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Kenya
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Customs and Culture
Customs and Culture
About the People
Patriotism is evident in people’s respect for the national flag. When the flag is raised or lowered, Kenyans stop what they are doing and observe the short ceremony.
Social systems are group oriented. The individual is expected to be willing to sacrifice personal interests for the interests of the group. The “group” is usually defined by family, which has the highest value in society. To fail to keep close ties with the extended family is considered rebellious behavior.
Cultural Attributes
Patriotism is evident in people’s respect for the national flag. When the flag is raised or lowered, Kenyans stop what they are doing and observe the short ceremony.
Social systems are group oriented. The individual is expected to be willing to sacrifice personal interests for the interests of the group. The “group” is usually defined by family, which has the highest value in society. To fail to keep close ties with the extended family is considered rebellious behavior.
Land of the Great Migration
Greetings, Gestures & Visiting
English greetings are acceptable. Kenya is an ethnically diverse country, so greeting customs differ between ethnic groups. Because most of the people speak Swahili, the Swahili term "Hujambo, habari" (Greetings! How are you?) is often used.
"Habari gani?" (What is the news?) is common in non-coastal areas. A simple "Jambo" is a common casual greeting in coastal cities. When leaving one another a Kenyan might say "Tuta onana"(We will meet).
Visiting is often done unannounced with people often dropping by for a visit and a cup of tea. When invited a guest might bring a small gifts consisting of wine among Christians; flowers and tea leafs are popular items to be given. In urban areas, flour, sugar, coffee are given. A host does not usually end the visit.
Kenyans generally are modestly dressed. Shorts (for women) are generally only appropriate in resort areas. Women usually wear dresses, but many young urban women wear pants.
Women frequently wear a "kanga" around their waist to cover their clothes. A "kanga" is a long piece of cotton fabric. It is also used by mothers to carry children on their backs, or by any woman to cover herself from wind or rain.
Sleeveless dresses or blouses are not common because they are not considered modest. Light fabrics and short sleeves are common because of the warm climate.
Diet
The most common meats in Kenya are goat, beef, lamb, chicken, and fish. Milk, ugali (a stiff dough made from either cornmeal, millet, or sorghum), uj i(porridge made from ugali ingredients) red bean stew, kitumbua (fried bread), and chapati (a flat bread) are staple foods. Popular fruits include pine-apples, mangoes, oranges, bananas, and papaya. Also common are sweet potatoes and avocado.
Afternoon tea is a daily custom throughout the country. Depending on the type of food, people may eat their food utensils or the right hand. One washes their hands before and after eating a meal.
Popular fruit include oranges, pineapples, mangoes, papaya and bananas. Other popular foods included in meals are sweet potatoes and avocado.
Family
The family unit usually includes the extended family. There is much interaction between uncles, aunts, and cousins. In fact, children call their maternal aunts, “mother”, and their parental uncles, “father.” The average Kenyan family is large with smaller families living in urban areas. Most Kenyans expect to marry and raise a family. Some women choose not to fulfill their traditional role as a stay at home mother and wife. Some women with children prefer life as a single parent.
Dating Customs
Men and women usually marry between the ages of eighteen and twenty-four. The dowry system, where a payment is made by the groom’s family to the bride’s family still occurs. Money has been substituted for livestock as the medium of exchange for the dowry.Young men and women usually select their partners. In a few cases, marriages are still arranged by families, rather than decided upon by the individuals.
Recreation
Football (soccer) is the national pastime. School sponsored sports include soccer, and track and field. Urban Kenyans often become members of clubs where billiards, squash, swimming and tennis are played.
In urban areas, on weekends and in the evenings walking and window shopping are frequent pastimes. In rural areas Bao is popular, a board game with holes and seeds. The strategy is to capture the opponents seeds.
Student Life
Children who are in lower primary school (class 1, 2 and 3) wake up and go to school at 7:00 a.m. Most of them come from poor families and they do not get breakfast. Usually they wash their faces and go to school. Older children in the class 4, 5 and 6 wake up as early as 5:00 a.m. The girls wash utensils, go to the river to fetch water and clean the house by sweeping the floor. The boys will help their parents till the land until 6:00 a.m. Thereafter they will wash their faces and rush to school, with or without breakfast. For those who can afford breakfast it is usually a cup of porridge. The candidates class 7 and 8 have a crush program where they wake up early about 5:00 a.m. They wash their faces and rush to school before 6:30 a.m. Those who live in the rural areas where poverty is rampant usually cannot afford breakfast. Most families can not afford breakfast and they live on a meal or two a day. Those who can afford it take porridge or boiled maize. Some children take strong tea/black tea and any leftover food from the previous supper. Left over food (if any) is usually ugali (a mixture of cooked flour and water). Some urban households are different in that some households tend to have house helpers whose main responsibility involves preparing kids for school, they will prepare breakfast which mostly consists of cereals, tea and buttered bread. In a wider range urban kids don’t have chores before going to school, they may be required to make their beds.
