KAA | About Kenya

About Kenya

Located in East Africa, the Republic of Kenya is bordered on the north by Sudan and Ethiopia, on the east by Somalia and the Indian Ocean, on the south by Tanzania, and on the west by Lake Victoria and Uganda. The largest city is the capital, Nairobi, with Nakuru, Mombasa, and Kisumu as other major cities. It has an area 580,370 km² (224,082 miles²). The Equator divides Kenya into two almost equal parts. The region north of the Equator is hot and receives comparatively little rain, while the southern region falls into three meteorological zones: the coast is humid, the highlands are relatively temperate, and the Lake Victoria region is tropical.

Nairobi City
Government
Kenya became self-governing in 1963 - celebrated and finally gained independence from the British in 1963. All citizens are eligible to vote at the age of 18, electing a network of MPs to form the National Assembly every five years. Kenya is a multi-party democracy with registered political parties in excess of 40. Kenya has enjoyed political stability for most of its existence since independence and is considered a pillar stability and democratic finesse in the greater African continent.

Economy
Agriculture accounts for 28% of GDP and 65% of exports: cash crops include coffee, tea and pyrethrum; food products include maize, sorghum, rice and sugarcane; livestock and livestock products include beef, pork, poultry, dairy products, eggs.

Tourism is one of Kenya's major industries. Foreigners often come to see the game parks and wildlife of the African savanna. As preservation of the native wildlife is in the interest of the country, much attention of late has been focused on the preservation of endangered species and their habitats.

Industries (13% GDP) include the production of small-scale consumer goods - furniture, textiles, ceramics, flour - food processing, manufacture of electrical and transport equipment, and tourism, particularly in the informal Jua kali ("hot sun") sector.

Kenya is a regional hub for most international financial institutions ranging from banking, investment banking, and stock brokerage to insurance firms. Kenya has more than 40 fully licensed commercial banks, more than half of which are indigenous. The financial sector is regulated by various regulatory bodies that oversee their operations and licensing.

Climate
Although Kenya lies astride the Equator, many of its climatic zones are typical of the tropics, with the country’s geographical features exerting considerable influence on
weather patterns. Kenya’s climate is best described as monsoonal, being affected as it is by both the northeast and southeast monsoons. While in Nairobi (altitude of 1700 m or 5,500 ft) you will be less subject to the risk of tropical diseases that are commonly found in the rest of the country.

In general, there are four distinct seasons:

Warm-dry season – from January to late March This season is not devoid of rainfall with Nairobi averaging some 80 mm per month with extremes of up to 250 mm. However the average number of rain days in January and February is only 5 days per month. Nairobi is significantly cool and dry with minimum and maximum temperatures of 12°C and 25°C espectively with a mid-day relative humidity of only 46%.
.Long rainy season – late March to early June During this season, rainfall amounts are high but it is frequently warm and sunny for part of the day and often, it may not rain at all for two or three days at a time. Nairobi average rainfall peaks at 211 mm in April although more than double this has been recorded with maximum 24 hr falls around 76 mm.
Cool dry season – mid June to early October As the southeast monsoon sets in the rains give way to the driest season. Low-level moisture however ensures there is a lot of cloud and often, in Nairobi, the sun may not be seen for days. In contrast the nights are clear. Nairobi’s mean maximum temperature is reduced to 21°C and minimum to 10°C.
Short rainy season – mid-October to mid-December In Nairobi, November’s rainfall of 167 mm is only exceeded by that of April and May although sunshine averages 7 hours a day compared with the 4 hours that accompany the dry months of June, July and August. Prior to the short rains, in September and early October, there is an abrupt change to warmer sunnier weather.