Here are some facts about Kenya and Kenyan culture. This information was gathered from Yahoo! Reference. Below are some links if you would like to find out more about Kenya including two newspapers updated daily.
*Basics*
- Population ~ 30,339,770
- Ethnic groups ~ Kikuyu 22%, Luhya 14% (my tribe), Luo 13%, Kalenjin 12%, Kamba 11%, Kisii 6%, Meru 6%, other African 15%, non-African (Asian, European, and Arab) 1%
- Religions ~ Protestant 38%, Roman Catholic 28%, indigenous beliefs 26%, Muslim 7%, other 1%
- Languages ~ English (official), Kiswahili (official), numerous indigenous languages
- Independence ~ 12 December 1963 (from UK)
- Currency ~ 1 Kenyan shilling (KSh) = 100 cents
- Climate ~ varies from tropical along coast to arid in interior
- Natural resources ~ gold, limestone, soda ash, salt barites, rubies, fluorspar, garnets, wildlife, hydropower
*Brief Historical Timeline*
(c/o kenyweb)400 AD - Migration of the Bantu peoples into East Africa.
600 AD - Arabs began to settle on the Coastal area and this marked the coming
of Islam
700 AD - Indian Ocean trade with the Arabs, Phoenicians, Indians and Chinese.
They brought in cloth, pottery and glass beads in exchange of cowrie
shells, iron products and mangrove poles.
900 AD - Knowledge of iron working came to the Bantu
1400 AD - The Portuguese reach the coast
1700 AD - End of the Portuguese empire in East Africa
- Cape colony became British Protectorate
1800 AD - The great Trek, christian missionaries and explorers come in to Africa
- The end of the Trek
1952 - 1970 - Kenya's Agrarian Revolution
1963 - Kenya gained Independence
1964 - Kenya became a Republic
1978 - The first President of Kenya, the Late Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, died and Daniel arap Moi was elected as the next president.
1992 - Kenya became a Multiparty state.
2002 - Emilo Mwai Kibaki elected 3rd president oof Kenya in a landslide victory against Moi's 24 year ruling Kanu
*Pictures of Kenya* *Home* *Links*