The children in the lower primary class 1, 2 and 3 report to school at 7:00 AM. They have a recess at 10:00 AM which lasts for 30 minutes. There is another recess at 11:00 AM before going home for lunch at 12:45 PM. A class lesson takes 30 minutes and there are no meals served during the recess. When they go home for lunch they come back the following day. In addition grades 4-6th report to school at 6:30 AM. 7th grade students report to school at 6:00 AM and the 8th grade comes at 5:30 AM. Grades 4-7th go for recess at 10:00 AM and again at 11:30 AM which lasts for 30 minutes each. 8th grade goes for break once at 10:00 AM for 20 minutes. Grades 4-7 go home for lunch at 12:45 PM and return to school at 1:45 PM. The 8th grade children have lunch at school which must be paid by their parents/guardians. They eat greens and ugali. Grades 4-7th go for games at 3:10 PM . After playing games the 4-6th grades are released to go back home while the 7th and 8th grades remain to study until about 5:00 PM or 6:00 PM respectively. The number of children per teacher varies between 70 to 110 students.
Older children return home directly after school. Upon arriving home the girls go to fetch water and firewood while the boys help other chores like grazing of animals if they have any, or splitting firewood or tilling any land they have. In the evening, for those with paraffin they study a little, then they have an evening meal. The younger children on returning home go play waiting for an evening meal before they go to to sleep. There is no typical bedtime for younger school children. When not in school the bigger children sometimes help their parents with farm work domestic work or digging to earn some money. Afterward they visit each other in their homes. The most popular extra curricular activities are football(soccer) and athletics. These are provided through the school system. However, in the rural setting there are no private sponsors.
Holidays
Independence Day
7/12Independence Day
Christmas
12/25Christmas
Christmas dinner includes nyama choma (roasted meat) usually goat, along with chapattis (flat bread) Carolers make their rounds house to house on Christmas Eve and the monetary gifts received are donated to local churches.
Dates of Interest
- December 25th
Christmas dinner includes nyama choma (roasted meat) usually goat, along with chapattis (flat bread) Carolers make their rounds house to house on Christmas Eve and the monetary gifts received are donated to local churches.
How do people greet each other in Kenya?
English greetings are acceptable, but Swahili greetings are widely used since most Kenyans speak Swahili. Customs vary between ethnic groups.
Do
- Use "Hujambo, habari" (Greetings! How are you?)
- Say "Habari gani?" (What is the news?) in non-coastal areas
- Use a casual "Jambo" in coastal cities
- Say "Tuta onana" (We will meet) when parting
What are the dining customs in Kenya?
Afternoon tea is a daily custom, and staple foods include ugali, chapati, red bean stew, and meats like goat, beef, lamb, chicken, and fish. Depending on the food, people eat with utensils or the right hand.
Do
- Wash your hands before and after a meal
- Eat with your right hand when eating by hand
- Enjoy afternoon tea, a daily custom
Good to know
- Popular fruits include pineapples, mangoes, oranges, bananas, and papaya
- Sweet potatoes and avocado are common foods
What should I know about visiting and hospitality in Kenya?
Visiting is often done unannounced, with people dropping by for a visit and a cup of tea. A host does not usually end the visit.
Do
- Bring a small gift when invited
- Offer wine among Christians, or flowers and tea leaves
- In urban areas, give flour, sugar, or coffee
Good to know
- Kenyans stop and observe the short ceremony when the flag is raised or lowered
How should I dress in Kenya?
Kenyans generally dress modestly, favoring light fabrics and short sleeves due to the warm climate.
Do
- Dress modestly
- Wear light fabrics and short sleeves for the warm climate
Don’t
- Avoid sleeveless dresses or blouses, which are not considered modest
- Women should reserve shorts for resort areas
Good to know
- Women often wear a "kanga" (long cotton fabric) around the waist, to carry children, or as cover from wind or rain
- Many young urban women wear pants
What is family life like in Kenya?
