Geography: |
Location: |
Eastern Africa, bordering the Indian Ocean, between Somalia
and Tanzania
|
Area: |
Total
- 582,650 sq km
Land - 569,250 sq km
Water - 13,400 sq km
Comparative - slightly larger than twice the size of Nevada
|
Climate: |
Varies
from tropical along the coast to arid in interior. |
Terrain: |
Low plains rise to central highlands bisected by Great Rift
Valley; fertile plateau in west. |
Elevation
Extremes: |
Indian
Ocean - Zero m, Mount Kenya - 5,199m |
Population:
30,339,770
(July 2000 est)
|
Nationality:
|
Kenyan |
Languages:
|
Kishwahili
(official), English (official), many indigenous languages |
Government:
|
Country
Name: |
Republic
of Kenya (long form) |
Former
Name: |
British
East Africa |
Type: |
Republic
|
Capital: |
Nairobi |
Independence: |
December
12, 1963 (from the U.K.) |
Flag: |
Three
equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and green; the
red band is edged in white; a large warrior's shield covering
crossed spears is superimposed at the center.
|
Currency:
|
1
Kenyan shilling (KSh) = 100 cents
|