,446 km border countries: Ethiopia 830 km, Somalia 682 km, Sudan 232 km, Tanzania 769 km, Uganda 933 km |
0 km |
Land use | arable land:
7% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 37% forests and woodland: 30% other: 25% (1993 est.) |
arable land: 6.88%
permanent crops: 0.03% other: 93.09% (1998 est.) |
Languages | English (official), Kiswahili (official), numerous indigenous languages | English, native languages |
Legal system | based on English common law, tribal law, and Islamic law; judicial review in High Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations; constitutional amendment of 1982 making Kenya a de jure one-party state repealed in 1991 | based on English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations |
Legislative branch | unicameral National Assembly or Bunge (222 seats; 210 members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms, 12 so-called "nominated" members who are appointed by the president, but selected by the parties in proportion to their parliamentary vote totals)
elections: last held 29 December 1997 (next to be held by early 2003) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - KANU 107, FORD-A 1, FORD-K 17, FORD-People 3, DP 39, NDP 21, SDP 15, SAFINA 5, smaller parties 2; seats appointed by the president - KANU 6, FORD-K 1, DP 2, SDP 1, NDP 1, SAFINA 1 |
bicameral Federal Parliament consists of the Senate (76 seats - 12 from each of the six states and two from each of the two mainland territories; one-half of the members elected every three years by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives (150 seats - this is up from 148 seats in 2001 election; members elected by popular vote on the basis of preferential representation to serve three-year terms; no state can have fewer than five representatives)
elections: Senate - last held 10 November 2001 (next to be held by November 2004); House of Representatives - last held 10 November 2001 (next to be held by November 2004) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Liberal Party-National Party coalition 35, Australian Labor Party 28, Australian Democrats 8, Green Party 2, One Nation Party 1, Country Labor Party 1, independent 1; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Liberal Party-National Party coalition 82, Australian Labor Party 65, independent and other 3 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
47.49 years male: 46.57 years female: 48.44 years (2001 est.) |
total population: 80 years
male: 77.15 years female: 83 years (2002 est.) |
Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 78.1% male: 86.3% female: 70% (1995 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (1980 est.) |
Location | Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Somalia and Tanzania | Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean |
Map references | Africa | Oceania |
Maritime claims | continental shelf:
200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
contiguous zone: 24 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | total:
2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,893 GRT/6,255 DWT ships by type: petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 1 (2000 est.) |
total: 55 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,469,362 GRT/1,869,262 DWT
ships by type: bulk 26, cargo 5, chemical tanker 4, container 1, liquefied gas 4, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 7, roll on/roll off 6, includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: France 2, United Kingdom 2, United States 14 (2002 est.) |
Military branches | Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary General Service Unit of the Police | Royal Australian Army, Royal Australian Navy, Royal Australian Air Force |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $197 million (FY98/99) | $9.3 billion (FY01/02 est.) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.9% (FY98/99) | 2% (FY01/02) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49:
7,712,402 (2001 est.) |
males age 15-49: 5,013,406 (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49:
4,774,889 (2001 est.) |
males age 15-49: 4,321,387 (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | - | 17 years of age (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | - | males: 142,686 (2002 est.) |
National holiday | Independence Day, 12 December (1963) | Australia Day, 26 January (1788) |
Nationality | noun:
Kenyan(s) adjective: Kenyan |
noun: Australian(s)
adjective: Australian |
Natural hazards | recurring drought in northern and eastern regions; flooding during rainy seasons | cyclones along the coast; severe droughts; forest fires |
Natural resources | gold, limestone, soda ash, salt barites, rubies, fluorspar, garnets, wildlife, hydropower | bauxite, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, gold, silver, uranium, nickel, tungsten, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds, natural gas, petroleum |