Family has the highest value in society and usually includes the extended family, with much interaction among uncles, aunts, and cousins. Failing to keep close ties with the extended family is considered rebellious.
Good to know
- Children call maternal aunts "mother" and parental uncles "father"
- Families tend to be large, with smaller families in urban areas
- The dowry system still occurs, with money now substituted for livestock
- Most partners are self-selected, though some marriages are still arranged
What do people do for recreation in Kenya?
Football (soccer) is the national pastime, with school sports including soccer and track and field.
Good to know
- Urban Kenyans often join clubs for billiards, squash, swimming, and tennis
- Walking and window shopping are frequent urban weekend and evening pastimes
- In rural areas, the board game Bao (played with holes and seeds) is popular
Last updated: 2026-07-12 · Sources: CountryReports
Photos of Kenya
Photos of Kenya
A young Kenyan boy
Church service in Nairobi
Taxis service in Nairobi
Education and training school, Kenya
Boys from Moussai, Kenya
Young men take a break from school.
Urban street in a major Kenya city.
Shopping district in Nakuru, Kenya
Waterfall in rural Kenya.
Forest in rural Kenya
Tour guide bus, Kenya
A young Kenyan girl.
Travel and Tourism
Travel and Tourism
- Travel Alert Status
- Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution
- Currency
- Kenyan shilling (KES)
- Time Difference
- UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- Climate
- Nairobi has four seasons, but overall temperature changes are moderate. Mid‑ December through March are mainly sunny and warm by day, cool at night, and generally dry. April and May constitute the principal rainy season with lower day temperatures. The months of June through September are mainly dry, but often cloudy and cool, with cool nights. October and November make up the short rainy season, with long sunny periods, warm days, and cool nights. Average annual rainfall in Nairobi is about 39 inches, but the actual amount varies widely in any year.
- Airports
- 221
Read the full travel guide — health, safety, vaccinations, disease risk, sanitation, and transit details.
View full travel guideRecipes
Recipes
Maandazi
Bread
Main Dish
Samosas
Main Dish
Beef Stew
Main Dish
Kuku na Nazi (Chicken with Coconut Milk)
Main Dish
Mtuza wa Samaki (Baked Curried Fish)
Main Dish
Chicken Tika
Main Dish
Kunde (Vegetarian Stew)
Side Dish
PremiumIrio
Side Dish
PremiumUgali (A Stiff Dough Made from Cornmeal)
Side Dish
PremiumSukuma Wiki (Collard Greens)
History
History
Historical Eras
Early Peoples & Coast
2000 BCE – 1885
Cushitic, Nilotic, and Bantu peoples successively settled the East African interior, while Arab and Persian traders established coastal towns from the 8th century onward, giving rise to Swahili language and culture. Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama arrived at Mombasa in 1498, initiating European contact, but Omani Arabs ultimately displaced Portuguese influence and controlled the coastline by 1698. This long era was defined by maritime commerce, the spread of Islam, and the blending of African and Arabian cultures along the Swahili Coast.
Colonial Era
1885 – 1944
The Berlin Conference of 1885 partitioned East Africa among European powers, and Britain formally established the East African Protectorate in 1895, later declared a Crown Colony in 1920. The construction of the Uganda Railway opened the fertile highlands to white settlers, who were granted political representation while Africans were barred from direct participation. Land alienation, forced labor, and racial policies generated deep African resentment that would fuel future resistance movements.
Mau Mau & Road to Independence
1944 – 1963
African political participation accelerated from 1944, but systemic inequality drove the predominantly Kikuyu Mau Mau movement to armed revolt against British rule, prompting a state of emergency from 1952 to 1959 in which tens of thousands were detained or killed. The brutal suppression ultimately hastened political reform; direct African elections to the Legislative Council were held in 1957, and nationalist leader Jomo Kenyatta, released from detention in 1961, led negotiations culminating in independence on December 12, 1963.
Kenyatta & Single-Party Rule
1963 – 1978
Jomo Kenyatta became Kenya's first President under the Kenya African National Union (KANU), overseeing relative economic growth and political consolidation. Rival parties dissolved or were banned, and by 1969 Kenya functioned as a de facto one-party state; opposition leader Oginga Odinga's Kenya People's Union was banned and Odinga detained. Kenyatta's tenure was marked by Kikuyu political dominance, land redistribution controversies, and the suppression of dissent until his death in August 1978.
