Kenya (2001) | Moldova (2002) | |
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Administrative divisions | 7 provinces and 1 area*; Central, Coast, Eastern, Nairobi Area*, North Eastern, Nyanza, Rift Valley, Western | 9 counties (judetele, singular - judetul), 1 municipality* (municipiul), 1 autonomous territorial unit** (unitate teritoriala autonoma), and 1 territorial unit*** (unitate teritoriala); Balti, Cahul, Chisinau, Chisinau*, Edinet, Gagauzia**, Lapusna, Orhei, Soroca, Stinga Nistrului***, Tighina, Ungheni |
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: 21.7% (male 490,414; female 472,912)
15-64 years: 68.2% (male 1,451,962; female 1,572,561) 65 years and over: 10.1% (male 165,860; female 280,838) (2002 est.) |
Agriculture - products | coffee, tea, corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruit, vegetables; dairy products, beef, pork, poultry, eggs | vegetables, fruits, wine, grain, sugar beets, sunflower seed, tobacco; beef, milk |
Airports | 230 (2000 est.) | 30 (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: 7
over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (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: 23
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 14 (2002) |
Area | total:
582,650 sq km land: 569,250 sq km water: 13,400 sq km |
total: 33,843 sq km
land: 33,371 sq km water: 472 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly more than twice the size of Nevada | slightly larger than Maryland |
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. | Formerly ruled by Romania, Moldova became part of the Soviet Union at the close of World War II. Although independent from the USSR since 1991, Russian forces have remained on Moldovan territory east of the Dniester River supporting the Slavic majority population, mostly Ukrainians and Russians, who have proclaimed a "Transnistria" republic. One of the poorest nations in Europe, Moldova became the first former Soviet state to elect a Communist as its president in 2001. |
Birth rate | 28.5 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 13.82 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$2.91 billion expenditures: $2.97 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) |
revenues: $536 million
expenditures: $594 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.) |
Capital | Nairobi | Chisinau |
Climate | varies from tropical along coast to arid in interior | moderate winters, warm summers |
Coastline | 536 km | 0 km (landlocked) |
Constitution | 12 December 1963, amended as a republic 1964; reissued with amendments 1979, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1992, and 1997 | new constitution adopted 28 July 1994; replaces old Soviet constitution of 1979 |
Country name | conventional long form:
Republic of Kenya conventional short form: Kenya former: British East Africa |
conventional long form: Republic of Moldova
conventional short form: Moldova local long form: Republica Moldova local short form: none former: Soviet Socialist Republic of Moldova; Moldavia |
Currency | Kenyan shilling (KES) | Moldovan leu (MDL) |
Death rate | 14.35 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 12.64 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Debt - external | $6.2 billion (2000) | $1.3 billion (2002) |
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 Pamela Hyde SMITH
embassy: 103 Mateevici Street, Chisinau MD-2009 mailing address: use embassy street address; pouch address - American Embassy Chisinau, Department of State, Washington, DC 20521-7080 telephone: [373] (2) 23-37-72 FAX: [373] (2) 23-30-44 |
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 Mihai MANOLI
chancery: 2101 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 667-1130 FAX: [1] (202) 667-1204 |
Disputes - international | administrative boundary with Sudan does not coincide with international boundary | Moldovan difficulties with break-away Transnistria region inhibit establishment of a joint customs regime with Ukraine to curtail smuggling, arms transfers, and other illegal activities |
Economic aid - recipient | $457 million (1997) | $100 million (2000) |
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. | Moldova enjoys a favorable climate and good farmland but has no major mineral deposits. As a result, the economy depends heavily on agriculture, featuring fruits, vegetables, wine, and tobacco. Moldova must import all of its supplies of oil, coal, and natural gas, largely from Russia. Energy shortages contributed to sharp production declines after the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991. As part of an ambitious reform effort, Moldova introduced a convertible currency, freed all prices, stopped issuing preferential credits to state enterprises, backed steady land privatization, removed export controls, and freed interest rates. The government entered into agreements with the World Bank and the IMF to promote growth and reduce poverty. The economy returned to positive growth, of 2.1% in 2000 and 6.1% in 2001. Growth remained strong in 2002, in part because of the reforms and because of starting from a small base. Further reforms are in doubt because of strong political forces backing government controls. The economy remains vulnerable to higher fuel prices, poor agricultural weather, and the scepticism of foreign investors. |
Electricity - consumption | 4.075 billion kWh (1999) | 3.655 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) | 630 million kWh (2000) |
Electricity - imports | 146 million kWh (1999) | 1.2 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production | 4.225 billion kWh (1999) | 3.317 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
31% hydro: 67% nuclear: 0% other: 2% (1999 est.) |
fossil fuel: 90%
hydro: 10% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Kenya 5,199 m |
lowest point: Dniester River 2 m
highest point: Dealul Balanesti 430 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 | heavy use of agricultural chemicals, including banned pesticides such as DDT, has contaminated soil and groundwater; extensive soil erosion from poor farming methods |
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: Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants |
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% | Moldovan/Romanian 64.5%, Ukrainian 13.8%, Russian 13%, Jewish 1.5%, Bulgarian 2%, Gagauz and other 5.2% (1989 est.)
