Name
The name Kenya comes from Mount Kenya; the mountain's name may derive from the Kikuyu word "kere nyaga", or "white mountain".
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
Country
Kenya
0.55° N, 37.91° E
3,457 km of land border against just 536 km of coast — this country faces its neighbors far more than it faces the sea.
coastline 536 km · 101st/229 · land borders 3,457 km · 60th/230
CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · ranks computed across the countries in this atlas that carry the value
- Population
- 52,573,973
- Natural Earth population estimate.
- Area
- 580,367 km²
- Official total area (land + water) from the CIA World Factbook. Computed from the Natural Earth boundary: ≈ 592,190 km².
- Population density
- ≈ 89 / km²
- Population divided by the computed boundary area.
- ISO codes
- KE · KEN
- GDP (nominal)
- $124.5 billion
- Field “Economy → GDP (official exchange rate)” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- GDP per capita (PPP)
- $5,800
- Field “Economy → Real GDP per capita → Real GDP per capita 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Kenya 580,367 km²Sweden 450,295 km²
geometry: Natural Earth 1:50m · EPSG:6933 equal-area
Where Kenya sits in the world
Each line is every country in this atlas that carries the value, ordered smallest to largest. The line down the middle is the world median; the mark on each line is this country.
- Median age21.5 years188th of 224 · median 32.6 years
- Life expectancy70.4 years172nd of 224 · median 76.2 years
- Fertility rate3.09 children per woman45th of 225 · median 1.92 children per woman
- Population52,573,97327th of 235 · median 5,454,073
- Total area580,367 km²50th of 228 · median 83,736 km²
- Coastline536 km101st of 229 · median 402 km
Overview
Background
By around the 9th century, Africans, Arabs, and Persians on the Land of Zanj coast were known as Swahili, with KiSwahili and a distinct culture. Portuguese forces arrived in the 1490s and were pushed out by Oman and Pate in the late 1600s. In 1890, Germany and the UK divided the region; Britain established the East Africa Protectorate in 1895 and converted it into a colony in 1920. Political disputes led to the Mau Mau Uprising in 1952 and independence in 1963.
Jomo Kenyatta led Kenya from independence until his death in 1978, when Vice President Daniel Arap Moi took power through constitutional succession. Kenya was a de facto one-party state from 1969 until 1982; Moi allowed political liberalization in 1991. KANU retained power in 1992 and 1997, but Moi stepped down in 2002 after fair, peaceful elections, bringing Mwai Kibaki to the presidency. Raila Odinga's 2007 challenge led to ethnic violence; African Union mediation made him prime minister, and the 2010 constitution removed that office and devolved power. Uhuru Kenyatta won elections in 2013 and 2017; William Ruto won in 2022 and assumed office the following month after the Supreme Court upheld his victory.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
Climate
Along the coast, conditions are tropical, while the interior is arid. Recurring drought and flooding during rainy seasons are climate hazards.
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
Government
A mixed system of English common law, Islamic law, and customary law forms the legal system; the Supreme Court reviews laws. The government is a presidential republic. The current constitution was passed by referendum on 4 August 2010. Kenya became independent from the UK on 12 December 1963. Jamhuri Day (Independence Day) is the national holiday on 12 December (1963).
Source: CIA World Factbook · 2026-02-01 · text generated from this source, approved by a person
Key figures
CIA World Factbook
Economy
- GDP (nominal)
- $124.5 billion
- Field “Economy → GDP (official exchange rate)” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- GDP (PPP)
- $328.63 billion
- Field “Economy → Real GDP (purchasing power parity) → Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- GDP per capita (PPP)
- $5,800
- Field “Economy → Real GDP per capita → Real GDP per capita 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- GDP growth
- +4.5%
- Field “Economy → Real GDP growth rate → Real GDP growth rate 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Inflation (consumer prices)
- 4.5%
- Field “Economy → Inflation rate (consumer prices) → Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Unemployment
- 5.5%
- Field “Economy → Unemployment rate → Unemployment rate 2024” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Exports
- $12.63 billion
- Field “Economy → Exports → Exports 2023” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Imports
- $22.05 billion
- Field “Economy → Imports → Imports 2023” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
People
- Life expectancy
- 70.4 years
- Field “People and Society → Life expectancy at birth → total population” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Median age
- 21.5 years
- Field “People and Society → Median age → total” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Birth rate
- 25.93 per 1,000
- Field “People and Society → Birth rate” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Death rate
- 4.72 per 1,000
- Field “People and Society → Death rate” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Fertility rate
- 3.09 children per woman
- Field “People and Society → Total fertility rate” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Population growth
- +2.15% a year
- Field “People and Society → Population growth rate” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Urban population
- 29.5%
- Field “People and Society → Urbanization → urban population” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Languages
- Englishofficial
- Kiswahiliofficial
- numerous indigenous languages
- Field “People and Society → Languages → Languages” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Religions
- Christian85.5%Protestant 33.4%, Catholic 20.6%, Evangelical 20.4%, African Instituted Churches 7%, other Christian 4.1%
- Muslim10.9%
- don't know/no answer0.2%
- other1.6%
- Field “People and Society → Religions” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Land
- Total area
- 580,367 km²Land 569,140 km² · Water 11,227 km²
- Field “Geography → Area → total” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Coastline
- 536 km
- Field “Geography → Coastline” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Land borders
- 3,457 km
- Field “Geography → Land boundaries → total” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Mean elevation
- 762 m
- Field “Geography → Elevation → mean elevation” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
- Highest point
- 5,199 m Mount Kenya
- Field “Geography → Elevation → highest point” in the CIA World Factbook archive (frozen 2026-02-01). Public domain. The Factbook stopped publishing in February 2026; the year shows when the value was estimated.
Values from the CIA World Factbook archive. Each carries the year it describes; open a year for the exact source field.
Connections
Natural geography 6
Natural Earth outlines · features with a Wikidata ID
Oceans 1
Deserts 1
Peninsulas 1
Largest cities 18
Population · Natural Earth