Moi Era
1978 – 2002
Daniel arap Moi succeeded Kenyatta and in 1982 formalized Kenya's one-party system by constitutional amendment, ruling through patronage, detention of opponents, and tight media control. Sustained domestic unrest and international pressure forced political liberalization in 1991; multiparty elections followed in 1992 and 1997, though both were marred by ethnic violence and irregularities that nonetheless kept KANU and Moi in power. Moi stepped down after peaceful elections in December 2002, ending 24 years of authoritarian dominance.
Multiparty & Modern Kenya
2002 – present
Mwai Kibaki's 2002 election on an anticorruption platform marked Kenya's first genuine democratic transfer of power, though disputed 2007 elections triggered post-election violence that killed over a thousand people and prompted a power-sharing accord. Subsequent constitutional reform produced a new constitution in 2010, devolving power to 47 counties and strengthening rights protections. Uhuru Kenyatta (2013–2022) and William Ruto (2022–present) have presided over a Kenya grappling with debt, security threats from al-Shabaab, and ongoing demands for accountability and inclusive governance.
Overview
Cushitic-speaking people from northern Africa moved into the area that is now Kenya beginning around 2000 BC. Arab traders began frequenting the Kenya coast around the first century AD. Kenya’s proximity to the Arabian Peninsula invited colonization, and Arab and Persian settlements sprouted along the coast by the eighth century. During the first millennium AD, Nilotic and Bantu peoples moved into the region, and the latter now comprises three-quarters of Kenya’s population.
The Swahili language, a mixture of Bantu and Arabic, developed as a lingua franca for trade between the different peoples. Arab dominance on the coast was eclipsed by the arrival in 1498 of the Portuguese, who gave way in turn to Islamic control under the Imam of Oman in the 1600s. The United Kingdom established its influence in the 19th century.
The colonial history of Kenya dates from the Berlin Conference of 1885, when the European powers first partitioned East Africa into spheres of influence. In 1895, the U.K. Government established the East African Protectorate and, soon after, opened the fertile highlands to white settlers. The settlers were allowed a voice in government even before it was officially made a U.K. colony in 1920, but Africans were prohibited from direct political participation until 1944.
From October 1952 to December 1959, Kenya was under a state of emergency arising from the "Mau Mau" rebellion against British colonial rule. During this period, African participation in the political process increased rapidly.
The first direct elections for Africans to the Legislative Council took place in 1957. Kenya became independent on December 12, 1963, and the next year joined the Commonwealth. Jomo Kenyatta, a member of the large Kikuyu ethnic group and head of the Kenya African National Union (KANU), became Kenya’s first President. The minority party, Kenya African Democratic Union (KADU), representing a coalition of small ethnic groups that had feared dominance by larger ones, dissolved itself voluntarily in 1964 and joined KANU.
A small but significant leftist opposition party, the Kenya People’s Union (KPU), was formed in 1966, led by Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, a former Vice President and Luo elder. The KPU was banned shortly thereafter, however, and its leader detained. No new opposition parties were formed after 1969, and KANU became the sole political party. At Kenyatta’s death in August 1978, Vice President Daniel arap Moi became interim President. On October 14, Moi became President formally after he was elected head of KANU and designated its sole nominee.
In June 1982, the National Assembly amended the constitution, making Kenya officially a one-party state, and parliamentary elections were held in September 1983. The 1988 elections reinforced the one-party system. However, in December 1991, Parliament repealed the one-party section of the constitution. By early 1992, several new parties had formed, and multiparty elections were held in December 1992. Because of divisions in the opposition, however, Moi was reelected for another 5-year term, and his KANU party retained a majority of the legislature. Parliamentary reforms in November 1997 expanded political rights, and the number of political parties grew rapidly. Again because of a divided opposition, Moi won re-election as President in the December 1997 elections. KANU won 113 out of 222 parliamentary seats, but, because of defections, had to depend on the support of minor parties to forge a working majority.
In October 2002, a coalition of opposition parties joined forces with a faction which broke away from KANU to form the National Rainbow Coalition (NARC). In December 2002, the NARC candidate, Mwai Kibaki, was elected the country’s third President. President Kibaki received 62% of the vote, and NARC also won 59% of the parliamentary seats (130 out of 222).
Timeline of Key Events
500 BCE
Start of Bantu migration into Eastern Africa
Start of Bantu migration into Eastern Africa.
