Kenya

A country in East Africa, the Republic of Kenya borders the Indian Ocean to the southeast, Tanzania to the south, Uganda to the west, Sudan to the northwest, Ethiopia to the north, and Somalia to the northeast. Lake Victoria is shared between Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya. The capital is Nairobi. The total area is 58,000 sq. km and the population is estimated to be 51,903,301 million (2018). There are over 40 different ethnic groups in Kenya. Mount Kenya is the second highest in Africa and the country take its name from the mountain.

Etymology

The country’s name comes from the Kamba, Embu, and Kikuyu names for Mount Kenya. Translated, this means, “place with Ostriches” in all three languages. A German explorer, Ludwig Krapf, recorded the name as Kenia and Kegnia in the 19th century. Former pronunciation during colonial times has been largely abandoned in favor of the African version.

Geography and Climate

Kenya is the 47th-largest country in the world, with an area of 582,644 km². The coast on the Indian Ocean rises to the central highlands. The Great Rift Valley bisects the highlands. A fertile plateau is in the east. The highlands are one of Africa’s most productive agricultural areas. Mount Kenya is the second highest Afri