{ "Introduction": { "Background": { "text": "
Trade centers such as Mombasa have existed along the Kenyan and Tanzanian coastlines, known as the Land of Zanj, since at least the 2nd century. These centers traded with the outside world, including China, India, Indonesia, the Middle East, North Africa, and Persia. By around the 9th century, the mix of Africans, Arabs, and Persians who lived and traded there became known as Swahili (\"people of the coast\") with a distinct language (KiSwahili) and culture. The Portuguese arrived in the 1490s and, using Mombasa as a base, sought to monopolize trade in the Indian Ocean. The Portuguese were pushed out in the late 1600s by the combined forces of Oman and Pate, an island off the coast. In 1890, Germany and the UK divided up the region, with the UK taking the north and the Germans the south, including present-day Tanzania, Burundi, and Rwanda. In 1895, the British established the East Africa Protectorate, which in 1920 was converted into a colony, and named Kenya after its highest mountain. Numerous political disputes between the colony and the UK led to the violent Mau Mau Uprising, which began in 1952, and the eventual declaration of independence in 1963.
Jomo KENYATTA, the founding president and an icon of the liberation struggle, led Kenya from independence in 1963 until his death in 1978, when Vice President Daniel Arap MOI took power in a constitutional succession. The country was a de facto one-party state from 1969 until 1982, after which time the ruling Kenya African National Union (KANU) changed the constitution to make itself the sole legal political party. MOI gave in to internal and external pressure for political liberalization in 1991, but the ethnically fractured opposition failed to dislodge KANU from power in elections in 1992 and 1997, which were marred by violence and fraud. MOI stepped down in 2002 after fair and peaceful elections. Mwai KIBAKI, running as the candidate of the multiethnic, united opposition group, the National Rainbow Coalition (NARC), defeated KANU candidate Uhuru KENYATTA, the son of the founding president, and assumed the presidency following a campaign centered on an anticorruption platform.recurring drought; flooding during rainy seasons
volcanism: limited volcanic activity; the Barrier (1,032 m) last erupted in 1921; South Island is the only other historically active volcano
" }, "Geography - note": { "text": "the Kenyan Highlands comprise one of the most successful agricultural production regions in Africa; glaciers are found on Mount Kenya, Africa's second highest peak; unique physiography supports abundant and varied wildlife of scientific and economic value; Lake Victoria, the world's largest tropical lake and the second largest fresh water lake, is shared among three countries: Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda" } }, "People and Society": { "Population": { "total": { "text": "58,246,378 (2024 est.)" }, "male": { "text": "29,091,800" }, "female": { "text": "29,154,578" } }, "Nationality": { "noun": { "text": "Kenyan(s)" }, "adjective": { "text": "Kenyan" } }, "Ethnic groups": { "text": "Kikuyu 17.1%, Luhya 14.3%, Kalenjin 13.4%, Luo 10.7%, Kamba 9.8%, Somali 5.8%, Kisii 5.7%, Mijikenda 5.2%, Meru 4.2%, Maasai 2.5%, Turkana 2.1%, non-Kenyan 1%, other 8.2% (2019 est.)" }, "Languages": { "Languages": { "text": "English (official), Kiswahili (official), numerous indigenous languages" }, "major-language sample(s)": { "text": "Azimio La Umoja–One Kenya Coalition Party
Amani National Congress or ANC
Chama Cha Kazi or CCK
Democratic Action Party or DAP-K
Democratic Party or DP
Forum for the Restoration of Democracy–Kenya or FORD-Kenya
Grand Dream Development Party or GDDP
Jubilee Party or JP
Kenya African National Union or KANU
Kenya Kwanza coalition
Kenya Union Party or KUP
Maendeleo Chap Chap Party or MCC
Movement for Democracy and Growth or MDG
National Agenda Party or NAP-K
National Ordinary People Empowerment Union or NOPEU
Orange Democratic Movement or ODM
Pamoja African Alliance or PAA]
The Service Party or TSP
United Democratic Alliance or UDA
United Democratic Movement or UDM
United Democratic Party or UDP
United Party of Independent Alliance or UPIA
United Progressive Alliance or UPA
Wiper Democratic Movement-Kenya or WDM-K
Lake Turkana National Parks (n); Mount Kenya National Park/Natural Forest (n); Lamu Old Town (c); Sacred Mijikenda Kaya Forests (c); Fort Jesus, Mombasa (c); Kenya Lake System in the Great Rift Valley (n); Thimlich Ohinga Archaeological Site (c); The Historic Town and Archaeological Site of Gedi (c)