600
Arabs begin settling coastal areas
Arabs begin settling coastal areas, over the centuries developing trading stations which facilitated contact with the Arab world, Persia and India. Farmers, herders and hunters from other parts of Africa begin moving into Kenya.
1000
Islam is introduced to the region by Arab merchants
Islam is introduced to the region by Arab merchants, more trading posts are set up along coast.
1200
Swahili culture and language becomes dominant near the coast
Swahili culture and language becomes dominant near the coast, from a mixture of Arab traders, Africans, and even Persians and Indians. Inland is still dominated by Bantu and Nilotic speakers, as well as southwards migrating Cushite speakers from the north.
1498
Vasco da Gama arrived at Mombasa, Kenya
Vasco da Gama, Portuguese explorer, arrived at Mombasa, Kenya, where the Arabs repelled him. He sailed on to Malindi and came to terms with the local sultan, who supplied a pilot that knew the route to Calicut (Kozhikode), the most important commercial port in Southwest India at the time.
1502 – 1509
Vasco da Gama arrived at Mombasa, Kenya
Portuguese briefly take control of the Swahili ports on the coast. Swahili states force them out.
1630
Omani Arab traders start to settle along coast.
Omani Arab traders start to settle along coast.
Read the full history profile — narrative overview, defining eras, and the complete timeline in one place.
View expanded historyInteresting Facts
Interesting Facts
The highest point of Kenya's highlands is Mt. Kenya, which is over 5000 metres.
In 1985, Kenya hosted the third International Women's Conference.
Kenya is one of the main producers of pyrethrum which is a mosquito repellent. It comes from a plant which people burn to ward off mosquitoes.
Kenya took home eight track and field medals from the 1996 Summer Olympics.
At Easter Kenya hosts the annual Safari Rally, which, along with the Paris-Dakar Rally, is one of the toughest and most exciting automobile rally events in the world.
Most Kenyans visit a government clinic when they are sick. These clinics are free, but the patient has to pay for medicines and bandages.
See every fact — trivia, oddities, and curious tidbits gathered from across the country.
View all interesting factsGeography and Environment
Geography and Environment
- Terrain
- low plains rise to central highlands bisected by Great Rift Valley; fertile plateau in west
- Climate
- Nairobi has four seasons, but overall temperature changes are moderate. Mid‑ December through March are mainly sunny and warm by day, cool at night, and generally dry. April and May constitute the principal rainy season with lower day temperatures. The months of June through September are mainly dry, but often cloudy and cool, with cool nights. October and November make up the short rainy season, with long sunny periods, warm days, and cool nights. Average annual rainfall in Nairobi is about 39 inches, but the actual amount varies widely in any year.
- Natural Hazards
- recurring drought; flooding during rainy seasons
- Current Environmental Issues
- water pollution from urban and industrial wastes; degradation of water quality from increased use of pesticides and fertilizers; water hyacinth infestation in Lake Victoria; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; poaching
Read the full geography and environment profile — terrain, climate, natural resources, hazards, land use, and international agreements.
View full geographyPeople & Demographics
People & Demographics
Religion
Languages Spoken
English (official), Kiswahili (official), numerous indigenous languages
- English
- Swahili
Population
- Population
- 40,046,566
- Population: Male/Female
- male: 29,091,800 female: 29,154,578
- Population Distribution
- population heavily concentrated in the west along the shore of Lake Victoria; other areas of high density include the capital of Nairobi, and in the southeast along the Indian Ocean coast
- Urban Population
- urban population: 29.5% of total population rate of urbanization: 4.09% annual rate of change
- Population in Major Urban Areas
- 5.325 million NAIROBI (capital), 1.440 million Mombassa
- Nationality Noun
- noun: Kenyan(s) adjective: Kenyan
- Ethnic Groups
- Kikuyu 17.1%, Luhya 14.3%, Kalenjin 13.4%, Luo 10.7%, Kamba 9.8%, Somali 5.8%, Kisii 5.7%, Mijikenda 5.2%, Meru 4.2%, Maasai 2.5%, Turkana 2.1%, non-Kenyan 1%, other 8.2%
- Language Note
- English (official), Kiswahili (official), numerous indigenous languages
Demographic Profile
Kenya has experienced dramatic population growth since the mid-20th century as a result of its high birth rate and its declining mortality rate. Almost 40% of Kenyans are under the age of 15 as of 2020 because of sustained high fertility, early marriage and childbearing, and an unmet need for family planning. Kenya’s persistent rapid population growth strains the labor market, social services, arable land, and natural resources. Although Kenya in 1967 was the first Sub-Saharan country to launch a nationwide family planning program, progress in reducing the birth rate has largely stalled since the late 1990s, when the government decreased its support for family planning to focus on the HIV epidemic. Government commitment and international technical support spurred Kenyan contraceptive use, decreasing the fertility rate (children per woman) from about 8 in the late 1970s to less than 5 children twenty years later, but it has plateaued at about 3 children as of 2022.
