KENYA FACTS

GEOGRAPHY

Kenya is the heartland of East Africa. Total area of approximately 580,650 km2, making it slightly smaller than the state of Texas and the 46th largest country in the world.

The country's southeastern border is defined by the Indian Ocean, and its southwestern border includes a small portion of Lake Victoria.

The terrain consists of low plains, central highlands, which are separated by the Great Rift Valley, and a fertile plateau. However, as little as 3% of the total land area of the country is arable (able to support a crop).

PEOPLE OF KENYA

Kenya's peoples are distinctly African, yet diverse and include many ethnic tribes:

Kikuyu (22%), Luhya (14%), Kalenjin (12%), Kamba (11%), Kisii (6%), and Meru (6%).

Official languages are English and Swahili (a mixture of Bantu and Arabic). In addition, numerous indigenous languages are spoken nationwide.

The major faiths in Kenya are, Roman Catholicism (28%), Protestantism (26%), indigenous beliefs (18%), and the Muslim (Islamic) religion (6%).

TIME ZONE

Kenya 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 and it shares this with neighboring Uganda and Tanzania.

WEATHER

Kenya's weather contrasts a great deal. Coastal region, is mostly hot and humid with January and February being the hottest months. April and May are quite rainy and it is advisable to keep away from the coast during the wet months as you will be confined to the hotel.

The Lake Victoria basin is also quite hot while the central region experiences a cool temperate climate. June and July are the coolest months in Nairobi and if you are in the capital then, you will probably need to wear a light jacket particularly in the evenings.

You can expect to experience searing heat when visiting the arid regions of northern and northeastern kenya.

HEALTH ADVICE

When traveling to Kenya, you may want to take some special precautions to protect your health during the trip. Having vaccinations for the following diseases is strongly recommended several months before your trip: diphtheria, hepatitis A, malaria, tetanus, typhoid, and yellow fever.

To mitigate the risk of contracting waterborne diseases, under no circumstances should you take unboiled water. Always insist on reliable sealed mineral water brands such as Keringet and Dasani.

Like many of its African counterparts, Kenya has a high rate of HIV/AIDS infections. Therefore, you should take the appropriate precautions when visiting such as abstinence from sex or using condoms.

INTERNATIONAL DIALING CODE

Kenya's international dialing code is 254. The country's number format is as follows:

Fixed Lines

• Fixed line subscriber number: 5 to 7 digits
• Area Code: 2 digits
• Trunk prefix: 0
• The codes for the major cities are:
• Nairobi: 20
• Mombasa: 41
• Kisumu: 57
• Eldoret: 53
• Nakuru is 51

Mobile Telephone Prefixes

• Safaricom: 0720 to 0729
• Zain: 0730 to 0739
• Orange: 0770 to 0772
• Yu (Econet): 0750 to 0752

CURRENCY

Kenya's currency is called the Kenya Shilling. 1 shilling = 100 cents. 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 local currency is often abbreviated as Ksh or Kshs.

FOREIGN EXCHANGE RATES

Kenya's foreign exchange market is fully liberalized. 1 US$ currently exchanges for about Ksh80.

You may not want to convert all of your cash. However, most tourist locations in Kenya will accept major credit cards, particularly Visa and MasterCard. The majority of banks have ATM machines as do some gas/petrol stations in the main cities. Traveler's checks are also widely accepted.

NATIONAL ANTHEM

Kenya's national anthem is, in fact, a prayer that entreats God to bless and protect the country. It has 2 versions – in English, the official language and Swahili, the national language. The lyrics of both versions are as follows:

English Version O God of all creation Bless this our land and nation Justice be our shield and defender May we dwell in unity Peace and liberty Plenty be found within our borders. Let one and all arise With hearts both strong and true Service be our earnest endeavor And our Homeland of Kenya Heritage of splendor Firm may we stand to defend. Let all with one accord In common bond united Build this our nation together And the glory of Kenya The fruit of our labour Fill every heart with thanksgiving.

Kiswahili Version Ee Mungu nguvu yetu Ilete baraka kwetu Haki iwe ngao na mlinzi Natukae na udugu Amani na uhuru Raha tupate na ustawi. Amkeni ndugu zetu Tufanye sote bidii Nasi tujitoe kwa nguvu Nchi yetu ya Kenya tunayoipenda Tuwe tayari kuilinda. Natujenge taifa letu Ee ndio wajibu wetu Kenya istahili heshima Tuungane mikono pamoja kazini Kila siku tuwe nashukrani.

The national anthem is, in fact, a prayer where Kenyans beseech God to bless their country and protect them from foreign invasion.

The anthem is also a prayer for a peaceful, united and free Kenya. Kenyans also resolve to work hard to develop their country.