note: internal disputes with ethnic Slavs in the Transnistrian region |
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) | lei per US dollar - 12.8579 (October 2001), 12.4342 (2000), 10.5158 (1999), 5.3707 (1998), 4.6236 (1997); note - lei is the plural form of leu |
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: President Vladimir VORONIN (since 4 April 2001)
head of government: Prime Minister Vasile TARLEV (since 15 April 2001), First Deputy Prime Minister Vasile IOVV (since NA 2002), Deputy Prime Minister Stefan ODAGIU (since NA 2002) cabinet: selected by prime minister, subject to approval of Parliament elections: president elected by Parliament for a four-year term; election last held 4 April 2001 (next to be held NA 2005); note - presidential elections were scheduled for December 2000, but in July 2000, Parliament canceled direct, popular elections; Parliament's failure to chose a new president in December 2000 led to early parliamentary elections in February 2001; prime minister designated by the president, upon consultation with Parliament; note - within 15 days from designation, the prime minister-designate must request a vote of confidence from the Parliament regarding his/her work program and entire cabinet; prime minister designated 15 April 2001, cabinet received a vote of confidence 19 April 2001 election results: Vladimir VORONIN elected president; parliamentary votes - Vladimir VORONIN 71, Dumitru BRAGHIS 15, Valerian CHRISTEA 3; Vasile TARLEV designated prime minister; parliamentary votes of confidence - 75 of 101 |
Exports | $1.7 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) | $590 million f.o.b. (2002 est.) |
Exports - commodities | tea, coffee, horticultural products, petroleum products, fish, cement | foodstuffs, textiles, and machinery (2001) |
Exports - partners | Uganda 18%, UK 15%, Tanzania 12%, Pakistan 8% (1999) | Russia 43%, Ukraine 10.1%, Italy 8.1%, Germany 7.2%, Romania 6.7% (2001) |
Fiscal year | 1 July - 30 June | calendar year |
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 | same color scheme as Romania - three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), yellow, and red; emblem in center of flag is of a Roman eagle of gold outlined in black with a red beak and talons carrying a yellow cross in its beak and a green olive branch in its right talons and a yellow scepter in its left talons; on its breast is a shield divided horizontally red over blue with a stylized ox head, star, rose, and crescent all in black-outlined yellow |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $45.6 billion (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $11 billion (2002 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
25% industry: 13% services: 62% (1999 est.) |
agriculture: 28%
industry: 23% services: 49% (2000) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $1,500 (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $3,000 (2002 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 0.4% (2000 est.) | 4% (2002 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 1 00 N, 38 00 E | 47 00 N, 29 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 | landlocked; well endowed with various sedimentary rocks and minerals including sand, gravel, gypsum, and limestone |
Highways | total:
63,800 km paved: 8,868 km unpaved: 54,932 km (1996) |
total: 20,000 km
paved: 13,900 km (includes some all-weather gravel-surfaced roads) unpaved: 6,100 km (these roads are made of unstabilized earth and are difficult to negotiate in wet weather) (1990) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
1.8% highest 10%: 34.9% (1994) |
lowest 10%: 2%
highest 10%: 31% (1997) |
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 | limited cultivation of opium poppy and cannabis, mostly for CIS consumption; transshipment point for illicit drugs from Southwest Asia via Central Asia to Russia, Western Europe, and possibly the US; widespread crime and underground economic activity |
Imports | $3 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) | $980 million f.o.b. (2002 est.) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and transportation equipment, petroleum products, iron and steel | mineral products and fuel 32%, machinery and equipment, chemicals, textiles (2000) |
Imports - partners | UK 12%, UAE 8%, Japan 8%, US 7% (1999) | Ukraine 18%, Russia 15.1%, Romania 13.1%, Germany 10.5%, Italy 6.4% (2001) |
Independence | 12 December 1963 (from UK) | 27 August 1991 (from Soviet Union) |
Industrial production growth rate | 0.5% (2000 est.) | 9% (2002 est.) |
Industries | small-scale consumer goods (plastic, furniture, batteries, textiles, soap, cigarettes, flour), agricultural products processing; oil refining, cement; tourism | food processing, agricultural machinery, foundry equipment, refrigerators and freezers, washing machines, hosiery, sugar, vegetable oil, shoes, textiles |
Infant mortality rate | 67.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | 42.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 7% (2000 est.) | 5.5% (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 | ACCT, BIS, BSEC, CCC, CE, CEI, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 5 (2000) | 2 (1999) |
Irrigated land | 660 sq km (1993 est.) | 3,070 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Court of Appeal (chief justice is appointed by the president); High Court | Supreme Court; Constitutional Court (the sole authority for constitutional judicature) |
Labor force | 9.2 million (1998 est.) | 1.7 million (1998) (1998) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 75%-80% | agriculture 40%, industry 14%, services 46% (1998) (1998) |
Land boundaries | total:
