Total Area: 582,646 square kilometers (224,960 square miles)
Capital: Nairobi (one of the key communication centers in Africa, particularly for many international Christian organizations)
Ethnic Composition: 22% Kikuyu; 14% Luhya; 13% Luo; 12% Kalenjin; 11% Kamba; 6% Kisii; 6% Meru; 16% other. Kenya has over 70 different people groups living within its borders, divided into three linguistic categories (Bantu, Nilotic, and Cushitic) based upon the ancestry of the language. The Bantu population is made up of tribes such as the Kikuyu and Kamba, the Nilotic by tribes such as the Maasai and Turkana, and the Cushitic by tribes such as the Rendille and Somali. Other language groups and people also reside in Kenya including Asians, Indians, ex-Patriate Americans and British.
Official Languages: English, Swahili
Religion: Freedom of religion with: 45% Protestant; 25.9% Roman Catholic; 10% African traditional religions; 6% Islam; 13.1% other; Nominalism is a major issue. Nairobi is 80% "Christian", but only 12% of the population goes to church.
Government: A parliamentary republic; the head of state is the president, elected by the voters to a five-year term; the legislative body is the unicameral National Assembly, with 200 members. Kenya became independent from Britain in 1963.
History: Under British rule since the late nineteenth century, the people of Kenya sought their independence after World War II. When Britain did not seem to be responding to their pleas, Kikuyu tribal members started the Mau Mau revolution in the 1950's to convince British authorities that the time for independence had arrived. Although the British stopped the revolution, they granted the country independence in 1963. In 1964 the country became an official Republic, with Jomo Kenyatta as president.
Daniel arap Moi of the Kenya African National Union became President in 1978 after Kenyatta's death, moving Kenya from a democracy to a one-party state. In 1991 Moi agreed to end one-party rule and was reelected president in 1992 in a multiparty election.
On 27 December 2002, the newly formed National Rainbow Coalition (NARC) defeated KANU with their candidate, Mwai Kibaki. The majority of Kenyans were elated over the victory and Kibaki has already moved to defeat corruption in Parliament and to fix the damaged infrastructure of the country. The election of Kibaki has engendered much hope in Kenya.