Kenya is a source of emigrants and a host country for refugees. In the 1960s and 1970s, Kenyans pursued higher education in the UK because of colonial ties, but as British immigration rules tightened, the US, the then Soviet Union, and Canada became attractive study destinations. Kenya’s stagnant economy and political problems during the 1980s and 1990s led to an outpouring of Kenyan students and professionals seeking permanent opportunities in the West and southern Africa. Nevertheless, Kenya’s relative stability since its independence in 1963 has attracted hundreds of thousands of refugees escaping violent conflicts in neighboring countries; Kenya was sheltering nearly 280,000 Somali refugees as of 2022.
Education
- Literacy Definition
- age 15 and over can read and write
The children in the lower primary class 1, 2 and 3 report to school at 7:00 AM. They have a recess at 10:00 AM which lasts for 30 minutes. There is another recess at 11:00 AM before going home for lunch at 12:45 PM. A class lesson takes 30 minutes and there are no meals served during the recess. When they go home for lunch they come back the following day. In addition grades 4-6th report to school at 6:30 AM. 7th grade students report to school at 6:00 AM and the 8th grade comes at 5:30 AM.
Grades 4-7th go for recess at 10:00 AM and again at 11:30 AM which lasts for 30 minutes each. 8th grade goes for break once at 10:00 AM for 20 minutes. Grades 4-7 go home for lunch at 12:45 PM and return to school at 1:45 PM. The 8th grade children have lunch at school which must be paid by their parents/guardians. They eat greens and ugali. Grades 4-7th go for games at 3:10 PM . After playing games the 4-6th grades are released to go back home while the 7th and 8th grades remain to study until about 5:00 PM or 6:00 PM respectively. The number of children per teacher varies between 70 to 110 students.
Health Information
- Life Expectancy at Birth
- total population: 70.4 years male: 68.6 years female: 72.2 years
- Major Infectious Diseases — degree of risk
- degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria, dengue fever, Rift Valley fever, and sexually transmitted diseases: HIV/AIDS water contact diseases: schistosomiasis animal contact diseases: rabies note: on 31 August 2023, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Travel Alert for polio in Asia; Israel is currently considered a high risk to travelers for circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses (cVDPV); vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV) is a strain of the weakened poliovirus that was initially included in oral polio vaccine (OPV) and that has changed over time and behaves more like the wild or naturally occurring virus; this means it can be spread more easily to people who are unvaccinated against polio and who come in contact with the stool or respiratory secretions, such as from a sneeze, of an “infected” person who received oral polio vaccine; the CDC recommends that before any international travel, anyone unvaccinated, incompletely vaccinated, or with an unknown polio vaccination status should complete the routine polio vaccine series; before travel to any high-risk destination, the CDC recommends that adults who previously completed the full, routine polio vaccine series receive a single, lifetime booster dose of polio vaccine
- Alcohol consumption per capita
- total: 1.68 liters of pure alcohol beer: 0.81 liters of pure alcohol wine: 0.04 liters of pure alcohol spirits: 0.81 liters of pure alcohol other alcohols: 0.03 liters of pure alcohol
- Tobacco Use
- total: 11.1% male: 19.5% female: 2.7%
- Infant Mortality Rate
- total: 26.1 deaths/1,000 live births male: 29 deaths/1,000 live births female: 23.1 deaths/1,000 live births
Life Expectancy
- Life Expectancy at Birth
- total population: 70.4 years male: 68.6 years female: 72.2 years
- Median Age
- total: 21.2 years male: 21.1 years female: 21.4 years
- Age Structure
- 0-14 years: 35.8% (male 10,464,384/female 10,366,997) 15-64 years: 60.9% (male 17,731,068/female 17,723,012) 65 years and over: 3.4% (male 896,348/female 1,064,569)
- Infant Mortality Rate
- total: 26.1 deaths/1,000 live births male: 29 deaths/1,000 live births female: 23.1 deaths/1,000 live births
Read the full people and society profile — demographics, health, education, religion, languages, and notable people.
