Kenya

Introduction & Quick Facts
Land
- Relief
- Drainage
- Soils
- Climate
- Plant and animal life
People
- Ethnic groups and languages
- Religion
- Settlement patterns
- Demographic trends
Economy
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing
- Resources and power
- Manufacturing
- Finance and trade
- Services
- Labor and taxation
- Transportation and telecommunications
Government and society
- Constitutional framework
  - Historical background
  - The 2010 constitution
- Local government
- Justice
- Political process
- Security
- Health and welfare
- Housing
- Education
Cultural life
- Daily life and social customs
- The arts
- Cultural institutions
- Sports and recreation
- Media and publishing
History
- The 18th and 19th centuries
  - Maasai and Kikuyu
  - Control of the interior
  - The British East Africa Company
- The East Africa Protectorate
  - Resistance to European rule and early administration
  - The Uganda railway and European settlement
  - World War I and its aftermath
- Kenya colony
  - Political movements
  - World War II to independence
- The Republic of Kenya
  - Jomo Kenyatta’s rule
  - Moi’s rule
  - Kenya under Kibaki
    - Disputed 2007 elections
    - New constitution
    - ICC proceedings
    - Disputed 2013 elections
  - Uhuru Kenyatta’s presidency
    - ICC proceedings
    - Al-Shabaab
    - 2017 elections, annulment of presidential election results, and fresh election
    - Unexpected rapprochement, the Building Bridges Initiative, and shifting alliances
    - 2022 election
  - Ruto’s presidency
    - 2024 protests and Deputy President Gachagua’s impeachment
    - 2025 protests

References & Edit History Facts & Stats

Images, Videos & Interactives

Kenya: Great Rift Valley

Physical features of Kenya

Flamingos in Lake Nakuru

Savanna in Kenya

How the Maasai protect wildlife in Kenya

For Students

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Kenya: Facts & Stats

Written and fact-checked by The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: Dec 22, 2025

News •

Scientists and data explain why Kenya's lakes are rising as thousands face an uncertain future • Dec. 22, 2025, 2:59 AM ET (AP)

Half of $18B in federal funds for Minnesota-run programs may have been defrauded, official says • Dec. 18, 2025, 5:21 PM ET (AP)

South African immigration authorities raid a US refugee processing center • Dec. 17, 2025, 7:02 AM ET (AP)

US and Kenya sign first of what are expected to be dozens of ‘America First’ global health deals • Dec. 4, 2025, 9:23 PM ET (AP)

Facts

Also Known As	Republic of Kenya • Jamhuri Ya Kenya
Head Of State And Government⁴	President: William Ruto
Capital	Nairobi
Population	(2025 est.) 53,477,000
Form Of Government	unitary multiparty republic with two legislative houses¹ (Senate [68²]; National Assembly [350³])
Official Languages	Swahili; English
Official Religion	none
Official Name	Jamhuri ya Kenya (Swahili); Republic of Kenya (English)
Total Area (Sq Km)	582,646
Total Area (Sq Mi)	224,960
Monetary Unit	Kenyan shilling (K Sh)
Population Rank	(2025) 28
Population Projection 2030	64,296,000
Density: Persons Per Sq Mi	(2025) 237.7
Density: Persons Per Sq Km	(2025) 91.8
Urban-Rural Population	Urban: (2019) 31.2% • Rural: (2019) 68.8%
Life Expectancy At Birth	Male: (2022) 68 years • Female: (2022) 71.4 years
Literacy: Percentage Of Population Age 15 And Over Literate	Male: (2022) 86% • Female: (2022) 80%
Gni (U.S.$ ’000,000)	(2023) 116,961
Gni Per Capita (U.S.$)	(2023) 2,110
¹A new constitution promulgated August 27, 2010, provided for the establishment of a 68-seat Senate in 2013.²Includes 16 nonelective seats reserved for women, 2 reserved for youth, 2 reserved for people with disabilities, and 1 ex officio member.³Includes 12 nonelective seats and 1 ex officio member.⁴The 2010 constitution abolished the post of prime minister effective from the 2013 presidential election.

Photos and Videos

Kenya: Great Rift Valley

Physical features of Kenya

Flamingos in Lake Nakuru

Savanna in Kenya

Herd of zZebras

Superb starling

How the Maasai protect wildlife in Kenya

Subsistence fishing off the coast of Mombasa, Kenya

The threatened habitat of the golden-rumped elephant shrew

Watch a modern textile mill in Nairobi, Kenya, weave fabrics featuring intricate East African designs

National anthem of Kenya

See All Videos, Images, Audio and Interactives →

Topics

list of cities and towns in Kenya list of presidents of Kenya nation-state Commonwealth East African Community ABANTU for Development member states of the Commonwealth Mau Mau Rebellion flag of Kenya Mau Mau United States India United Kingdom China Canada Russia Germany Australia Japan France

Raila Odinga

Raila Odinga

prime minister of Kenya

Uhuru Kenyatta

Uhuru Kenyatta

president of Kenya

William Ruto

William Ruto

president of Kenya

Jomo Kenyatta

Jomo Kenyatta

president of Kenya

Mwai Kibaki

Mwai Kibaki

president of Kenya

Richard Leakey

Richard Leakey

Kenyan anthropologist, government official, and paleontologist

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Oginga Odinga

vice president of Kenya

Wangari Maathai

Wangari Maathai

Kenyan educator and government official

Daniel arap Moi

Daniel arap Moi

president of Kenya

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Tom Mboya

Kenyan politician

Mary Leakey

Mary Douglas Leakey

Kenyan archaeologist

Isak Dinesen, 1959

Isak Dinesen

Danish author

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Solomon M. Mutswairo

Zimbabwean author

A map of the continent of Africa, including its countries, boundaries, and capital cities. It also shows parts of Europe and Asia and surrounding bodies of water, including the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, and Indian Ocean.

Africa

continent

Elevation of eastern Africa

eastern Africa

region, Africa

Nairobi, Kenya

Nairobi

national capital, Kenya

Mombasa, Kenya

Mombasa

Kenya

Cooperative workers drying coffee on racks, Nyeri, Kenya.

Nyeri

Kenya

Eldoret, Kenya

Eldoret

Kenya

Lamu

Lamu

Kenya

Kisumu

Kisumu

Kenya

Flamingos in Lake Nakuru National Park

Nakuru

Kenya

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Embu

Kenya

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Meru

Kenya

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Thika

Kenya

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Kakamega

Kenya

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Mau Escarpment

rampart, Kenya

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Garissa

Kenya

Mount Kenya in Mount Kenya National Park is the highest mountain in Africa. UNESCO World Heritage Site. Giant Lobelia in foreground. (Mt. Kenya; Mt. Kenya National Park; mountains; rugged mountain; African geography, African landscape, stratovolcano)

Africa’s Physical Features

Actual continental drift of plates. Thematic map.

Geography Fun Facts

10:087 Ocean: The World of Water, two globes showing eastern and western hemispheres

You Name It!

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Match the Country with Its Hemisphere Quiz

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Which Country Is Larger? Quiz

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Guess the Country by Its Neighbors Quiz

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Which Country Is Larger By Area? Quiz

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Which Country Is Larger By Population? Quiz

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The Country Quiz

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Geography of Africa Quiz

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Capital Cities of Countries on the Equator

Flags of the world. National flags. Country flags. Hompepage blog 2009, history and society, geography and travel, explore discovery

Countries of the World

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Countries & Their Features