Part 112

Chapter 1123,683 wordsPublic domain

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

Languages:

English (official), Kiswahili (official), numerous indigenous languages

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 85.1%

male: 90.6%

female: 79.7% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 10 years

male: 10 years

female: 9 years (2005)

Education expenditures:

7% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 21

Government ::Kenya

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Kenya

conventional short form: Kenya

local long form: Republic of Kenya/Jamhuri ya Kenya

local short form: Kenya

former: British East Africa

Government type:

republic

Capital:

geographic coordinates: 1 17 S, 36 49 E

time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

7 provinces and 1 area*; Central, Coast, Eastern, Nairobi Area*, North Eastern, Nyanza, Rift Valley, Western

Independence:

12 December 1963 (from the UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 12 December (1963)

Constitution:

27 August 2010; the new constitution abolishes the position of prime minister and establishes a bicameral legislature; many details have yet to be finalized and will require significant legislative action

Legal system:

based on Kenyan statutory law, Kenyan and 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compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; constitutional amendment of 1982 making Kenya a de jure one-party state repealed in 1991

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state: President Mwai KIBAKI (since 30 December 2002); Vice President Stephen Kalonzo MUSYOKA (since 10 January 2008);

head of government: President Mwai KIBAKI (since 30 December 2002); Vice President Stephen Kalonzo MUSYOKA (since 10 January 2008); note - the roles of the president and prime minister are not well defined at this juncture; constitutionally, the president remains chief of state and head of government, but the prime minister is charged with coordinating government business

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president and headed by the prime minister, who is the leader of the largest party in parliament (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second 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 on 27 December 2007 (next to be held in December 2012); vice president appointed by the president

election results: President Mwai KIBAKI reelected; percent of vote - Mwai KIBAKI 46%, Raila ODINGA 44%, Kalonzo MUSYOKA 9%

Legislative branch:

unicameral National Assembly or Bunge usually referred to as Parliament (224 seats; 210 members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms, 12 nominated members appointed by the president but selected by the parties in proportion to their parliamentary vote totals, 2 ex-officio members)

elections: last held on 27 December 2007 (next to be held in December 2012)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - ODM 99, PNU 46, ODM-K 16, KANU 14 other 35; ex-officio 2; seats appointed by the president - ODM 6, PNU 3, ODM-K 2, KANU 1

Judicial branch:

Court of Appeal (chief justice is appointed by the president); High Court

Political parties and leaders:

Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-Kenya or FORD-Kenya [Musikari KOMBO]; Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-People or FORD-People [Reuben OYONDI]; Kenya African National Union or KANU [Uhuru KENYATTA]; National Rainbow Coalition-Kenya or NARC-Kenya [Martha KARUA]; Orange Democratic Movement or ODM [Raila ODINGA]; Orange Democratic Movement-Kenya or ODM-K [Kalonzo MUSYOKA]; Party of National Unity or PNU [Mwai KIBAKI]; Shirikisho Party of Kenya or SPK [Chirau Ali MWAKWERE]

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Council of Islamic Preachers of Kenya or CIPK [Sheikh Idris MOHAMMED]; Kenya Human Rights Commission [L. Muthoni WANYEKI]; Muslim Human Rights Forum [Ali-Amin KIMATHI]; National Convention Executive Council or NCEC, a proreform coalition of political parties and nongovernment organizations [Ndung'u WAINANA]; National Muslim Leaders Forum or NAMLEF [Abdullahi ABDI]; Protestant National Council of Churches of Kenya or NCCK [Canon Peter Karanja MWANGI]; Roman Catholic and other Christian churches; Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims or SUPKEM [Shaykh Abdul Gafur al-BUSAIDY]

other: labor unions

International organization participation:

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, COMESA, EAC, EADB, FAO, G-15, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Elkanah Odembo ABSALOM

chancery: 2249 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 387-6101

FAX: [1] (202) 462-3829

consulate(s) general: Los Angeles

consulate(s): New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Michael E. RANNEBERGER

embassy: US Embassy, United Nations Avenue, Nairobi; P. O. Box 606 Village Market, Nairobi 00621

mailing address: Box 21A, Unit 64100, APO AE 09831

telephone: [254] (20) 363-6000

FAX: [254] (20) 363-410

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green; the red band is edged in white; a large Maasai warrior's shield covering crossed spears is superimposed at the center; black symbolizes the majority population, red the blood shed in the struggle for freedom, green stands for natural wealth, and white for peace; the shield and crossed spears symbolize the defense of freedom

