Nairobi, the capital of Kenya

Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa. Lying along the Indian Ocean to its southeast and at the equator, it is bordered by Somalia to the northeast, Ethiopia to the north, Sudan to the northwest, Uganda to the west and Tanzania to the south. Lake Victoria is situated to the southwest, and is shared with Uganda and Tanzania. With its capital city in Nairobi, Kenya has numerous wildlife reserves containing thousands of animal species. It has a land area of 580,000 km2 and a population of nearly 39 million residents, representing many different peoples and cultures. The country is named after Mount Kenya, a significant landmark and second among Africa’s highest mountain peaks.

Kenya is a country of 47 counties each with its own government semi-autonomous to the central government in the capital, Nairobi. The country’s geography is as diverse as its people. It has a long coastline along the Indian Ocean and as you advance inland the landscape changes to savannah grasslands, arid and semi-arid bushes. The central regions and the western parts have forests and mountains while the northern regions are near desert landscapes.

Archaeological research indicates modern man first appeared in Kenya and as a result, the country with its East African neighbours is almost certainly considered the cradle of mankind. Due to the varied geography and weather, people performing varied economic activities and thus developing varied cultures have been living in Kenya since the dawn of mankind. The first and successful attempt to merge these diverse and rich cultures under a nation was done by the arrival of Europeans around 19th century. Initially, peoples of then Kenya interacted through trade, intermarriages and frequent wars though each remained politically independent of the other.

A major African nation, Kenya is classified as a developing and sometimes an emerging African nation. Its economy is the largest by GDP in East and Central Africa and Kenya’s capital, Nairobi is a major commercial hub. The country traditionally produces world renowned tea and coffee. Recently, it has developed a formidable horticultural industry thereby becoming a major exporter of fresh flowers to Europe.The service industry is driven by telecommunications sector which is one of the most successful and innovative in Africa.