About Kenya

Kenya is situated on the equator on East Africa's coast.

It is bordered in the north by Sudan and Ethiopia, in the east by Somalia, on the southeast by the Indian Ocean, on the southwest by Tanzania and to the west by Lake Victoria and Uganda.

Kenya is regarded by many as the "Jewel of East Africa" and has some of the continent's finest beaches, most magnificent wildlife and scenery, and an incredibly sophisticated tourism infrastructure.

It is a startlingly beautiful land, from the coral reefs and white sand beaches of the coast to the summit of Mount Kenya, crowned with clouds and bejewelled by strange giant alpine plants.

Kenya is a representative democracy and is made up of eight provinces. The population is made up of different ethnicities, including African (around 40 different tribes, all with their own languages and cultures), European, Asian and Arab.

Major tribes include the Kikuyu, the Luyia and the Luo, but the most famous are the tall, proud, beautiful red-clad Masai, who still lead a traditional semi-nomadic lifestyle of cattle-herding along the southern border.

There are two official languages of Kenya; English and Swahili.

The country is predominantly Christian though other religions including Islam (dominant along the coast), Hinduism, Buddhism and Sikhism are practised.

In areas of the Great Rift Valley, palaeontologists have discovered some of the earliest evidence of man's ancestors. Kenya has therefore been described as "the cradle of humanity."

Kenya has scenic beauty and abundant wildlife. It is one of Africa's major safari destinations. The annual animal migration mostly known as "The Great Wildebeest Migration" occurs between June and September with millions of animals taking part.

Kenya Climate

Kenya has a tropical climate. It is hot and humid at the coast, temperate inland and very dry in the north and north-east parts of the country. There is however a lot of rain between March and May, and moderate rain in October and November. The temperature remains high throughout these months.

Across most of the country, rainfall is strongly seasonal, although its pattern, timing and extent vary greatly from place to place and from year to year.

The country receives a great deal of sunshine all the year round and summer clothes are worn throughout the year. However, it is usually cool at night and early in the morning.