View full people and societyGovernment & Politics
Government & Politics
Country Identity
- Country Name
- Kenya
- Full Country Name
- Republic of Kenya
- Former Name
- British East Africa
Government Structure
- Government Type
- republic
- Legal System
- based on Kenyan statutory law, Kenyan and English common law, tribal law, and Islamic law; judicial review in High Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations; constitutional amendment of 1982 making Kenya a de jure one-party state repealed in 1991
- Executive Branch
- chief of state: President William RUTO (since 13 September 2022); Deputy President Rigathi GACHAGUA (since 13 September 2022); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President William RUTO (since 13 September 2022); Deputy President Rigathi GACHAGUA (since 13 September 2022); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president and approved by the National Assembly elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); to avoid a runoff, the winning candidate must receive more than 50% of all votes cast, as well as at least 25% of the votes in at least 24 of Kenya's 47 counties; election last held on 9 August 2022 (next to be held in August 2027); deputy president appointed by the president election results: William RUTO elected president in the first round; percent of vote - William RUTO 50.5%, Raila ODINGA 48.9%, other 0.6%
- Legislative Branch
- unicameral National Assembly or Bunge (224 seats; 210 members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms, 12 so-called “nominated” members who are appointed by the president but selected by the parties in proportion to their parliamentary vote totals, 2 ex-officio members) elections: last held 27 December 2002 (next to be held by early 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NARC 125, KANU 64, FORD-P 14, other 7; ex-officio 2; seats appointed by the president - NARC 7, KANU 4, FORD-P 1
- Judicial Branch
- Court of Appeal (chief justice is appointed by the president); High Court
- Suffrage
- 18 years of age; universal
- Constitution
- 12 December 1963, amended as a republic 1964; reissued with amendments 1979, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1997, and 2001
- Independence
- 12 December 1963 (from UK)
- National Holiday
- Independence Day, 12 December (1963)
Capital City
- Capital Name
- Nairobi
- Capital - geographic coordinate
- 1 17 S, 36 49 E
- Capital Time Difference
- UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
the name derives from the Maasai expression meaning "cool waters" and refers to a cold water stream that flowed through the area in the late 19th century
Military
Branches: Kenya Defence Forces: Kenya Army, Kenya Air Force, Kenya Navy
Embassy / Diplomatic Mission
U.S. Embassy Nairobi
United Nations Avenue
Gagarin, Nairobi, Kenya
Telephone: (254) (20) 363-6451
Emergency after-hours telephone: (254) (20) 363-6000
Read the full government profile — flag symbolism, national anthem, and other national symbols.
View full government detailsEconomy
Economy
Kenya serves as the regional hub for trade and finance in East Africa, with the most diversified economy in the region. The country has transitioned from an agriculture-based economy to one increasingly driven by services, including finance, telecommunications, tourism, and a thriving information technology sector. Mobile money platforms like M-Pesa have positioned Kenya as a global leader in financial technology and digital innovation.
Despite these strengths, Kenya's economy continues to face persistent challenges, including corruption, high public debt, youth unemployment, and vulnerability to climate shocks. Agriculture remains a critical sector, employing a large share of the workforce and producing key exports such as tea, coffee, cut flowers, and horticultural products. However, recurring droughts, most recently the severe 2020–2023 drought in the Horn of Africa, have repeatedly strained food security and rural livelihoods.
Kenya's GDP growth has averaged around 5% over the past decade, making it one of the fastest-growing economies in sub-Saharan Africa. After contracting by 0.3% in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the economy rebounded strongly, growing by 7.6% in 2021, 4.9% in 2022, and an estimated 5.6% in 2023. Growth has been supported by a recovery in services, agriculture, and construction, though high inflation, a weakening shilling, and rising debt-service costs have pressured household incomes and government finances.
Public debt has climbed to roughly 70% of GDP, prompting the government, under President William Ruto who took office in September 2022, to pursue fiscal consolidation, tax reforms, and renewed engagement with the IMF under an Extended Fund Facility and Extended Credit Facility program. Proposed tax increases sparked widespread public protests in mid-2024, leading to the withdrawal of the Finance Bill and a cabinet reshuffle. Looking ahead, Kenya's prospects rest on strengthening governance, expanding manufacturing under its Vision 2030 development blueprint, and leveraging regional integration through the East African Community and the African Continental Free Trade Area.
