Capital

Kenia

name: Nairobi

geographic coordinates: 1 17 S, 36 49 E

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

etymology: the name derives from the Maasai expression meaning "cool waters" and refers to a cold water stream that flowed through the area in the late 19th century

Citizenship

Kenia

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Kenya

dual citizenship recognized: yes

residency requirement for naturalization: 4 out of the previous 7 years

Legal system

Kenia

mixed legal system of English common law, Islamic law, and customary law; judicial review in the new Supreme Court established by the new constitution

Suffrage

Kenia

18 years of age; universal

Area

Kenia

total: 580,367 sq km

land: 569,140 sq km

water: 11,227 sq km

Land use

Kenia

agricultural land: 48.1% (2018 est.)

arable land: 9.8% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0.9% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 37.4% (2018 est.)

forest: 6.1% (2018 est.)

other: 45.8% (2018 est.)

Location

Kenia

Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Somalia and Tanzania

Age structure

Kenia

0-14 years: 36.45% (male 10,447,425/female 10,349,611)

15-64 years: 60.26% (male 17,196,347/female 17,185,035)

65 years and over: 3.28% (2023 est.) (male 855,757/female 1,017,829)

Birth rate

Kenia

26 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Death rate

Kenia

5 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Languages

Kenia

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

major-language sample(s):
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. (English)

The World Factbook, Chanzo cha Lazima Kuhusu Habari ya Msingi. (Kiswahili)

Life expectancy at birth

Kenia

total population: 70 years (2023 est.)

male: 68.3 years

female: 71.8 years

Major urban areas - population

Kenia

5.325 million NAIROBI (capital), 1.440 million Mombassa (2023)

Median age

Kenia

total: 20.9 years (2023 est.)

male: 20.8 years

female: 21 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

Kenia

20.3 years (2014 est.)

note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49

Net migration rate

Kenia

-0.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Population distribution

Kenia

population heavily concentrated in the west along the shore of Lake Victoria; other areas of high density include the capital of Nairobi, and in the southeast along the Indian Ocean coast as shown in this population distribution map

Population growth rate

Kenia

2.09% (2023 est.)

Total fertility rate

Kenia

3.23 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

Kenia

urban population: 29.5% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 4.09% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Education expenditures

Kenia

4.8% of GDP (2021 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

Kenia

-6.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

Kenia

7.17% (2021 est.)

Labor force

Kenia

23.915 million (2021 est.)

Population below poverty line

Kenia

36.1% (2015 est.)

Unemployment rate

Kenia

5.74% (2021 est.)

5.73% (2020 est.)

5.01% (2019 est.)

Public debt

Kenia

54.2% of GDP (2017 est.)

53.2% of GDP (2016 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Kenia

6.11% (2021 est.)

5.4% (2020 est.)

5.24% (2019 est.)

Exports

Kenia

$11.825 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$9.709 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$11.471 billion (2019 est.)

Exports - partners

Kenia

Uganda 14%, Pakistan 8%, Netherlands 8%, United States 8%, United Kingdom 7% (2020)

Imports

Kenia

$21.853 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$17.717 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

$20.408 billion (2019 est.)

Imports - partners

Kenia

China 27%, India 11%, United Arab Emirates 7%, Japan 4%, Saudi Arabia 3% (2020)

Airports

Kenia

197 (2021)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

Kenia

total: 674,191 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2020 est.)

Internet users

Kenia

total: 15.37 million (2021 est.)

percent of population: 29% (2021 est.)

Railways

Kenia

total: 3,819 km (2018)

standard gauge: 485 km (2018) 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge: 3,334 km (2018) 1.000-m gauge

Roadways

Kenia

total: 161,452 km (2018)

paved: 14,420 km (2017) (8,500 km highways, 1,872 urban roads, and 4,048 rural roads)

unpaved: 147,032 km (2017)

Telephones - fixed lines

Kenia

total subscriptions: 61,096 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2021 est.) less than 1

Telephones - mobile cellular

Kenia

total subscriptions: 65,085,720 (2021 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 123 (2021 est.)

Waterways

Kenia

(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

Disputes - international

Kenia

Kenya-Ethiopia: their border was demarcated in the 1950s and approved in 1970; in 2012, Kenya and Ethiopia agreed to redemarcate their boundary following disputes over beacons and cross-border crime

Kenya-Somalia: 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; in 2021, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) gave Somalia control over a disputed ocean area where the seabeds are believed to hold vasts oil and gas deposits; the ICJ ruling gave Somalia the rights to several offshore oil exploration blocks previously claimed by Kenya; Kenya did not recognize the court’s decision

Kenya-South Sudan: two thirds of the boundary that separates Kenya and South Sudan's sovereignty known as the Ilemi Triangle has been unclear since British colonial times; Kenya has administered the area since colonial times; officials from Kenya and South Sudan signed a memorandum of understanding on boundary delimitation and demarcation and agreed to set up a joint committee; as of July 2019, the demarcation process was to begin in 90 days, but was delayed due to a lack of funding

Kenya-Sudan: Kenya served as an important mediator in brokering Sudan's north-south separation in February 2005

Kenya-Tanzania: Kenya and Tanzania were conducting a joint reaffirmation process in November 2021 to ensure the border was visibly marked with pillars

Kenya-Uganda: Kenya and Uganda began a joint demarcation of the boundary in 2021