National anthem:

lyrics/music: Graham HYSLOP, Thomas KALUME, Peter KIBUKOSYA, Washington OMONDI, and George W. SENOGA-ZAKE/traditional, adapted by Graham HYSLOP, Thomas KALUME, Peter KIBUKOSYA, Washington OMONDI, and George W. SENOGA-ZAKE

note: adopted 1963; the anthem is based on a traditional Kenyan folk song

Economy ::Kenya

Economy - overview:

Although the regional hub for trade and finance in East Africa, Kenya has been hampered by corruption and by reliance upon several primary goods whose prices have remained low. In 1997, the IMF suspended Kenya's Enhanced Structural Adjustment Program due to the government's failure to maintain reforms and curb corruption. The IMF, which had resumed loans in 2000 to help Kenya through a drought, again halted lending in 2001 when the government failed to institute several anticorruption measures. In the key December 2002 elections, Daniel Arap MOI's 24-year-old reign ended, and a new opposition government took on the formidable economic problems facing the nation. After some early progress in rooting out corruption and encouraging donor support, the KIBAKI government was rocked by high-level graft scandals in 2005 and 2006. In 2006, the World Bank and IMF delayed loans pending action by the government on corruption. The international financial institutions and donors have since resumed lending, despite little action on the government's part to deal with corruption. Post-election violence in early 2008, coupled with the effects of the global financial crisis on remittance and exports, reduced GDP growth to 1.7 in 2008, but the economy rebounded in 2009-10.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$65.95 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 82 $63.42 billion (2009 est.)

$61.78 billion (2008 est.)

note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP (official exchange rate):

$32.42 billion (2010 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

4% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 81 2.6% (2009 est.)

1.7% (2008 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$1,600 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 200 $1,600 (2009 est.)

$1,600 (2008 est.)

note: data are in 2010 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 22%

industry: 16%

services: 62% (2010 est.)

Labor force:

17.94 million (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 33

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: 75%

industry and services: 25% (2007 est.)

Unemployment rate:

40% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 187 40% (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line:

50% (2000 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 1.8%

highest 10%: 37.8% (2005)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:

42.5 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 51 44.9 (1997)

Investment (gross fixed):

21.3% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 71

Public debt:

50.9% of GDP (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 49 46.3% of GDP (2009 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):

4.2% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 126 9.3% (2009 est.)

Central bank discount rate:

NA%

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

14.8% (31 December 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 54 14.02% (31 December 2008 est.)

Stock of narrow money:

$6.333 billion (31 December 2010 est) country comparison to the world: 81 $5.717 billion (31 December 2009 est)

Stock of broad money:

$15.38 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 89 $13.5 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of domestic credit:

$14.11 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 87 $13.17 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$10.76 billion (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 66 $10.92 billion (31 December 2008)

$13.39 billion (31 December 2007)

Agriculture - products:

tea, coffee, corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruit, vegetables; dairy products, beef, pork, poultry, eggs

Industries:

small-scale consumer goods (plastic, furniture, batteries, textiles, clothing, soap, cigarettes, flour), agricultural products, horticulture, oil refining; aluminum, steel, lead; cement, commercial ship repair, tourism

Industrial production growth rate:

4% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 84

Electricity - production:

5.223 billion kWh (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 113

Electricity - consumption:

4.863 billion kWh (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 108

Electricity - exports:

58.3 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports:

22.5 million kWh (2007 est.)

Oil - production:

0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 160

Oil - consumption:

76,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 88

Oil - exports:

7,270 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 98

Oil - imports:

80,530 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 72

Oil - proved reserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 165

Natural gas - production:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 172

Natural gas - consumption:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 126

Natural gas - exports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 82

Natural gas - imports:

0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 157

Natural gas - proved reserves:

0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 159

Current account balance:

-$1.414 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 148 -$1.611 billion (2009 est.)

Exports:

$5.141 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 108 $4.459 billion (2009 est.)

Exports - commodities:

tea, horticultural products, coffee, petroleum products, fish, cement

Exports - partners:

UK 11.31%, Netherlands 9.81%, Uganda 9.07%, Tanzania 8.83%, US 5.93%, Pakistan 5.63% (2009)

Imports:

$10.4 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 87 $9.715 billion (2009 est.)