Snapshot
- Currency Name and Code
- Kenyan Shilling (KES)
- GDP — official exchange rate
- $16,110,000,000 (USD)
- GDP Real Growth Rate
- 5.2%
- Gini Index
- 44.5
Banknotes
Budget & Public Finance
- Fiscal Year
- 1 July - 30 June
- Annual Budget
- $3,880,000,000 (USD)
- Public Debt (% of GDP)
- 67.4%
- External Debt
- $7,349,000,000 (USD)
- Investment (% of GDP)
- 17.2%
- Economic Aid
- $453,000,000 (USD)
- Current Account Balance
- -$694,000,000 (USD)
- Reserves of Foreign Exchange
- $1,670,000,000 (USD)
Labor, Industry & Trade
- Labor Force by Occupation
- agriculture 75%
- Household Income — highest 10%
- 37.2%
- Industries
- small-scale consumer goods (plastic, furniture, batteries, textiles, soap, cigarettes, flour), agricultural products processing; oil refining, cement; tourism
- Agriculture Products
- tea, coffee, corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruit, vegetables; dairy products, beef, pork, poultry, eggs
- Export Commodities
- tea, horticultural products, coffee, petroleum products, fish, cement
- Export Partners
- Uganda 18.5%, UK 13%, US 8.1%, Netherlands 7.6%, Pakistan 5%, Egypt 4.1%
- Import Commodities
- machinery and transportation equipment, petroleum products, motor vehicles, iron and steel, resins and plastics
- Import Partners
- UAE 12%, Saudi Arabia 8.7%, South Africa 8.1%, US 8.1%, UK 7.1%, France 5.8%, China 5.5%, Japan 5%, India 4.8%
Energy
- Oil Production
- 0 bbl/day
- Oil Consumption
- 52,000 bbl/day
- Oil Reserves
- 0 bbl/day
- Natural Gas Production
- 0 cu m
- Natural Gas Consumption
- 0 cu m
- Natural Gas Imports
- 0 cu m
- Natural Gas Exports
- 0 cu m
- Natural Gas Reserves
- 0 cu m
Communications
- Telephone System
- general assessment: inadequate; fixed-line telephone system is small and inefficient; trunks are primarily microwave radio relay; business data commonly transferred by a very small aperture terminal (VSAT) system domestic: sole fixed-line provider, Telkom Kenya, is slated for privatization; multiple providers in the mobile-cellular segment of the market fostering a boom in mobile-cellular telephone usage with teledensity reaching 65 per 100 persons in 2011 international: country code - 254; landing point for the EASSy, TEAMS and SEACOM fiber-optic submarine cable systems; satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat
- Internet Country Code
- .ke
News & Weather
News & Weather
Current Weather
Latest News
Kenya’s Rift Valley residents reach breaking point: 'The lake moved into my house’ - RFI
RFI · 1d ago
Aiming for My Fastest Marathon, I Turned to Distance Running’s Mecca - The New York Times
The New York Times · 19h ago
Seven U.S. aid workers quarantined in Kenya during Ebola response - The Washington Post
The Washington Post · 2d ago
Moody’s Sees State’s Arrears Keeping Kenya’s Bad Loans Elevated - Bloomberg.com
Bloomberg.com · 2h ago
Kenya elephant nursery video shows older bull comforting calf after play fight turns intense - Yahoo
Yahoo · 6h ago
South Africa Goes Hand in Hand with Nigeria, Morocco, Kenya, Zimbabwe and All Other African Countries in Plunging US Tourism with a Record-Breaking Twenty-Five Percent Drop in Tourist Arrivals for Six Consecutive Months in 2026 - Travel And Tour World
Travel And Tour World · 1d ago
Americans who responded to Ebola outbreak are quarantined in Kenya, despite court order - Politico
Politico · 3d ago
Photo from Kenya captures a warthog beating the heat at the muddy edge of a shared waterhole - Yahoo
Yahoo · 3d ago
News via Google News
Climate Overview
Nairobi has four seasons, but overall temperature changes are moderate. Mid‑ December through March are mainly sunny and warm by day, cool at night, and generally dry. April and May constitute the principal rainy season with lower day temperatures. The months of June through September are mainly dry, but often cloudy and cool, with cool nights. October and November make up the short rainy season, with long sunny periods, warm days, and cool nights. Average annual rainfall in Nairobi is about 39 inches, but the actual amount varies widely in any year.
Videos
Videos
2 curated YouTube videos.
Source: YouTube
Source: YouTube
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
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Last reviewed 2026