About 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 African mountain at 17,057 ft.
There is tropical climate on the coast but this becomes arid in Kenya’s interior. Between March and May, there is a lot of rain. In October and November rainfall is moderate, but high temperature remains.
There is much sunshine in Kenya all year. It is cool at night and in the morning. From April to June, the long rainy season takes place. The short is from October to December. The coolest period is from July to August and the hottest from February to March.
Kenya’s wild life habitat is considerable and includes the Masai Mara, an area of animal migration. Africa’s “Big Five” animals are found in the country, which are the leopard, rhinoceros, lion, elephant, and buffalo. The national parks and reserves are also home to numerous other animals as well as reptiles and birds. The annual migration between June and September is a popular event for filmmakers.
