Not logged in Talk Contributions Create account Log in Article Talk Read View source View history Search Wikipedia Kenya From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Coordinates: 1°N 38°E Main page For other uses, see Kenya (disambiguation). Contents Featured content This article needs to be updated. Please update this article to reflect recent events or newly available Current events information. (November 2018) Random article Donate to Wikipedia Kenya (/ˈkɛnjə/ ( listen)), officially the Republic of Kenya (Swahili: Jamhuri ya Kenya), is a country in Africa with Republic of Kenya Wikipedia store 47 semiautonomous counties governed by elected governors. At 580,367 square kilometres (224,081 sq mi), Jamhuri ya Kenya (Swahili) Kenya is the world's 48th largest country by total area. With a population of more than 52.2 million people, Kenya Interaction is the 27th most populous country.[10] Kenya's capital and largest city is Nairobi while its oldest city and first Help capital is the coastal city of Mombasa. Kisumu City is the third largest city and also an inland port on Lake About Wikipedia Victoria. Other important urban centres include Nakuru and Eldoret. Community portal Recent changes Nilotic-speaking pastoralists (ancestral to Kenya's Nilotic speakers) started migrating from present-day Southern Flag Coat of arms Contact page Sudan into Kenya around 500 BC.[11] European colonisation of Kenya began in the 19th century during the Motto: "Harambee" (Swahili) European exploration of the interior. The modern-day Kenya emerged from a protectorate established by the Tools "Let us all pull together" British Empire in 1895 and the subsequent Kenya Colony, which began in 1920. Numerous disputes between What links here Anthem: "Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu" (English: "O God of all creation") Related changes Great Britain and the colony led to the Mau Mau revolution, which began in 1952, and the subsequent declaration 0:00 MENU Upload file of independence in 1963. After independence, Kenya remained a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. The Special pages current constitution was adopted in 2010 to replace the 1963 independence constitution. Permanent link Kenya is a presidential representative democratic republic, in which elected officials represent the people and the Page information [12] Wikidata item president is the head of state and government. Kenya is a member of United Nations, World Bank, [13] Cite this page International Monetary Fund, COMESA, and other international organisations. With a GNI of 1,460, Kenya is a lower-middle-income economy. Kenya's economy is the second-largest in eastern and central Africa after In other projects Ethiopia.[14][15] with Nairobi serving as a major regional commercial hub.[15] Agriculture is the largest sector; tea Wikimedia Commons and coffee are traditional cash crops, while fresh flowers are a fast-growing export. The service industry is also a Wikinews major economic driver, particularly tourism. Kenya is a member of the East African Community trade bloc, though Wikiquote some international trade organisations categorise it as part of the Greater Horn of Africa.[16] Africa is Kenya's Wikivoyage largest export market, followed by the European Union.[17] Print/export Location of Kenya (dark blue) Contents [hide] Create a book in the African Union (light blue) Download as PDF 1 Etymology Printable version 2 History 2.1 Prehistory Languages 2.2 Neolithic Deutsch 2.3 Swahili culture and trade (1st century–19th century) Français ह)ी 2.4 British Kenya (1888–1962) Italiano 2.5 Mau Mau Uprising Kiswahili 2.6 Independence Suomi 2.7 The first president of Kenya Moi era 2.8 اردو יידיש 2.9 Birth of multiparty politics and the demise of Moi era 中⽂ 2.10 President Kibaki and the road to a new constitution 214 more Capital Nairobi 2.11 Devolution of government and separation of powers and largest city 1°16′S 36°48′E Edit links 3 Geography and climate Official languages English · Swahili[1] 3.1 Climate National language Swahili[1] 3.2 Wildlife Ethnic groups 22% Kikuyu 4 Government and politics (2018[2]) 14% Luhya 4.1 2013 elections and new government 13% Luo 12% Kalenjin 4.2 Foreign relations 11% Kamba 6% Kisii 4.3 Armed forces 6% Meru 4.4 Administrative divisions 15% other African 1% non-African 4.5 Human rights Demonym(s) Kenyan 5 Economy Government Unitary presidential 5.1 Tourism constitutional republic 5.2 Agriculture • President Uhuru Kenyatta 5.3 Industry and manufacturing • Deputy President William Ruto • Speaker of the Kenneth Lusaka 5.4 Transport Senate 5.5 Energy • Speaker of the Justin Muturi National 5.6 Overall Chinese investment and trade Assembly 5.7 Vision 2030 • Chief Justice David Maraga • Attorney General Paul Kihara Kariuki 5.8 Oil exploration Legislature Parliament 5.9 Child labour and prostitution • Upper house Senate 5.10 Microfinance in Kenya • Lower house National Assembly 6 Demographics Independence 6.1 Ethnic groups • from the United 12 December 1963 Kingdom 6.2 Languages • Republic declared 12 December 1964 6.3 Urban centres Area 6.4 Religion • Total 580,367 km2 [3][4] 6.5 Health (224,081 sq mi) (48th) 6.6 Women • Water (%) 2.3 6.7 Education Population 7 Culture • 2019 estimate 49,364,325[5] (28th) 7.1 Media • 2009 census 38,610,097[6] • Density 78/km2 (202.0/sq mi) 7.2 Literature (124th) 7.3 Music GDP (PPP) 2019 estimate 7.4 Sports • Total $190.970 billion[7] 7.5 Cuisine • Per capita $3,867[7] 8 See also GDP (nominal) 2019 estimate [7] 9 References • Total $99.246 billion • Per capita $2,010[7] 10 Sources Gini (2014) [8] 11 External links 42.5 medium · 48th HDI (2017) 0.590[9] Etymology medium · 142nd Currency Kenyan shilling (KES) The Republic of Kenya is named after Mount Kenya. The earliest recorded version of the modern name was Time zone UTC+3 (EAT) written by German explorer Johann Ludwig Krapf in the 19th century. While travelling with a Kamba caravan led Date format dd/mm/yy (AD) by the legendary long distance trader Chief Kivoi, Krapf spotted the mountain peak and asked what it was called. Driving side left Kivoi told him "Kĩ-Nyaa" or "Kĩĩma- Kĩĩnyaa" probably because the pattern of black rock and white snow on its Calling code +254 peaks reminded them of the feathers of the cock ostrich.[18] The Agikuyu, who inhabit the slopes of Mt. Kenya, ISO 3166 code KE call it Kĩrĩma Kĩrĩnyaga in Kikuyu, while the Embu call it "Kirenyaa." All three names have the same meaning.[19] Internet TLD .ke [20][21][22] Ludwig Krapf recorded the name as both Kenia and Kegnia. Others say that this was—on the contrary— [2] According to the CIA, estimates for this a very precise notation of a correct African pronunciation /ˈkɛnjə/.[23] An 1882 map drawn by Joseph Thompsons, country explicitly take into account the effects [18] of mortality because of AIDS; this can result in a Scottish geologist and naturalist, indicated Mt. Kenya as Mt. Kenia, 1862. The mountain's name was lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality accepted, pars pro toto, as the name of the country. It did not come into widespread official use during the early and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of colonial period, when the country was instead referred to as the East African Protectorate. It was changed to the population by age and sex, than would Colony of Kenya in 1920. otherwise be expected. History Main article: History of Kenya Prehistory Fossils found in Kenya suggest that primates roamed the area more than 20 million years ago. Recent findings near Lake Turkana indicate that hominids such as Homo habilis (1.8 and 2.5 million years ago) and Homo erectus (1.9 million to 350,000 years ago) are possible direct ancestors of modern Homo sapiens, and lived in Kenya in the Pleistocene epoch.[24] During excavations at Lake Turkana in 1984, paleoanthropologist Richard Leakey assisted by Kamoya Kimeu discovered the Turkana Boy, a 1.6-million-year-old fossil belonging to Homo erectus. Previous research on early hominids is particularly identified with Mary Leakey and Louis Leakey, who were responsible for the preliminary archaeological research at Olorgesailie and Hyrax Hill. Later work at the former site was undertaken by Glynn Isaac.[24] Neolithic The first inhabitants of present-day Kenya were hunter-gatherer groups, akin to the modern Khoisan speakers.[25] These people were later replaced by agropastoralist Cushitic speakers from the Horn of Africa.[26] During the early Holocene, the regional climate shifted from dry to wetter climatic conditions, providing an opportunity for the development of cultural traditions, such as agriculture and herding, in a more favourable environment.[25] Around 500 BC, Nilotic-speaking pastoralists (ancestral to Kenya's Nilotic speakers) started migrating from present-day Southern Sudan into Kenya.[11][27][28] Nilotic groups in Kenya include the Samburu, Luo, Turkana, Maasai.[29] By the first millennium AD, Bantu-speaking farmers had moved into the region.[30] The Bantus originated in West Africa along the Benue River in what is now eastern Nigeria and western Cameroon.[31] The Bantu migration brought new developments in [31] The Turkana boy, a agriculture and iron working to the region. Bantu groups in Kenya include the Kikuyu, Luhya, Kamba, Kisii, Meru, Kuria, Aembu, 1.6-million-year-old Ambeere, Wadawida-Watuweta, Wapokomo and Mijikenda among others. hominid fossil belonging to Homo erectus. Remarkable prehistoric sites in the interior of Kenya include the archaeoastronomical site Namoratunga on the west side of Lake Turkana and the walled settlement of ThimLich Ohinga in Migori County. Swahili culture and trade (1st century–19th century) Further information: Swahili culture and Sultanate of Zanzibar The Kenyan coast had served host to communities of ironworkers and communities of Bantu subsistence farmers, hunters and fishers who supported the economy with agriculture, fishing, metal production and trade with foreign countries.