Imports - commodities:

machinery and transportation equipment, petroleum products, motor vehicles, iron and steel, resins and plastics

Imports - partners:

India 11.67%, China 10.58%, UAE 9.32%, South Africa 8.36%, Saudi Arabia 6.53%, US 6.25%, Japan 5.1% (2009)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$4.585 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 68 $3.85 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Debt - external:

$7.935 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 92 $7.795 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:

$2.337 billion (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 85 $2.129 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:

$338 million (31 December 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 76 $288 million (31 December 2009 est.)

Exchange rates:

Kenyan shillings (KES) per US dollar - 79.217 (2010), 77.35 (2009), 68.358 (2008), 68.309 (2007), 72.101 (2006)

Communications ::Kenya

Telephones - main lines in use:

664,100 (2009) country comparison to the world: 90

Telephones - mobile cellular:

19.365 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 41

Telephone system:

general assessment: inadequate; fixed-line telephone system is small and inefficient; trunks are primarily microwave radio relay; business data commonly transferred by a very small aperture terminal (VSAT) system

domestic: sole fixed-line provider, Telkom Kenya, is slated for privatization; multiple providers in the mobile-cellular segment of the market fostering a boom in mobile-cellular telephone usage with teledensity reaching 50 per 100 persons in 2009

international: country code - 254; The East Africa Marine System (TEAMS) and the SEACOM undersea fiber-optic cable systems; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat

Broadcast media:

about a half-dozen privately-owned TV stations and a state-owned television broadcaster that operates 2 channels; satellite and cable TV subscription services are available; state-owned radio broadcaster operates 2 national radio channels and provides regional and local radio services in multiple languages; a large number of private radio broadcasters, including provincial stations broadcasting in local languages; transmissions of several international broadcasters are available (2007)

Internet country code:

.ke

Internet hosts:

47,676 (2010) country comparison to the world: 90

Internet users:

3.996 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 59

Transportation ::Kenya

Airports:

191 (2010) country comparison to the world: 33

Airports - with paved runways:

total: 17

over 3,047 m: 4

2,438 to 3,047 m: 2

1,524 to 2,437 m: 4

914 to 1,523 m: 6

under 914 m: 1 (2010)

Airports - with unpaved runways:

total: 174

1,524 to 2,437 m: 12

914 to 1,523 m: 107

under 914 m: 55 (2010)

Pipelines:

oil 4 km; refined products 928 km (2009)

Railways:

total: 2,778 km country comparison to the world: 60 narrow gauge: 2,778 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Roadways:

total: 160,886 km country comparison to the world: 32 paved: 11,197 km

unpaved: 149,689 km (2008)

Waterways:

the only significant inland waterway in the country is the part of Lake Victoria within the boundaries of Kenya; Kisumu is the main port and has ferry connections to Uganda and Tanzania (2010)

Merchant marine:

total: 1 country comparison to the world: 150 by type: petroleum tanker 1

registered in other countries: 5 (Comoros 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2, Tuvalu 1, unknown 1) (2010)

Ports and terminals:

Kisumu, Mombasa

Military ::Kenya

Military branches:

Kenya Armed Forces: Kenya Army, Kenya Navy, Kenya Air Force (2010)

Military service age and obligation:

18-26 years of age for voluntary service (less than 18 with parental consent), with a 9-year obligation (7 years for Kenyan Navy); applicants must be Kenyan citizens and provide a national identity card (obtained at age 18) and a school-leaving certificate (2010)

Manpower available for military service:

males age 16-49: 9,525,556

females age 16-49: 9,242,381 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:

males age 16-49: 6,162,904

females age 16-49: 5,904,173 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:

male: 417,061

female: 412,438 (2010 est.)

Military expenditures:

2.8% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 51

Transnational Issues ::Kenya

Disputes - international:

Kenya served as an important mediator in brokering Sudan's north-south separation in February 2005; Kenya provides shelter to almost a quarter of a million refugees, including Ugandans who flee across the border periodically to seek protection from Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebels; Kenya works hard to prevent the clan and militia fighting in Somalia from spreading across the border, which has long been open to nomadic pastoralists; the boundary that separates Kenya's and Sudan's sovereignty is unclear in the "Ilemi Triangle," which Kenya has administered since colonial times

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

refugees (country of origin): 173,702 (Somalia); 73,004 (Sudan); 16,428 (Ethiopia)

IDPs: 250,000-400,000 (2007 post-election violence; KANU attacks on opposition tribal groups in 1990s) (2007)

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; significant potential for money-laundering activity given the country's status as a regional financial center; massive corruption, and relatively high levels of narcotics-associated activities

page last updated on January 20, 2011

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@Kiribati (Australia-Oceania)

Introduction ::Kiribati

Background:

The Gilbert Islands became a British protectorate in 1892 and a colony in 1915; they were captured by the Japanese in the Pacific War in 1941. The islands of Makin and Tarawa were the sites of major US amphibious victories over entrenched Japanese garrisons in 1943. The Gilbert Islands were granted self-rule by the UK in 1971 and complete independence in 1979 under the new name of Kiribati. The US relinquished all claims to the sparsely inhabited Phoenix and Line Island groups in a 1979 treaty of friendship with Kiribati.