" } } }, "Economy": { "Economic overview": { "text": "fast growing, third largest Sub-Saharan economy; strong agriculture sector with emerging services and tourism industries; IMF program to address current account and debt service challenges; business-friendly policies foster infrastructure investment, digital innovation and public-private partnerships; vulnerable to climate change-induced droughts" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023": { "text": "$314.491 billion (2023 est.)" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022": { "text": "$297.938 billion (2022 est.)" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021": { "text": "$284.129 billion (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: data in 2021 dollars" }, "Real GDP growth rate": { "Real GDP growth rate 2023": { "text": "5.56% (2023 est.)" }, "Real GDP growth rate 2022": { "text": "4.86% (2022 est.)" }, "Real GDP growth rate 2021": { "text": "7.59% (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency" }, "Real GDP per capita": { "Real GDP per capita 2023": { "text": "$5,700 (2023 est.)" }, "Real GDP per capita 2022": { "text": "$5,500 (2022 est.)" }, "Real GDP per capita 2021": { "text": "$5,300 (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: data in 2021 dollars" }, "GDP (official exchange rate)": { "text": "$108.039 billion (2023 est.)", "note": "note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate" }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices)": { "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023": { "text": "7.67% (2023 est.)" }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022": { "text": "7.66% (2022 est.)" }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021": { "text": "6.11% (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: annual % change based on consumer prices" }, "Credit ratings": { "Fitch rating": { "text": "B+ (2007)" }, "Moody's rating": { "text": "B2 (2018)" }, "Standard & Poors rating": { "text": "B+ (2010)" }, "note": "note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained." }, "GDP - composition, by sector of origin": { "agriculture": { "text": "21.8% (2023 est.)" }, "industry": { "text": "16.9% (2023 est.)" }, "services": { "text": "55.4% (2023 est.)" }, "note": "note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data" }, "GDP - composition, by end use": { "household consumption": { "text": "76.9% (2023 est.)" }, "government consumption": { "text": "11.9% (2023 est.)" }, "investment in fixed capital": { "text": "17.2% (2023 est.)" }, "investment in inventories": { "text": "-0.9% (2023 est.)" }, "exports of goods and services": { "text": "11.7% (2023 est.)" }, "imports of goods and services": { "text": "-20.4% (2023 est.)" }, "note": "note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection" }, "Agricultural products": { "text": "sugarcane, milk, maize, bananas, tea, potatoes, cassava, cabbages, camel milk, mangoes/guavas (2023)", "note": "note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage" }, "Industries": { "text": "agriculture, transportation, services, manufacturing, construction, telecommunications, tourism, retail" }, "Industrial production growth rate": { "text": "1.88% (2023 est.)", "note": "note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency" }, "Labor force": { "text": "25.52 million (2023 est.)", "note": "note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work" }, "Unemployment rate": { "Unemployment rate 2023": { "text": "5.68% (2023 est.)" }, "Unemployment rate 2022": { "text": "5.81% (2022 est.)" }, "Unemployment rate 2021": { "text": "5.69% (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: % of labor force seeking employment" }, "Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)": { "total": { "text": "12.2% (2023 est.)" }, "male": { "text": "8.1% (2023 est.)" }, "female": { "text": "16.3% (2023 est.)" }, "note": "note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment" }, "Population below poverty line": { "text": "38.6% (2021 est.)", "note": "note: % of population with income below national poverty line" }, "Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income": { "Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2021": { "text": "38.7 (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality" }, "Average household expenditures": { "on food": { "text": "42.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.)" }, "on alcohol and tobacco": { "text": "3.