Christian+and+Coupe+Kenya+4B


 * Kenya **

** Flag ** Black stands for most of the people in Africa are black. Red stands for blood. Green stands for abundance. White stands for peace. ** Anthem ** The national anthem of Kenya is “Wimbo wa Taifa.” The anthem was written by a group of citizens. ** Land and Climate ** Kenya lies on the east coast of Africa and is bisected by the equator. It covers 224,081 square miles. Two of Africa's Great Lakes are in Kenya Lake Turkana and Lake Victoria. Mount Kenya is the second highest point in Africa, it rises in the center of the country to an elevation of 17,058 feet. The nation's semidesert northern plains are hot. The climate is moderate in western Kenya. **History** Kenya's first inhabitants were hunting groups called Dorobo who lived on the area's plains. By the 15th century the Bantu covered much of eastern Africa. More than half of Kenya's current ethnic groups have Bantu origins. These mixed peoples eventually lerned the Kiswahili language. In 1498, Portuguese explorers made some trading posts on the coast. Kenya became a British protectorate in 1895 and a crown colony in 1920. The British introduced Christianity and brought people from India and other parts of its empire to work on large infrastructure projects. Jomo Kenyatta, leader of the independence struggle, served as the first president until his death in 1978. He formed a strong central government under one political party, the Kenya African National Union. He was succeeded by Daniel Toroitich arap Moi. In 1982, Moi declared KANU the only legal political party, citing a need to avoid having political parties based on tribes. All political candidates had to sign in with KANU to be eligible for office. A fragmented opposition failed to wrest power from KANU in 1992 and 1997, although most observers declared the balloting unfair due to vote rigging and political harassment. Politicians also stirred ethnic conflict as a means of intimidating voters. In the western Rift Valley alone, more than 1,500 people died as a result of ethnic violence. In 2002, Moi prepared to stand down from the presidency as required by the constitution's term limit. Many of its leaders joined with opposition parties to form the National Rainbow Coalition (NARC), which selected Mwai Kibaki as its candidate. In December 2002, Kibaki won the presidency with 62 percent of the vote. NARC enjoyed a landslide victory in parliamentary elections, ending four decades of KANU rule. When Kibaki narrowly won reelection in December 2007, opposition leader Raila Odinga accused him of electoral fraud. The controversy sparked violent clashes in which hundreds of people died. To end the conflict, the presents signed a power-sharing. In August 2010, voters approved a new constitution, which limited the power of the president, instituted land reforms, and created a second chamber of the legislature.

**Language** English and Kiswahili (also called Swahili) are Kenya's official languages. English is widely used in business, education, and government.

**Religion** The majority of Kenyans are Christians. About 40% belong to various Protestant churches and 30% are Roman Catholic. Approximately 6% are Muslim.

**Monetary Unit** Kenyan shillings

**Government** Kenya's president (currently Mwai Kibaki) is chief of state, and its prime minister (currently Raila Odinga) is head of government. Legislative power is held by the 224-seat. Its members serve five-year terms. The 2010 constitution called for a second legislative body, the Senate, to be created. The voting age is 18.

**Economic Summery** The nation depended on loans from other places. The per capita gross domestic product is double what it was in the 1960s, but most people still struggle to meet basic needs. The chief cash crops are coffee, tea, and horticultural products. Other agricultural products include pyrethrum (a flower used to make insecticides), livestock, corn, wheat, rice, cassava, and sugarcane. Kenya traditionally has been self-sufficient in food production but recently has struggled to adequately feed all of its people. Industries focus on small-scale manufactured items. The tourist industry is a major contributor to the economy, but sometimes it has been negatively impacted by general insecurity in big towns and highly publicized attacks on tourists. Beach resorts and diverse wildlife are the best attractions. The currency is the Kenyan shilling (KES).


 * CultureGrams ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Comparison Data Table ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||
 * Nation ||  Region  ||  Area (square miles)  ||  Population  ||  Real GDP (per capita)*  ||  Internet users (per 1,000 people)  ||  Adult literacy  ||  Infant mortality (per 1,000 births)  ||  Life expectancy (male)  ||  Life expectancy (female)  ||
 * Kenya ||  Africa (East Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa)  ||  224,081  ||  40,046,566  ||  $1,542  ||  32  ||  74%  ||  55  ||  53  ||  54  ||
 * United States of America ||  Americas (North America)  ||  3,794,100  ||  310,232,863  ||  $45,592  ||  630  ||  99%  ||  6  ||  77  ||  81  ||
 * *U.S. Dollars ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||   ||