The Republic of Kenya is a country in Eastern Africa. It is bordered by Ethiopia to the north, Somalia to the northeast, Tanzania to the south, Uganda to the west, and Sudan to the northwest, with the Indian Ocean running along the southeast border. Situated on the equator on Africa's east coast, Kenya has been described as "the cradle of humanity".
The capital city is Nairobi. Other major towns are Nakuru, Kisumu and Mombasa.
In the Great Rift Valley palaeontologists have discovered some of the earliest evidence of man's ancestors.
In the present day, Kenya's ethnic diversity has produced a vibrant culture but is also a source of conflict. With its scenic beauty and abundant wildlife, Kenya is one of Africa's major safari destinations. The lucrative tourist industry has bounced back following the slump that followed bomb attacks in Nairobi in 1998 and Mombasa in 2002. And in 2006 tourism was the country's best hard currency earner, ahead of horticulture and tea.
The lingua franca is Kiswahili while English is the official language of communication. Bantu languages are the mother tongues of over 60% of the population. Kenya has a free market economy with an active stock exchange. The local currency is the Kenya shilling (KSh). (US$ / KSh - current exchange rate).
Medical:
Medical services in Kenya may be expensive and require advance payment or in some cases insurance may be acceptable in some facilities. Most of the advanced medical facilities are found in the capital Nairobi and Mombasa.
Education:
Kenya’s education system consists of early childhood education, primary, secondary and college. Pre-schooling, which targets children from age three to five, is an integral component of the education system and is a key requirement for admission to Standard One (First Grade). Primary school age is 6/7-13/14years. For those who proceed to secondary level, there is a national examination at the end of Form Four – the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE), which determines those proceeding to the universities, other professional training or employment. The minimum university entry grade is C+ at KCSE. However, due to stiff competition, only those with higher grades such as B+ and above are guaranteed admission. Private universities admit students on their own but are guided by the rules and regulations provided by the Commission for Higher Education. Other than the public schools, there are many private schools in the country, mainly in urban areas. Similarly, there are a number of international schools catering for various educational systems such as American, British, French, German, Japanese and Swedish.
Culture:
Kenya is a diverse country, with many different cultures represented. Notable cultures include the Swahili on the coast, pastoralist communities in the north, and several different communities in the central and western regions. Today, the Maasai culture is well known, due to its heavy exposure from tourism, however, Maasai make up a relatively minor percentage of the Kenyan population. The Maasai are known for their elaborate upper body adornment and jewelry.
Administrative Regions:
Kenya comprises 8 provinces each headed by a Provincial Commissioner. The provinces (mkoa singular mikoa plural in Swahili) are subdivided into districts (wilaya). Districts are then subdivided into divisions (taarafa). The divisions are then subdivided into locations (kata) and then sublocations (kata ndogo). The City of Nairobi enjoys the status of a full administrative province. The government supervises administration of districts and provinces. The provinces are:
1. Central
2. Coast
3. Eastern
4. Nairobi
5. North Eastern
6. Nyanza
7. Rift Valley
8. Western
Media:
Kenya enjoys a more diverse media scene than many other African countries, with a large middle class providing a base for substantial advertising revenue.
There is a tradition of a relatively independent press, although newspapers often had to practise self-censorship during the era of Presidents Kenyatta and Moi. The print media is dominated by two major publishing houses, the Nation and Standard, both of which also have substantial broadcasting operations.
Most Kenyans rely on the broadcast media, particularly radio, for news. Until recently the liberalisation of broadcasting had a limited impact outside Nairobi but some private radio and TV networks now have wide coverage of much of the country. TV viewing is substantial, but few Kenyans are regular internet users, owing to cost and access problems.
Full-time FM relays of the BBC World Service are on the air in Nairobi (93.9), Mombasa (93.9) and Kisumu (88.1), and some BBC programmes are also rebroadcast by private Kameme FM. The Voice of America has an FM relay in Nairobi and Radio France Internationale is relayed on FM in Mombasa.
Memberships:
African Development Bank, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, International Finance Corporation, International Monetary Fund, African Union, The World Bank Group, East African Cooperation Community, Tanzania Electricity Supply Commission, United Nations, Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency and more.
Exchanges:
Kenyan Agricultural Commodity Exchange, Nairobi Stock Exchange
Event Venues:
Intercontinental Hotel Conference Centre, Trekkers Restaurant, Grand Regency Hotel, Hotel Hilton, Kenya International Conference Centre, Kenyatta International Exhibition & Convention Centre, Lenana House, Safari Park Hotel, Sarit Centre, The Alliance Africana Sea Lodge Conference Centre, The Alliance Jadini Beach Hotel Conference Centre, The Alliance Naro Moru River Lodge Conference Centre, The Alliance Safari Beach Hotel Conference Centre
Accommodation: Great Rift Valley Lodge & Golf Resort, InterContinental Nairobi, Karibu Hotel, Ngufami House, Samagat Hotel, Sarova Whitesands Beach Resort, The Sarova Stanley, Aberdare Country Club, Alliance Hotel & Resort, Amboseli Serena, Bateleur Camp at Kichwa Tembo, Blue Safari Club Ltd, Elsa's Kopje, Grand Regency Hotel and Hemingways Resort.
Attractions: Ngomongo Villages, Aberdare National Park, Amboseli National Park, Arawale National Reserve, Bamburi Beach Resort, Bisanadi National Reserve, Boni National Reserve, Buffalo Springs National Reserve, Chaimu Crater, Chyulu National Park, Diani Beach, Dodori National Reserve, Fort Jesus, Hell's Gate National Park and Hyrax Hill Prehistoric Site
Restaurants: Enzogu, Siam Thai Restaurant, Trekkers Restaurant, African heritage Café, Carnivore Restaurant, The, FAST FOOD RESTAURANTS, Haandi Restaurant, Haveli Restaurant, MEDDITERRANEO (Italian), Shanghai Chinese Restaurant, Tamarind Restaurant, Tropicanna Restaurant Gipsy Bar, Wheels Restaurant and WIMPY RESTAURANTS
Transport related: Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Wilson airport, Mweiga Airstrip, Nairobi Airport, Nyeri Airstrip