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.)" } }, "Household income or consumption by percentage share": { "lowest 10%": { "text": "2.9% (2021 est.)" }, "highest 10%": { "text": "31.8% (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population" }, "Remittances": { "Remittances 2023": { "text": "3.91% of GDP (2023 est.)" }, "Remittances 2022": { "text": "3.55% of GDP (2022 est.)" }, "Remittances 2021": { "text": "3.44% of GDP (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities" }, "Budget": { "revenues": { "text": "$20.202 billion (2023 est.)" }, "expenditures": { "text": "$29.933 billion (2023 est.)" }, "note": "note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated" }, "Public debt": { "Public debt 2017": { "text": "54.2% of GDP (2017 est.)" } }, "Taxes and other revenues": { "text": "13.99% (of GDP) (2023 est.)", "note": "note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP" }, "Current account balance": { "Current account balance 2023": { "text": "-$4.317 billion (2023 est.)" }, "Current account balance 2022": { "text": "-$5.889 billion (2022 est.)" }, "Current account balance 2021": { "text": "-$5.597 billion (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars" }, "Exports": { "Exports 2023": { "text": "$12.626 billion (2023 est.)" }, "Exports 2022": { "text": "$13.954 billion (2022 est.)" }, "Exports 2021": { "text": "$11.815 billion (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars" }, "Exports - partners": { "text": "Uganda 10%, USA 10%, UAE 8%, Netherlands 8%, Pakistan 6% (2023)", "note": "note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports" }, "Exports - commodities": { "text": "tea, cut flowers, garments, gold, tropical fruits (2023)", "note": "note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars" }, "Imports": { "Imports 2023": { "text": "$22.046 billion (2023 est.)" }, "Imports 2022": { "text": "$24.606 billion (2022 est.)" }, "Imports 2021": { "text": "$22.001 billion (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars" }, "Imports - partners": { "text": "China 22%, UAE 14%, India 10%, Saudi Arabia 5%, Malaysia 4% (2023)", "note": "note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports" }, "Imports - commodities": { "text": "refined petroleum, palm oil, wheat, plastics, garments (2023)", "note": "note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars" }, "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold": { "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023": { "text": "$7.342 billion (2023 est.)" }, "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022": { "text": "$7.969 billion (2022 est.)" }, "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021": { "text": "$9.491 billion (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars" }, "Debt - external": { "Debt - external 2023": { "text": "$33.484 billion (2023 est.)" }, "note": "note: present value of external debt in current US dollars" }, "Exchange rates": { "Currency": { "text": "Kenyan shillings (KES) per US dollar -" }, "Exchange rates 2023": { "text": "139.846 (2023 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2022": { "text": "117.866 (2022 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2021": { "text": "109.638 (2021 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2020": { "text": "106.451 (2020 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2019": { "text": "101.991 (2019 est.)" } } }, "Energy": { "Electricity access": { "electrification - total population": { "text": "76% (2022 est.)" }, "electrification - urban areas": { "text": "98%" }, "electrification - rural areas": { "text": "65.6%" } }, "Electricity": { "installed generating capacity": { "text": "3.824 million kW (2023 est.)" }, "consumption": { "text": "10.002 billion kWh (2023 est.)" }, "exports": { "text": "34 million kWh (2023 est.)" }, "imports": { "text": "316 million kWh (2023 est.)" }, "transmission/distribution losses": { "text": "3.069 billion kWh (2023 est.)" } }, "Electricity generation sources": { "fossil fuels": { "text": "10.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)" }, "solar": { "text": "4.5% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)" }, "wind": { "text": "15.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)" }, "hydroelectricity": { "text": "20.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)" }, "geothermal": { "text": "47.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)" }, "biomass and waste": { "text": "1.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)" } }, "Coal": { "consumption": { "text": "1.453 million metric tons (2023 est.)" }, "exports": { "text": "30 metric tons (2023 est.)" }, "imports": { "text": "1.453 million metric tons (2023 est.)" } }, "Petroleum": { "refined petroleum consumption": { "text": "113,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)" } }, "Carbon dioxide emissions": { "total emissions": { "text": "19.023 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)" }, "from coal and metallurgical coke": { "text": "3.316 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)" }, "from petroleum and other liquids": { "text": "15.707 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)" } }, "Energy consumption per capita": { "Total energy consumption per capita 2023": { "text": "5.486 million Btu/person (2023 est.)" } } }, "Communications": { "Telephones - fixed lines": { "total subscriptions": { "text": "68,000 (2023 est.)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "(2023 est.) less than 1" } }, "Telephones - mobile cellular": { "total subscriptions": { "text": "66.7 million (2023 est.)