Net migration rate | -1.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
note: according to UNHCR, by the end of 1999 Kenya was host to 223,700 refugees from neighboring countries, including: Somalia 141,000 and Sudan 64,250 |
4.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Pipelines | petroleum products 483 km | crude oil 2,500 km; petroleum products 500 km; natural gas 5,600 km |
Political parties and leaders | Democratic Party of Kenya or DP [Mwai KIBAKI]; Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-Asili or FORD-A [Martin SHIKUKU, secretary general]; Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-Kenya or FORD-K [Michael Kijana WAMALWA]; Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-People or FORD-People [Kimaniwa NYOIKE, chairman]; Kenya African National Union or KANU [President Daniel Toroitich arap MOI] - the governing party; National Development Party or NDP [Raila ODINGA, president]; SAFINA [Farah MAALIM, chairman]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Dr. Apollo NJONJO, secretary general and Justus NYANG'AYA, chairman] | Australian Democrats [Andrew BARTLETT]; Australian Labor Party [Simon CREAN]; Country Labor Party [leader NA]; Australian Greens [Bob BROWN]; Liberal Party [John Winston HOWARD]; National Party [John ANDERSON]; One Nation Party [Pauline HANSON] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | human rights groups; labor unions; Muslim organizations; National Convention Executive Council or NCEC, a proreform coalition of political parties and nongovernment organizations [Kivutha KIBWANA]; Protestant National Council of Churches of Kenya or NCCK [Mutava MUSYIMI]; Roman Catholic and other Christian churches; Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims or SUPKEM [Shaykh Abdul Gafur al-BUSAIDY, chairman] | Australian Monarchist League [leader NA]; Australian Republican Movement [leader NA] |
Population | 30,765,916
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2001 est.) |
19,546,792 (July 2002 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 42% (1992 est.) | NA% |
Population growth rate | 1.27% (2001 est.) | 0.96% (2002 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Kisumu, Lamu, Mombasa | Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Devonport (Tasmania), Fremantle, Geelong, Hobart (Tasmania), Launceston (Tasmania), Mackay, Melbourne, Sydney, Townsville |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 24, FM 8, shortwave 6 (1999) | AM 262, FM 345, shortwave 1 (1998) |
Radios | 3.07 million (1997) | 25.5 million (1997) |
Railways | total:
2,778 km narrow gauge: 2,778 km 1.000-m gauge note: the line connecting Nairobi with the port of Mombasa is the most important in the country |
total: 33,819 km (2,540 km electrified)
broad gauge: 3,719 km 1.600-m gauge standard gauge: 15,422 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 14,506 km 1.067-m gauge dual gauge: 172 km NA gauges (1999 est.) |
Religions | Protestant 38%, Roman Catholic 28%, indigenous beliefs 26%, Muslim 7%, other 1%
note: a large majority of Kenyans are Christian, but estimates for the percentage of the population that adheres to Islam or indigenous beliefs vary widely |
Anglican 26.1%, Roman Catholic 26%, other Christian 24.3%, non-Christian 11%, other 12.6% |
Sex ratio | at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory |
Telephone system | general assessment:
unreliable; little attempt to modernize except for service to business domestic: trunks are primarily microwave radio relay; business data commonly transferred by a very small aperture terminal (VSAT) system international: satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat |
general assessment: excellent domestic and international service
domestic: domestic satellite system; much use of radiotelephone in areas of low population density; rapid growth of mobile cellular telephones international: submarine cables to New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia; satellite earth stations - 10 Intelsat (4 Indian Ocean and 6 Pacific Ocean), 2 Inmarsat (Indian and Pacific Ocean regions) (1998) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 290,000 (1998) | 10.05 million (2000) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 5,345 (1997) | 8.6 million (2000) |
Television broadcast stations | 8 (1997) | 104 (1997) |
Terrain | low plains rise to central highlands bisected by Great Rift Valley; fertile plateau in west | mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast |
Total fertility rate | 3.5 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 1.77 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 50% (1998 est.) | 6.3% (2002) |
Waterways | NA
note: part of the Lake Victoria system is within the boundaries of Kenya |
8,368 km (mainly used by small, shallow-draft craft) |