Kenya
Full
country name: Republic of Kenya
Area: 583,000 sq km
Population: 30,339,770
Capital city: Nairobi
People: 24% Kikuyu, 16% Luhya, 13% Luo, 12% Kalenjin,
11% Kamba, 6% Kisii, 6% Meru, 16% other
Languages: English, Swahili, indigenous.
Religion: 40% Protestant, 36% Roman Catholic, 16% Muslim,
6% Animist
Government: Republic (multiparty state)
President: Emilio Mwai Kibaki
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GDP: US$42.4 billion
GDP per head: US$1525
Annual growth: 1.6%
Inflation: 2.5%
Major industries: small-scale consumer goods (plastic,
furniture, batteries, textiles, soap, cigarettes, flour),
agricultural processing, oil refining, cement, tourism
Major trading partners: Uganda, Tanzania, UK, Germany,
UAE, South Africa
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Facts
for the Traveler
Visas:
All visitors require a visa except citizens of some Commonwealth
countries and citizens of selected countries such as Denmark,
Germany, the Republic of Ireland, Italy, Norway, Spain,
South Africa and Sweden. Apply well in advance for your
visa - especially if doing it by mail.
Health risks: Malaria (except in Nairobi and high-altitude
areas), cholera, hepatitis, meningitis, mugging, typhoid,
schistosomisis, HIV, Rift Valley fever and yellow fever.
Time: GMT/UTC plus three hours
Electricity: 240V
Weights & measures: Metric
Tourism: About 700,000 visitors per year
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When
to Go
The
main tourist season is in January and February, since
the hot, dry weather at this time of year is generally
considered to be the most pleasant. It's also when Kenya's
birdlife flocks to the Rift Valley lakes in the greatest
numbers. June to September could be called the 'shoulder
season' as the weather is still dry. The rains hit from
March to May (and to a lesser extent from October to December).
During these months things are much quieter - places tend
to have rooms available and prices drop. The rains generally
don't affect travellers' ability to get around.
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Events
Kenya's
most spectacular annual event is organised by an unlikely
group - wildebeests. Literally millions of these ungainly
antelopes move en masse in July and August from the Serengeti
in search of lush grass. They head south again around
October. The best place to see this phenomenon is at the
Masai Mara National Reserve. Kenya's more orthodox annual
events include public holidays such as Kenyatta Day (20
October) and Independence Day (12 December).
