Kenya Profile


Kenya Profile

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Kenya, named after Mount Kenya and with a population of 53.77 million (2020), is located in east Africa and borders the Indian Ocean to its south-east, Somalia to its north-east, Ethiopia to its north, South Sudan to its north-west, Uganda to its west and Tanzania to its south. Known as an African holiday and safari destination with one of Africa's better economies, Kenya has a diverse topography, from the beaches on the Indian Ocean, to forests and mountains, to sweeping savannahs and near desert landscapes. What is now known as Kenya was explored by the Portuguese during the late fifteenth century who set up trading stations there en route to India and Asia. During the 17th Century both the English and Dutch started moving into the area together with the Omani Arabs, however this latter group was repelled by the English and Germans during the 1880s. Between 1952 and 1959 Kenya was placed under a state of emergency following a rebellion by the Mau Mau and the country was finally granted its independence from British rule in 1963.



Kenya is widely regarded as a stable and peaceful, however the country is currently under repeatedly attacks from Al-Shabab particularly along its coastal areas for the country's involvement in security policing in neighbouring Somalia. On 8th January 2020 Al Shabaab released a public statement 'Kenya Must Take Heed' stating that Al Shabaab intended to attack tourists, including those on safari trips. It also references government institutions and military installations as potential attack targets. Despite this ever present threat, the authorities in Kenya have successfully disrupted a number of planned attacks and made a number of arrests in recent years. They have also provided extra protection including in areas near to the Somalia border and on the Kenyan coast.


Kenya Country Profile


Problems facing Kenya today, apart from the terrorist threat and sporadic civil unrest (which was often tribal targeted), include widespread poverty and high unemployment. Although Kenya's economy is the largest in eastern and central Africa, it remains in 143rd place out of 189 countries and territories in 2019 when ranked in terms of life expectancy, literacy, access to knowledge and the living standards of a country and life expectancy is 66.95 years (2021). 79% of its population lives in rural areas reliant on impoverished subsistence farming that, coupled with poor health care resources (one doctor for every 10,000 people), drives many into further poverty as income drops when the family earner becomes ill when suffering from HIV (6.3% of the population), water borne diseases and malaria.


Another factor for the rising levels of poverty in Kenya is the tripling of the population in just 30 years, placing an unsustainable burden on available land and already poor resources such as access to a safe water supply (52% of the rural population) and improved sanitation (32% of the rural population.) Thousands of children live on the streets of Kenya's cities in a vain attempt to secure a better future to escape this poverty (see article below). Find out more about Kenya in our Kenya profile pages below.




Kenya Profile: Volunteer in Kenya

African Volunteer Work: Kenya


Check out all the latest fee paying and free African volunteer work placements and charity work job opportunities abroad with local projects and volunteering organisations in Kenya.

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Kenya Profile: Kenya Independence

Kenya Independence


The timeline towards independence for Kenya in 1963 including key players and a video with images from that time.

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Kenya Profile: Life In Kenya

Life In Kenya


Life in Kenya explored in video with facts and figures about life expectancy and the quality of life in Kenya including details of daily village life for both adults and children.

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Kenya Profile: Maasai Children

Maasai Children


Facts, images and video about the lifestyle of Maasai children in Kenya and Tanzania and details of projects you can support to help them.

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Kenya Profile: Kenya Street Children

Kenya Street Children


Facts, information and video about Kenya street children together with details of projects and programs helping steet children in the country.

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Kenya Profile: Kenya Food

Kenya Food Situation


Infomation, facts and a short video profile documentary about the food insecurity situation in Kenya.

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Kenya Profile: Kibera Slum

Kibera Slum


Information, facts, images and video about the Kibera Slum in Kenya, a settlement in Nairobi with few basic services such as water or sanitation.

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Kenya Profile: Kenya Webcam

Kenya Webcam


Watch elephants, hippos, giraffes, zebras, gazelles, leopards and many other species enjoy the watering hole situated at Mpala in Laikipia County in Kenya on the Equator!

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Kenya Profile: Kenya Images

Kenya Images


A stunning video montage of pictures about Kenya from its wildlife, tropical beaches to sweeping savannahs.

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Kenya Profile: Nairobi Profile

Nairobi Profile


A complete profile of Nairobi, the capital of Kenya in facts, images and video about the east African city.

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Kenya Profile: Nairobi Airport

Nairobi Airport


After you've explored our Nairobi profile page, make a virtual landing at Nairobi Airport where you will probably enter Kenya for your volunteering experience.

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Kenya Profile: Kenya Quiz

Kenya Quiz


Take our online trivia quiz and see how much you know about Kenya including some interesting facts about the country.

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Kenya Profile: Child Sponsor Kenya

Child Sponsor Kenya


Details of how to sponsor children in Kenya with Kenyan child sponsor organisations, charities, programs and projects.

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Kenya Profile: Kenya Map

Kenya Map


Use this Google Earth satellite map of Kenya in Africa to explore and take a virtual tour of Kenya and zoom in on places of interest.

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Kenya Profile: Kenya News

Kenya News


Read all the latest and breaking news from Kenya here at our Kenyan news profile page. Updated daily.

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