Geography ::Kiribati

Location:

Oceania, group of 33 coral atolls in the Pacific Ocean, straddling the Equator; the capital Tarawa is about half way between Hawaii and Australia; note - on 1 January 1995, Kiribati proclaimed that all of its territory was in the same time zone as its Gilbert Islands group (UTC +12) even though the Phoenix Islands and the Line Islands under its jurisdiction were on the other side of the International Date Line

Geographic coordinates:

1 25 N, 173 00 E

Map references:

Oceania

Area:

total: 811 sq km country comparison to the world: 186 land: 811 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes three island groups - Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands

Area - comparative:

four times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

1,143 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:

tropical; marine, hot and humid, moderated by trade winds

Terrain:

mostly low-lying coral atolls surrounded by extensive reefs

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed elevation on Banaba 81 m

Natural resources:

phosphate (production discontinued in 1979)

Land use:

arable land: 2.74%

permanent crops: 47.95%

other: 49.31% (2005)

Irrigated land:

Natural hazards:

typhoons can occur any time, but usually November to March; occasional tornadoes; low level of some of the islands make them sensitive to changes in sea level

Environment - current issues:

heavy pollution in lagoon of south Tarawa atoll due to heavy migration mixed with traditional practices such as lagoon latrines and open-pit dumping; ground water at risk

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:

21 of the 33 islands are inhabited; Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Makatea in French Polynesia, and Nauru

People ::Kiribati

Population:

99,482 (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 194

Age structure:

0-14 years: 37.6% (male 21,488/female 20,899)

15-64 years: 59% (male 32,871/female 33,690)

65 years and over: 3.5% (male 1,656/female 2,246) (2010 est.)

Median age:

total: 22.2 years

male: 21.4 years

female: 23 years (2010 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.271% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 98

Birth rate:

23.06 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 72

Death rate:

7.48 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 119

Net migration rate:

-2.87 migrant(s)/1,000 population country comparison to the world: 184

Urbanization:

urban population: 44% of total population (2008)

rate of urbanization: 1.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/female

total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 40.13 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 66 male: 41.38 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 38.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 64.03 years country comparison to the world: 171 male: 61.68 years

female: 66.49 years (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate:

2.86 children born/woman (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 73

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

Nationality:

noun: I-Kiribati (singular and plural)

adjective: I-Kiribati

Ethnic groups:

Micronesian 98.8%, other 1.2% (2000 census)

Religions:

Roman Catholic 55%, Protestant 36%, Mormon 3.1%, Bahai 2.2%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1.9%, other 1.8% (2005 census)

Languages:

I-Kiribati, English (official)

Literacy:

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 12 years

male: 12 years

female: 13 years (2005)

Education expenditures:

17.8% of GDP (2002) country comparison to the world: 1

Government ::Kiribati

Country name:

conventional long form: Republic of Kiribati

conventional short form: Kiribati

local long form: Republic of Kiribati

local short form: Kiribati

note: pronounced keer-ree-bahss

former: Gilbert Islands

Government type:

republic

Capital:

geographic coordinates: 1 19 N, 172 58 E

time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:

3 units; Gilbert Islands, Line Islands, Phoenix Islands; note - in addition, there are 6 districts (Banaba, Central Gilberts, Line Islands, Northern Gilberts, Southern Gilberts, Tarawa) and 21 island councils - one for each of the inhabited islands (Abaiang, Abemama, Aranuka, Arorae, Banaba, Beru, Butaritari, Kanton, Kiritimati, Kuria, Maiana, Makin, Marakei, Nikunau, Nonouti, Onotoa, Tabiteuea, Tabuaeran, Tamana, Tarawa, Teraina)

Independence:

12 July 1979 (from the UK)

National holiday:

Independence Day, 12 July (1979)

Constitution:

12 July 1979

Legal system:

English common law supplemented by local, customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: