Kenya
Travels in Kenya:
Nairobi Overland Safari (30 days)
From Johannesburg to Nairobi
East Africa Overland Safari (12 days)
Game Parks of Kenya and Tanzania
Kenya Wildlife Safari (8 days)
Exploring East Africa's nature
Samburu - Naivasha - Maasai Mara (7 days)
Discover Kenya's most beautiful parks
Mt. Kenya and Masai Mara by Airplane (7 days)
Kenya's highlights without too much driving around
Quick Facts:
Official Name: |
Republic of Kenya; Jamhuri ya Kenya (Swahili) |
Capital: |
Nairobi |
Area: |
582,650 sq km |
Languages: |
English, Swahili |
Currency: |
Kenyan Shilling (KES) |
Population figure: |
July 2005 est. 33,829,590 |
Ethnology: |
Kikuyu 22%; Luhya 14%; Luo 13%; Kalenjin 12%; Kamba 11%; Kisii 6%; Ameru 6%; Other African 15%; Non-African (Asian/Desi, European, and Arab) 1% |
Religions: |
Various Protestant 45%, Roman Catholic 33%, Muslim 10%, Traditional Religions 10% |
National holiday: |
9 December (Independence Day) |
Government type: |
Republic |
Entry regulations
The validity of your passport has to endure for at least 6 months. Visas can be obtained without problems upon entry, at Nairobi or Mombasa Airport for example. But in order to avoid the long queues there, we suggest to contact your local Kenyan Embassy.
Climate
Climate varies from tropical along the coast to arid in interior.
History
The Portuguese were the first Europeans to explore Kenya, Vasco da Gama having visited Mombasa in 1498. There followed a period of Portuguese rule centered mainly on the coastal strip ranging from Malindi to Mombasa, but their influence was clipped by the Omani Arabs who completely expelled the Portuguese from the Kenyan and Tanzanian coasts by 1730. Like their predecessors, the Omani Arabs were primarily able only to control the coastal areas, not the interior. However, the relocation of the Omani capital to Zanzibar in 1839 had the effect of consolidating the Omani power in the region. The Omani presence continued in Zanzibar and Pemba until the 1964 revolution, but the official Omani Arab presence in Kenya was checked by German and British seizure of key ports and creation of crucial trade alliances with influential local leaders in the 1880s. The imperial rivalry for Kenya ended when Germany handed its coastal holdings to Britain in 1890. This followed the building of the Kenya-Uganda railway passing through the country. During the early part of the 20th century, the interior central highlands were settled by British and other European farmers, who became wealthy farming coffee. From October 1952 to December 1959, Kenya was under a state of emergency arising from the Mau Mau rebellion against British rule. Despite British hopes of handing power to "moderate" African rivals, it was the Kenya African National Union (KANU) of Jomo Kenyatta, that formed a government shortly before Kenya became independent on 12th December 1963. A year later, Kenyatta became Kenya's first president. In 2002, Mwai Kibaki was elected President. The elections, judged free and fair by local and international observers, marked a turning point in Kenya's democratic evolution.
Nature
From the coast on the Indian Ocean the Low plains rise to central highlands. The highlands are bisected by the Great Rift Valley; fertile plateau in west. The Kenyan Highlands comprise one of the most successful agricultural production regions in Africa. The highlands are the site of the highest point in Kenya: Mount Kenya, which reaches 5,199 metres (17,057 ft) and is also the site of glaciers. Kenya has some of the world's best parks. They are famous for Lions, Giraffe, Elephant and huge herds of Zebra, Wildebeest or Buffalo. The annual Wildebeest migration (from Masaai Mara to the Serengeti) is an awesome sight. Kenya also is a great destination for beach holidays and has some of the world's most beautiful beaches, located along the coastal regions and the city of Mombasa.
Culture
Kenya is a diverse country, with many different cultures represented. Notable cultures include the Swahili on the coast, pastoralist communities in the north, and several different communities in the central and western regions. Today, the Massai culture is the best known, due to its heavy exposure from tourism.
This article is partly based on a free article of the encyclopaedia Wikipedia and is subject to GNU-licence for free documentation. A list of authors is available on Wikipedia