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Facts about Kenya - Some Essential Kenya Facts...The facts about Kenya page contains concise info about Kenya's geography, culture, flag, food, weather, currency, economy, tribes and lots more. GeographyFirst, some Kenya geography... Kenya is located in East Africa and is bordered by Tanzania, Uganda, Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia with the southeastern portion of the country lying along the Indian Ocean coast. The country's area is 582,650 square km, which is roughly the size of Texas or France. Time ZoneKenya is in the East African Standard Time zone which is 3 hours ahead of the Greenwich Mean Time and 7 hours ahead of the US Eastern Time during winter. Unlike the US which has several time zones, Kenya has a uniform time zone which it shares with neighbors Uganda and Tanzania. Facts about Kenya: WeatherThanks to extreme geographical variations, the weather of Kenya contrasts a great deal. Nairobi is generally cool while Mombasa and the Lake Victoria region are hot and humid. And, it is shimmering hot in the arid regions of the north and northeast. Currency and Foreign Exchange RatesThe Kenya currency is called the Kenya Shilling. 1 shilling = 100 cents and there are 1000, 500, 200, 100 and 50 shilling notes while the coins come in denominations of 40, 20, 10, 5, 1 shillings and 50 cents. The country's foreign exchange market is fully liberalized and 1 US$ currently exchanges for about Ksh. 75.30. Flag and National AnthemThe flag, national anthem and coat of arms are the symbols of the Kenya state's sovereignty. The flag is black, red, green and white and features a Masai shield and 2 crisscrossing spears. The Kenya national anthem is a prayer which entreats God to bless and protect the country. It has English and Swahili versions. LanguagesPretty much every visitor will be curious about the language facts about Kenya... A large number of African languages are spoken in the country. However, English is the official language and virtually all business transactions are conducted in English. Kiswahili, the national language is also widely spoken. Major CitiesThe main cities in Kenya are Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu. The largest and capital city, Nairobi has an estimated population of 4 million. The government ministries, legislature and judiciary are based here, as are many business entities. Mombasa is located on the Indian Ocean coast while Kisumu, the birthplace of US President Barack Obama's father, is located on the shores of Lake Victoria in western Kenya. AirportsThere are 2 main airports in Kenya. Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, the country's busiest, is located on the outskirts of the capital, Nairobi while Moi International Airport is located in Mombasa, the country's most popular tourist destination. VisasFor anyone planning to visit, the visa issue is one of the vital facts about Kenya... Nationals of the neighboring countries do not require a visa to enter Kenya. A visa is however required for all nationals of the other countries, including US, Canada, Europe, Asia and Australia. You do not need to obtain your visa in advance however, as you can apply for it upon arrival. Visas are valid for up to 3 months and renewals for up to six months can be obtained at any of the immigration offices in the country. PopulationOther fascinating facts on Kenya relate to its population. The country's population is estimated at 38 million. A census was carried out in August 2009 and the results are expected later this year. Facts about Kenya: TribesOther important facts about Kenya relate to the tribes in the country. Kenyans' national identity coexists alongside their tribal affiliations. There are at least 40 tribes in Kenya with the largest being the Kikuyu, Luhya, Luo, Kalenjin and Kamba. CultureOwing to its long and rich history, Kenya is a cultural melting pot. Indeed, African, Western, Arab and Indian influences have all left their indelible mark on the Kenya culture. Even though the inimitable Masai culture is often regarded as a microcosm of Kenya's culture, it is in fact, only one of many sub-cultures in the country. FoodKenya food is a reflection of the country's diversity and different foods are eaten across the country. That said, the staple is ugali, a milled maize (corn) bread. Barbequed meat locally referred to as nyama choma is a must at special occasions such as baptisms, weddings and house warming parties. ReligionFreedom of worship is guaranteed by the Kenya Constitution so there is a proliferation of religions. The majority of Kenyans are Christian (Protestant and Catholic). The other main religions are Islam, Hinduism and indigenous beliefs. EconomyFor the potential investor, some of the key facts about Kenya relate to the economy... Although the Kenya economy is classified as a developing one, it one of the most developed in Africa. The major sectors are agriculture, manufacturing, tourism, telecommunication and energy.
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