Kenya is located in the East of Africa, and touches the Indian Ocean on the South eastern coast. From the coast on the Indian Ocean the Low plains rise to central highlands. The highlands are divided by the Great Rift Valley; a fertile plateau in the east. Mount Kenya is the second highest peak in Africa, reaches 5,199 metres and is also the site of glaciers. Kenya has one of the most diverse collections of animals on the continent and is a great place to spot the big 5. It possesses many famous game parks and is home to the legendary Masai Mara National Reserve, which straddles both Kenya and neighbouring Tanzania. The Serengeti Plains are famous for the annual wildebeest migration.
capital
Nairobi
population
Approximately 30 million people.
people
Kenya is home to people of many different ethnic origins. The main groups of tribes are the Bantu who migrated from western Africa, the Nilotic people who originated from Sudan and the Hamitic group, who were mainly pastoral tribes from Ethiopia and Somalia. The three biggest tribes are the Kikuyu, Luhya, and Kamba. Other peoples include the Kalenjin, Luo, Maasai, Turkana, and, on the coast, the Mijikenda.
language
The official languages are Swahili and English. There are approximately 62 languages spoken in Kenya. The African languages of Kenya come from three different language families - Bantu languages are spoken in the centre and southeast, Nilotic languages in the west, and Cushitic languages in the northeast.
system of government
Semi-presidential Republic
currency
GBP £1 = 129 Kenya Shillings
USD $1 = 73 Kenya Shillings (correct as of October 2008 - rates subject to fluctuation)
religion
Seventy per cent of the population are Christian, 19 per cent are animist, and six per cent are Muslim.
TIME
Kenya is 3 hours ahead of GMT and does not observe daylight savings time.
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