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "122 (2022 est.)" } }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { "text": "Kenya’s telecom market continues to undergo considerable changes in the wake of increased competition, improved international connectivity, and rapid developments in the mobile market; the country is directly connected to a number of submarine cables, and with Mombasa through a terrestrial network, the country serves as a key junction for onward connectivity to the Arabian states and the Far East; numerous competitors are rolling out national and metropolitan backbone networks and wireless access networks to deliver services to population centers across the country; several fiber infrastructure sharing agreements have been forged, and as a result the number of fiber broadband connections has increased sharply in recent years; much of the progress in the broadband segment is due to the government’s revised national broadband strategy, which has been updated with goals through to 2030, and which are largely dependent on mobile broadband platforms based on LTE and 5G (2022)" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed-line subscriptions stand at less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular subscriptions at 123 per 100 persons (2021)" }, "international": { "text": "country code - 254; landing point for the EASSy, TEAMS, LION2, DARE1, PEACE Cable, and SEACOM fiber-optic submarine cable systems covering East, North and South Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat; launched first micro satellites in 2018 (2019)" } }, "Broadcast media": { "text": "about a half-dozen large-scale privately owned media companies with TV and radio stations, as well as a state-owned TV broadcaster, provide service nationwide; satellite and cable TV subscription services available; state-owned radio broadcaster operates 2 national radio channels and provides regional and local radio services in multiple languages; many private radio stations broadcast on a national level along with over 100 private and non-profit regional stations broadcasting in local languages; TV transmissions of all major international broadcasters available, mostly via paid subscriptions; direct radio frequency modulation transmissions available for several foreign government-owned broadcasters (2019)" }, "Internet country code": { "text": ".ke" }, "Internet users": { "percent of population": { "text": "41% (2022 est.)" } }, "Broadband - fixed subscriptions": { "total": { "text": "1.32 million (2023 est.)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "2 (2023 est.)" } } }, "Transportation": { "National air transport system": { "number of registered air carriers": { "text": "25 (2020)" }, "inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers": { "text": "188" }, "annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers": { "text": "5,935,831 (2018)" }, "annual freight traffic on registered air carriers": { "text": "294.97 million (2018) mt-km" } }, "Civil aircraft registration country code prefix": { "text": "5Y" }, "Airports": { "text": "368 (2025)" }, "Pipelines": { "text": "4 km oil, 1,432 km refined products (2018)" }, "Railways": { "total": { "text": "3,819 km (2018)" }, "standard gauge": { "text": "485 km (2018) 1.435-m gauge" }, "narrow gauge": { "text": "3,334 km (2018) 1.000-m gauge" } }, "Roadways": { "total": { "text": "161,451 km" }, "paved": { "text": "18,603 km" }, "unpaved": { "text": "157,596 km (2023)" } }, "Waterways": { "text": "(2011) none specifically; the only significant inland waterway is the part of Lake Victoria within the boundaries of Kenya; Kisumu is the main port and has ferry connections to Uganda and Tanzania" }, "Merchant marine": { "total": { "text": "26 (2023)" }, "by type": { "text": "oil tanker 4, other 22" } }, "Ports": { "total ports": { "text": "4 (2024)" }, "large": { "text": "0" }, "medium": { "text": "1" }, "small": { "text": "2" }, "very small": { "text": "1" }, "ports with oil terminals": { "text": "1" }, "key ports": { "text": "Kilifi, Lamu, Malindi, Mombasa" } } }, "Military and Security": { "Military and security forces": { "text": "Kenya Defense Forces (KDF): Kenya Army, Kenya Navy, Kenya Air Force (2024)", "note": "note 1: the National Police Service maintains internal security and reports to the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government; it includes a paramilitary General Service Unit and Rapid Deployment Unit, as well as a Border Police Unita transit country for illicit drugs and precursor chemicals; domestic drug consumption of cannabis and miraa (khat) is growing; heroin enters Kenya via Tanzania and in shipments across the Indian Ocean from Southwest Asia mostly destined for international markets, principally Europe; cocaine enters Kenya primarily via transshipment through Ethiopia
" } } }