3,446 km border countries: Ethiopia 830 km, Somalia 682 km, Sudan 232 km, Tanzania 769 km, Uganda 933 km |
total: 1,389 km
border countries: Romania 450 km, Ukraine 939 km |
Land use | arable land:
7% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 37% forests and woodland: 30% other: 25% (1993 est.) |
arable land: 54.08%
permanent crops: 12.1% other: 33.82% (1998 est.) |
Languages | English (official), Kiswahili (official), numerous indigenous languages | Moldovan (official, virtually the same as the Romanian language), Russian (official), Gagauz (a Turkish dialect) |
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 civil law system; Constitutional Court reviews legality of legislative acts and governmental decisions of resolution; it is unclear if Moldova accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction but accepts many UN and Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) documents |
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 |
unicameral Parliament or Parlamentul (101 seats; parties and electoral blocs, as well as independent candidates, elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 25 February 2001 (next to be held NA 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - PCM 50.1%, Braghis Alliance 13.4%, PPCD 8.2%, other parties 28.3%; seats by party - PCM 71, Braghis Alliance 19, PPCD 11 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
47.49 years male: 46.57 years female: 48.44 years (2001 est.) |
total population: 64.74 years
male: 60.39 years female: 69.31 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: 96% male: 99% female: 94% (1989 est.) |
Location | Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Somalia and Tanzania | Eastern Europe, northeast of Romania |
Map references | Africa | Europe |
Maritime claims | continental shelf:
200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
none (landlocked) |
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.) |
- |
Military branches | Army, Navy, Air Force, paramilitary General Service Unit of the Police | Ground Forces (includes Air and Air Defense Forces), Republic Security Forces (includes paramilitary Internal Troops and Border Troops) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $197 million (FY98/99) | $6 million (FY01) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.9% (FY98/99) | 0.4% (FY01) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49:
7,712,402 (2001 est.) |
males age 15-49: 1,172,714 (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49:
4,774,889 (2001 est.) |
males age 15-49: 929,316 (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | - | 18 years of age (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | - | males: 42,268 (2002 est.) |
National holiday | Independence Day, 12 December (1963) | Independence Day, 27 August (1991) |
Nationality | noun:
Kenyan(s) adjective: Kenyan |
noun: Moldovan(s)
adjective: Moldovan |
Natural hazards | recurring drought in northern and eastern regions; flooding during rainy seasons | landslides (57 cases in 1998) |
Natural resources | gold, limestone, soda ash, salt barites, rubies, fluorspar, garnets, wildlife, hydropower | lignite, phosphorites, gypsum, arable land, limestone |
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 |
-0.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Pipelines | petroleum products 483 km | natural gas 310 km (1992) |
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] | Braghis Alliance [Dumitru BRAGHIS]; Communist Party or PCM [Vladimir VORONIN, first chairman]; Popular Christian Democratic Party or PPCD [Iurie ROSCA]; Social Democratic Union (composed of Braghis Alliance and the Democratic Party of Moldova) [leader NA] |
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] | 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.) |
4,434,547 (July 2002 est.) |
Population below poverty line | 42% (1992 est.) | 80% (2001 est.) |
Population growth rate | 1.27% (2001 est.) | 0.09% (2002 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Kisumu, Lamu, Mombasa | none |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 24, FM 8, shortwave 6 (1999) | AM 7, FM 50, shortwave 3 (1998) |
Radios | 3.07 million (1997) | 3.22 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: 1,328 km
broad gauge: 1,328 km 1.520-m gauge (2001) |
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 |
Eastern Orthodox 98%, Jewish 1.5%, Baptist and other 0.5% (2000) |
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: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.59 male(s)/female total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
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: inadequate, outmoded, poor service outside Chisinau, some effort to modernize is under way
domestic: new subscribers face long wait for service; mobile cellular telephone service being introduced international: service through Romania and Russia via landline; satellite earth stations - Intelsat, Eutelsat, and Intersputnik |
Telephones - main lines in use | 290,000 (1998) | 627,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 5,345 (1997) | 2,200 (1997) |
Television broadcast stations | 8 (1997) | 1 (plus 30 repeaters) (1995) |
Terrain | low plains rise to central highlands bisected by Great Rift Valley; fertile plateau in west | rolling steppe, gradual slope south to Black Sea |
Total fertility rate | 3.5 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 1.71 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 50% (1998 est.) | 8% (roughly 25% of working age Moldovans are employed abroad) (2002 est.) |
Waterways | NA
note: part of the Lake Victoria system is within the boundaries of Kenya |
424 km (1994) |